Market Research Update: It's Time to Double Down on Continuing Ed

The demands are increasing for associations and professional societies to provide continuing education (CE), and there is no sign of a slowdown anytime soon. Members are coming to expect online learning opportunities — and in fact an association’s relevance will soon depend on providing CE offerings. For associations that want to provide the greatest value to their members, online continuing education is no longer optional. Now is the time to double down on your online learning offerings. Let’s take a quick look at the growing trends we’re seeing in CE, and what that means for your association. The Rise of Continuing Education 67% of associations offer eLearning in some form. (Beacon Live) 56% of organizations prioritize on-the-job learning to a “high” or “very high” extent. (ATD 2020 State Of The Industry Report) Learning hours in virtual classrooms skyrocketed by 82% from 2018 to 2019. (ATD 2020 State Of The Industry Report) 70% of organizations currently use virtual classrooms. (ATD 2020 State Of The Industry Report) ROI of Continuing Education 72% of organizations said eLearning gives them a competitive advantage. (American Heart Association) Revenue generated per employee is 26% higher for companies that offer training using technology. (Beacon Live) Self-directed learning improves performance by 15-25%. (American Heart Association) E-Learning increases retention rates by 25-67%. (American Heart Association) Expectations of Professionals Continuing education is the #3 reason association members decide to onboard with an organization. (Beacon Live) 39% of millennials want to see more virtual education in the workforce. (American Heart Association) 87% of millennials (compared to 44% of Gen Xers and 41% of baby boomers) say professional or career growth and development opportunities are important to them when making decisions about their place of employment. (Gallup) Technology Trends The majority of live eLearning events takes the form of webinars. (Beacon Live) On-demand content is popular among professionals. 26% of webinar registrants sign up intending to watch the on-demand recording at a convenient time. (Beacon Live) 98% of respondents recognize the value of using video for more efficiently and effectively training employees — and 75% described this content delivery medium as very valuable for this purpose. (Kaltura) 70% of learners feel more motivated when training on a mobile device than on their computer. (Beacon Live) Nearly half of all organizations already use mobile devices in their training programs. (Beacon Live) In a single year, 31% of LMS buyers switched to a different LMS. (Beacon Live) Question Your Assumptions About Continuing Education Association professionals often assume that succeeding with online CE requires adopting a learning management system (LMS). However, learning management systems aren’t the only option. In fact, many organizations discover too late that their LMS isn’t the helpful solution they had expected it to be. For associations that are looking for a simple and efficient way to provide continuing education, there is more than one way to approach online learning. Our whitepaper on CE solutions examines the factors that associations and professional societies should consider to determine the best technology solution for their needs. This whitepaper has been researched specifically for the needs of trade associations and professional societies. If you’re ready to up your CE game, don’t purchase a software solution until you have all the facts. read the white paper Tizra has been the premier provider of content solutions for associations and societies since 2006. We're dedicated to helping organizations use their content to generate more revenue, more engagement, and more impact. If you're interested in buidling a beautiful resource hub and unleashing the power of your content please get in touch with one of our content strategists.