With eight years of aggregated data, the information provided from this report was even more in-depth than previous years, and - largely due to the pandemic - this year's results differed greatly from those past.

"If there's one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s that we have to be aware of what's happening outside the organization, so that we can adjust ourselves and be ready for what's happening next," Donald said.

One of the key takeaways from this year's results was that, for the first time ever, reskilling and upskilling were identified as "what was hot in L&D this coming year". They moved topics such as collaborative and social learning, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality further down the list - trends that have, in recent years, reigned as "hottest."

As Donald and the webinar participants dissected the results of the report from every angle, it became evident that COVID-19 has changed the way L&D views what may be considered "hot" this year - and possibly for years to come. 

What's more, the report unexpectedly uncovered a deeper concern within the L&D community, forcing organizations to re-evaluate how digital skills and digital-skills training programs should be prioritized in learning. 

To hear all of the details in Donald Taylor's Global Sentiment Survey Report and more, make sure to view the webinar recording here: Speexx Presents: Digital Learning Trends 2021 with Donald Taylor.

The L&D Global Sentiment Survey takes the pulse of the L&D community worldwide, annually. The one-minute online poll asks L&D professionals internationally what they think will be hot in the following year. The question is always the same format: "What will be hot in workplace L&D?"

Participants are asked to choose what they think will be hot, not what should be hot. Each person can vote for at least three and up to fifteen responses, presented in random order. Aggregated and examined over time, these answers provide a fascinating look at trends in what people in L&D are thinking. This year's results - in no small part, due to the pandemic - differ greatly from prior years. Donald's deep dive will scrutinize our "new normal."

Donald Taylor is a recognized commentator and organizer in the fields of workplace learning and learning technologies. He is a veteran of the learning, skills, and human capital industries, with experience at every level from delivery to chairman of the board, and he is passionately committed to helping develop the learning and development profession.

Donald’s background ranges from training delivery to managing director and vice-president positions in software companies, and he took his own internet-based training business from concept to trade sale in 2001. Furthermore, he has been a company director during several other acquisitions.

Now based in London, Donald has lived and traveled extensively outside the UK. He now travels regularly internationally to consult and speak about workplace learning.