Education has evolved from traditional classroom-based learning to technology-driven eLearning. With the evolution of technology now, eLearning is no longer limited to the desktop, as smartphones and tablets have become extensions of daily life, you can bring eLearning content to mobiles and tablets to leverage this opportunity. Modern learners expect content to be at their fingertips and mobile learning allows learners to study whenever and wherever they want.
Mobile learning opens up the possibility of developing more eLearning strategies to boost learning retention. Strategies like personalization, microlearning, gamification, and push notifications or reminders can keep the learner engaged.
What is Mobile learning?
Mobile learning or mLearning refers to delivering eLearning content through devices like smartphones and tablets. It allows learners to not limit themselves to just learning from the desktop but they can access the learning content whenever and wherever they want by eliminating location-based constraints.
The Key Benefits of Mobile Learning
Flexibility and Accessibility
Learners can access the learning content while traveling, during commute, or in short breaks. They can access the content on any sort of mobile device or tablet. You can allow them to download content to make learning possible while offline. Mobile learning also allows learners to learn at their own pace or schedule.
All of these features ensure that the learning content fits the learner’s lifestyle instead of making the learner adapt to the rigid schedule.
Real-Time Access to Information
Just-in-time learning is one of the biggest advantages of mobile learning. For mobile learning-based corporate training, employees can quickly find answers to job-related tasks. During their review sessions, students can quickly check the content to reinforce learning.
Learners can revisit content before meetings, exams, or practical applications to ensure that they are prepared.
Personalization
You can add personalization features to adjust content based on learners’ past performance or recommend courses tailored to their previous results. Personalization can also be used to create a role-based path for employee training. Personalization ensures that learners don’t find the content boring because it is too easy, difficult, or irrelevant.
Microlearning
Learners who use mobile to interact with the course often have smaller learning sessions and to meet that requirement, incorporating a strategy like microlearning will be the best idea. Almost every mobile learning platform and courses apply microlearning to make the learning content effective for mobile learners.
In this strategy, content is broken into very short, digestible lessons and each lesson has just one small goal of teaching learners one topic and contains only relevant pieces of information.
This ensures learners can learn some topics in smaller sessions and they are not overwhelmed with too much information.
How Mobile Learning is Reshaping eLearning
Shift in Learning Behaviour
With the introduction of mobile learning, learner behavior has drastically changed. Now learners are following an on-demand culture. Just like how people consume entertainment using platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime similarly, learners expect information the moment they need it. This way learners can learn in short bursts without following any strict schedule.
Example: An employee can quickly check his training content on his phone before a client meeting.
Rise of Microlearning
Mobile learning and microlearning pair perfectly. Microlearning-based shorter lessons that cover only one key concept allow short-burst learning for mobile learners. Such bite-size lessons are easier to digest, don’t overwhelm learners with too much information, and improve retention. Learners now prefer microlearning-based learning content.
Example: A salesperson can refresh himself with a microlearning module about the product or service before he handles his next potential customer.
Blended Learning
By incorporating mobile learning into classroom training, you can reinforce the information to the learners. Mobile learning can be seamlessly integrated into the traditional LMS, letting learners switch between desktop and mobile without losing progress. It can help learners prepare before any class session and review key takeaways afterward. It can also be used as performance support by providing quick how-tos, checklists, or refreshers while learners are actively working.
Example: A field technician can review troubleshooting steps on their phone while on-site, and they won’t need a laptop or Wi-Fi for this.
Push Notifications and Reminders
Mobile learning allows you to timely push notifications. You can use push notifications to remind learners to complete modules, or you can use them to suggest spaced repetition modules or take other courses or events. Push notifications can drastically reduce the drop-off rates and keep learners coming back for more learning.
Example: A college student can be suggested with a push notification “Don’t miss today’s interactive history timeline — Ancient Civilizations await!”
Technologies Powering Mobile Learning
Learning Management System
LMS platforms and applications like Moodle, LearnDash, or Talent LMS make it possible for people to create, manage, and deliver eLearning courses. These LMSs act as a central platform for learners and course providers across different devices. Course contents created in LMSs are mostly mobile-friendly and responsive to different screen sizes.
LRS and Tracking
Most of the LMSs provide basic insights about the learners which are not always enough. Recipe for a successful eLearning content is deeper understanding and analytics about the learners and the content. To achieve that you can’t rely only on LMSs, you will have to look beyond. A tool like LRS can help you gain deeper insight into the learners as well as your content.
Learning Record Store (LRS) follows xAPI eLearning standards and stores tracked learners’ interaction data in the form of xAPI statements. An LRS provides you with a variety of tools to analyze learners and your learning content to identify which part of your course causing issues to the learner and fix them.
You can use an LRS with an LMS that follows xAPI standard otherwise if you are Moodle LMS or WordPress LMS user, you can use GrassBlade xAPI Companion and LRS such as GrassBlade LRS to Track and Analyze every little interaction of the learners. GrassBlade xAPI companion is a very powerful tool for tracking and completing behaviors.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
You can leverage the power of smartphones to include Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR) experiences in mobile learning. AR technology overlays visual elements in real time over real-world footage taken through mobile cameras. This feature can be used to guide new employee with step-by-step assembly instructions or maintenance procedures when they point their phone at machinery. There can be more such use cases for AR in mobile learning.
Virtual Reality can be used to train new learners with real-world scenarios and simulations. You can create a high-risk virtual environment (construction sites, factories, labs) and train the learner in hazard recognition without facing real-world danger. However, leveraging the VR capabilities of smartphones will require learners to use an additional gadget which is a VR Box. VR boxes are bigger so that learners can’t keep them in their pockets but are still portable, so using VR in mobile learning can still be okay but limits some advantages like quick on-the-go learning.
Challenges in Mobile Learning Implementation
Device Compatibility Issues
Learners might have different devices with different operating systems and screen sizes. Content must be optimized for these different devices it should adapt to small, medium, and large screens without losing readability and functionality. Remember not all learners may have access to high-end devices, while handling interactive content, videos, or large files, it might lag or crash on older phones so ensure providing lightweight content versions.
Offline Accessibility
On-the-go learners may not have access to the internet all the time. They might face poor signals, high data costs, or travel to areas with no network coverage. In such scenarios, learners may disengage if the content requires constant internet. To fix this you should provide an offline download option for videos, lessons, and assessments. Additionally, add functionality that tracks learners offline and syncs progress when the device reconnects to the internet.
Distractions and Multitasking
Sometimes learners may face notification overload as social media apps, email, and other applications are competing for attention with push notifications and it can disrupt the learning flow. Another downside of mobile learning is mobile users are prone to multitasking, which can hamper deeper learning retention. To fix these issues incorporate microlearning, and keep the lesson as short as you can. Make the content interactive with quizzes, simulations, etc to keep the engagement high. Encourage learners to set DND (Do Not Disturb) mode while studying.
Data Security
eLearning, be it web-based or mobile learning often requires personal data such as login info, and these data can be vulnerable if devices are lost or hacked. For corporate training, companies must follow regulations like GDPR or HIPAA for data safety or prevention of legal challenges. Implement end-to-end encryption and secure login methods such as two-factor authentication.
Conclusion
Mobile learning is a revolutionary shift in online education. It brings flexibility, accessibility, and engagement. With modern technologies, mobile learning opens the possibilities of more eLearning strategies like microlearning, personalized learning, AR and VR experience, push notification, etc. Mobile learning also brings some challenges such as every learner has a mobile device with a different operating system, screen size, processing power, and of course different internet connection. You can overcome such obstacles by applying the solutions we discussed in the article. Drive your eLearning content toward success by leveraging mobile learning strategies.