eLearning Trends for 2026: What's Shaping Education & Training

This post looks ahead at some of the most important elearning trends for 2026 that will be shaping learning and development now and over the next few years.

We've had a busy and exciting 2025, and one of the biggest changes in the company was our acquisition of U-Explore - a hugely innovative provider of digital careers guidance and virtual work experience platforms.

For new and existing clients, we've been delivering some interesting bespoke elearning projects for the likes of the Financial Times, ICS Learn, International Aids Society, and Network Rail to name just a few. 

We also exhibited at the World of Learning event hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, and one of the key elearning trends discussed here and with clients throughout the year was of course, the use of AI for education and corporate training. 

It was great to attend Innovate Access 2025, and I took away some ideas about how AI and assistive technologies can influence the way we think about elearning accessibility. 

While there is a great deal of hype around artificial intelligence, we’ve been keeping a keen eye on the space and leveraging the latest and best technologies to make L&D both more cost-effective for our clients and more rich and engaging for their learners.

As AI is becoming integrated into many of the software products we use for training content development, delivery and analytics, we look at more of the top elearning trends for 2026:

Authentic Content

There’s a lot of AI-generated learning content being used at the moment, which users often disconnect from. Using real human moments and authentic content increases engagement.

We're seeing demand grow for our creative elearning content and will be leaning into this. If you can make the content unique and stand out, then it sets itself apart from the AI-generated, generic material. 

Sales Enablement eLearning

Traditionally the realm of face to face instructors and workshops, sales training is also now being enhanced with digital learning courses and resources. Over the past 2 years, we’ve developed a suite of engaging Sales Enablement Training for Sabre who provide software and technology to the global travel industry. 

On a recent meeting with them in London, it was great to hear how 97% of their learners said they'd recommend the latest course :) 

Expect more organisations to leverage elearning for soft skills like Sales and Customer Service in 2026. 

The Rise of Rise

Articulate Rise has been around a while but the software has been developing, with new ways to bring content to life makes it more engaging. We'll be making the most of tools like Mighty Plugin, video / animation, custom HTML, and design customisations to help supercharge elearning in 2026. 

Gamification

Making learning lively is what we’re about here at First Media, and our gamification solutions continue to be in high demand to make training more engaging and fun. By incorporating game-like elements such as leaderboards, badges, and rewards, elearning platforms can boost motivation and participation.

In 2026, we’ll see gamification develop further beyond simple mechanics to include complex narratives and challenges that deeply immerse learners in their educational journey.

Immersive Experiences

More immersive experiences can really help to draw the user into the content. This could include interactive video, simulated meetings, game-style experiences, etc - and we're seeing growth in demand for this level of interactivity. 

Whether it’s practising medical procedures or navigating a high-pressure business scenario, immersive learning helps learners gain practical skills in a risk-free environment.

Personalised and Adaptive Learning

One-size-fits-all training is becoming a thing of the past. Personalised and adaptive learning systems leverage data to create customised learning paths based on an individual's pace, preferences, and goals. These systems ensure that learners receive content that is relevant and appropriately challenging, maximising engagement and knowledge retention.

Video-Based Training

Video remains one of the most effective ways to deliver eLearning content. With the rise of microlearning, video-based training is becoming shorter, more focused, and interactive. Expect to see innovative formats such as 360-degree videos, live-action role-playing scenarios, and AI-driven video analytics that assess learner engagement.

AI tools for video creation are becoming hugely effective in driving down the cost of video-based training, and we’ve been making the most of one of the leading solutions - Synthesia - for training video creation. We expect our interactive training video services to become more popular in 2026 and beyond.

Mobile-First Learning

With smartphones dominating internet usage, mobile-first elearning design is now essential. Learning content is being optimised for smaller screens, ensuring seamless access anytime, anywhere. Our mobile learning solutions are increasingly being used for corporate training to offer both online and offline access, and push notifications to keep learners on track.

Social and Collaborative Learning

As remote and hybrid work continue to grow, so does the demand for collaborative learning tools. eLearning platforms are integrating features like discussion boards, peer reviews, and group projects, enabling learners to share knowledge and work together regardless of location.

Sustainability in eLearning

Sustainability is becoming a key consideration for many organisations, including their L&D teams. Our digital-first approaches reduce the environmental impact of traditional learning, and organisations are driving sustainability with elearning to support their corporate social responsibility goals.

Over the last few years, we’ve also supported many environmentally-focused organisations with their learning, including ‘Spotlight’ Digital Learning Modules for National Trust employees and volunteers.

Microlearning

Bite-sized learning continues to be a top trend for its ability to deliver knowledge quickly and effectively. In 2026, expect to see microlearning modules combined with AI to curate content based on individual learning gaps, making training even more efficient.

Our clients are increasingly requesting microlearning solutions for training on the go.

See You in 2026?

We’re excited about the future of elearning is exciting and making full use of cutting-edge technologies and innovative methodologies to support our clients. The elearning trends above offer incredible opportunities for organisations, educators, and learners to make training more engaging, effective, and accessible.

By embracing these advancements, we’ll continue to push boundaries and unlock the potential of thousands more learners in the years ahead.