What's a Modern Learning Ecosystem? [An Introduction]

What Is a Modern Learning Ecosystem?

A learning ecosystem represents all the tools, technologies, resources, and places where the learning happens across your organization. (Don’t confuse this with a data ecosystem, which represents all the tools and technologies that comprise an organization’s overall data infrastructure.)

Learning can and should happen in many different places. Whether it’s formal learning delivered in the classroom or the LMS via eLearning, or informal learning pulled from an LXP, YouTube video, Google search, or peer—learning is happening everywhere, and it’s all part of your corporate learning ecosystem.

Learning also happens in many different ways. A leadership development program should be different than annual compliance training. For example, leadership development might rely heavily on mentoring sessions, university programs, and immersive experiences, whereas compliance training likely relies on eLearning and in-the-field assessments.

Every learning program probably has its own variant of a learning ecosystem. But do you know what your learning ecosystems actually look like?

Why Do I Need a Learning Ecosystem?

Just as a roadmap is critical for seeing your location, where you can go, and how you can get there, a map of your learning ecosystems is essential if you want to understand how and where your learners receive information.

Redefining the Learning Ecosystem Architecture

Historically, the LMS (or learning management system) was at the center of most learning ecosystems, but it’s important to remember not every system that delivers learning is an LMS.

In fact, during the last few years, new technologies—such as learning record stores, learning experience platforms, and microlearning providers—have begun to push the LMS away from being the focal point of the learning ecosystem.

However, the LMS isn’t going away, as it still serves a vital function; rather, its importance is diminishing.

Key Takeaways

This blog series is ideal if you’re new to learning and data ecosystems, need help mapping out your own diagram, or are simply interested in understanding how technology, xAPI, and training measurement fit into these ecosystems.

We’ll explain these organizational ecosystems, how you can effectively discover and create your ecosystem from design through implementation, and share a few real-world examples.

1. Discover Your Organization’s Ecosystems
   Learning happens in many places across your organization and with tools other than your LMS. See some examples of the types of training and related tools that might comprise your ecosystem.
2. The Ripple Effect: Learning & Data Ecosystems
   See how changes to different elements of an ecosystem can impact learning experiences and other components in the ecosystem.
3. How to Develop a Learning Ecosystem Strategy
   Think strategically about creating a “big picture” about your ecosystem and explore how your ecosystems interact with other business systems across the organization.
4. How to Add Data Sources & Iterate
   Look at how to choose a good starter data source, connect it, and build from there.
5. How The Behr Paint Company replaced the LMS
   In this L&D spotlight, see how The Behr Paint Company replaced its LMS with a learning ecosystem.
6. How Visa & Verizon built learning and data ecosystems with LMSs
   In this second L&D spotlight, see how Visa and Verizon have kept their LMSs and continue to use them as part of their ecosystems alongside other platforms.

Up Next: Discover Your Organization’s Learning & Data Ecosystems

You can’t use data unless you know where to find it and where to send it. And you can’t create a modern learning ecosystem until you understand what it is and how it fits into an overall data ecosystem. Our next post will show you how to discover these ecosystems within your organization.