For organizations and educational institutes alike, there is no debate on whether mobiles have any real application to learning. Mobile learning, also known as mLearning, is very much a part of integrated learning and development ecosystem.
Here we present 13 extraordinary benefits of mLearning:
- Learner engagement – With audio-visual and interesting visual content, mobile learning is sure to keep the learners more engaged and interested.
- Self-paced learning – Not every learner can learn with the same pace. With mobile learning, students get an opportunity to learn as per their speed and interest.
- Audio-visual and interactive Content– Mobile learning offers course designers an opportunity to use audio-visual elements and make use of inherent options such as swipe, touch or GPS to create engaging learning experiences. Such invigorating learning content is sure to keep the learner immersed.
- Anytime, anywhere – Students get an opportunity to access learning material anytime and anywhere – in class, at home, at work or during commute.
- Flexibility - Flexible hours are of great help to students who can access the learning material anytime 24-7 and from any location.
- Good use of ‘dead’ time – Students can best use the dead time – the time which would usually be unproductive - such as commute, flight time or the waiting time – to learn smaller pieces of information.
- Supported decision making - With timely access to crucial information through mobile devices, users can quickly double-check on certain information which can facilitate faster decision making and better professional judgments.
- Improved learner confidence - Short chunks of learning content offered to students just before the exam or offered to professionals just before meetings or beginning tasks, can certainly improve the learner’s confidence.
- Wider access – Learners from different locations can access the same course material without having to worry about time zone differences and without compromising on the course content quality.
- Measurability - Learning content offered through mobile devices can have in-built analytics and possibility of tracking everything that the learner does – this enables the trainers to know how the learners are learning and their behaviors and accordingly improve on the course material and increase the effectiveness.
- Job Aids - Trainers can use the inherent, so-called limitations of mobile devices with respect to screen size and learner attention span to push out short chunks of learning, little texts, exercises, case studies to learners on a spaced basis. Mobile is ideal for delivering such small bite-sized chunks and facilitates effective learning.
- Contextual and Informal – With the informality and contextual aspect associated with mobile learning, the training material can refer to a specific situation, or a context that employees or workers may come across while in the field. Learners can access such context-specific information related to an issue or problem and get quick assistance or manual instructions for correct answers.
- Effective self-assessment – Through mobile devices, learners can refer to course material anytime, track previous assessment results and repeat the assessments as required.
Mobile learning undoubtedly is the next-gen of learning. What could be stopping organizations and educational institutes from adopting mLearning is the complexity in development of mobile course content. If the course creators themselves get an option to change the course content without having to worry about programming complexities of mobile apps, mLearning is sure to get wider adoption.
