When you hear “digital learning,” what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you think of eLearning courses—structured modules inside an LMS (Learning Management System). And whilst this is part of elearning, those are part of digital learning… but they’re not the whole picture.
I was curious about this, so I ran a LinkedIn poll to see what others thought. Here’s what happened:
Poll Results:
This confirmed what I thought —most people still associate digital learning with eLearning courses, but in reality, learning today happens far beyond that.
Sticking to an LMS-first approach ignores all the other ways people actually learn in their day-to-day lives.
Think about it:
✔ People Google things at work to solve problems on the spot.
✔ They watch quick YouTube tutorials instead of sitting through a 40-minute module.
✔ They ask colleagues for advice on Slack, Teams, or WhatsApp.
✔ AI suggests learning content based on their skills and performance.
But none of that is tracked in an LMS. And that’s where decentralised digital learning comes in.
What is Decentralised Digital Learning?
Decentralised learning is about breaking free from the “course-first” mindset and recognising that learning happens everywhere—not just inside an LMS. It’s about designing learning ecosystems that meet people where they are rather than forcing them into structured modules.
What It Looks Like in Action
Learning in the Flow of Work – Knowledge delivered exactly when and where it’s needed (not two weeks later in a compliance course). Think AI chatbots, digital job aids, and quick-reference guides.
Microlearning & Just-in-Time Learning – Short, sharp learning bursts delivered via email, mobile, or Slack—not hour-long courses.
AI & Adaptive Learning – Personalised learning recommendations based on real-time data (instead of one-size-fits-all training paths).
Social & Peer Learning – People learn from each other every day, whether it’s in discussion forums, WhatsApp groups, or shared Google Docs.
xAPI & Open Learning Ecosystems – With xAPI, we can track learning experiences across multiple platforms, giving a real picture of how people actually learn.
Why This Matters
Traditional eLearning is useful, but limited. If we want digital learning that actually works, we need to:
Stop thinking of an LMS as the only place learning happens.
Track learning that happens outside the system (YouTube, coaching, real-world tasks).
Measure success by skills and behaviour change, not course completions.
Use xAPI, AI, and automation to personalise learning at scale
Decentralised digital learning isn’t just the future—it’s already here. The question is: Are we ready to embrace it?
Would love to hear your thoughts—how are you seeing digital learning shift in your world? 🚀
Written with a little help from ChatGPT
