3 Ideas to Blend Mobile Learning With Classroom Training

A woman walking into a pole while browsing through her social media app or a man failing to notice a wild bear approaching him, while texting have become common sights today. See this video here. Mobile devices have become truly addictive.We use mobile technology for almost everything – to wake up early, track the calories burnt, find routes to places, jot down important information, order food, book tickets, read news – the list is endless.This addictive nature of mobile devices can be leveraged to engage your employees with mobile learning bites in a classroom training program.

The flexibility of mobile devices helps you fit mobile learning anywhere in the learning cycle – before, during, and after a training program. Here’s how mobile learning can be blended with classroom sessions.

1. Mobile learning nuggets before a classroom session to create awareness about the topic

Short introductory mobile learning modules can be delivered before learners enter the classroom to to train them on the basics of the subject matter and create awareness and interest about the training program.

Short videos can be provided via mobiles to introduce the classroom training session; infographics can be delivered to introduce the learning objectives; a quick pre-test can be delivered to check the prior knowledge of employees or to know how much information they’ve retained from the previous session. All these must be delivered before employees attend the upcoming classroom session.

For example, before starting a product training session, deliver a short video about the product, covering its enhanced technology, features, and unique aesthetics on the mobile devices of employees.

2. Mobile learning during the classroom session to emphasize the “need to know” information

Any training program covers both the need-to-know and the nice-to-know information. Need-to-know information constitutes the core of the learning content and helps achieve the learning objectives of the program. Nice-to-know information refers to the additional information learners find interesting, but not necessary to achieve the learning objectives. Provide the need-to-know information in the form of mobile learning modules containing decision-making scenarios, how-to videos, or interactive gamified elements to supplement the learning in the classroom session.

Staying on with the example of product training, after introducing the features of the product, deliver short videos of how each feature works. Trainers can also gauge the pulse of the learners during the classroom session by conducting online polls through their mobile devices.

3. Mobile learning after the classroom session to reinforce learning

A learner forgets almost 70% of what was taught within 24 hours. But organizations spend billions of dollars on training every year, and cannot afford such a quick dissipation of knowledge. So, reinforcement is very important. Provide digital resources for the important information provided in the classroom on mobile devices in the form of infographics, flow-charts, job-aids, and so on to improve information retention.

For instance, after the conclusion of an instructor-led product training program, provide infographics of product features and videos of product usage and service. These are very useful for recalling information and providing just-in-time support.

Agreed mobile learning is the delivery of training content on mobile devices; but unless you keep your courses short and simple, your mobile learning initiative won’t be as successful as it should be. You also need to take care of the courses’ size so that learners can access them on their mobile devices. For example, a 20 minute video of the highest resolution cannot be accessed easily on all mobile devices.

Also, this is not the only way to use mobile learning for employee training. There are other amazing ways mobile learning can be used to train employees, even without letting them know they are being trained. If you want to know what these wonderful ways are, check out these blogs:

1. Leveraging Distractions – A Surprisingly Innovative Way for Creating Better Online Learning Experience
2. Will Sleep Learning Turn Out to be a New Trend in the Corporate Industry?