mLearning offers an effective way of increasing learner’s participation and engagement. Let’s look at a few potential benefits that are offered by mLearning.
This is the second post in a series of “Roadmap from eLearning to mLearning – Content, Technology and Costs”. In case you missed the first one, here it is Why consider Mobile Learning.
Even though the rapid growth of technology, growing mobile workforce and changing behavior of the new workforce are lubricating the shift to mobile learning, it is actually the potential benefits that it offers that are valued and seen by organizations.
Let us quickly have a look at those benefits that are making our lives easier.
1. Convenience and Relevance
The ‘mobile’ aspect of mLearning allows learners to instantly get access to relevant content. Learning can be accessed on the go, anywhere and at any time, exactly when it is needed.
2. Good use of spare time
Mobile devices enable learners to make good use of their spare time. They can choose to take an advantage of using their spare time to learn, may be while travelling, or between meetings etc.
3. Flexibility
mLearning seamlessly integrates learning into learner’s routine life, which results in successful course completion and retention of knowledge.
4. Encourages collaborative Learning
mLearning allows learners to get in touch with their mentors, or peers, to discuss or get ideas on the move. It maintains connectivity and supports knowledge sharing via SMS texting, Discussion forums etc.
5. Offers Bite-sized digestible learning
Because of its small screen size, mLearning offers only bite sized learning, minimizing the amount of information provided to a learner at any given point of time. This helps in avoiding cognitive overload and increases learning.
6. Improves Decision Making
Quick access to small chunks of learning and a chance to get connected to experts, prior to maybe important meetings, or before beginning tasks, can help learners to improve their decision making.
7. Enhances Learning
Learners get motivated to take the courses, if they are allowed to learn whenever they want, and at their personal convenience, in other words, learner-driven learning in a suitable format can enhance learning.
8. Wider Access
Adapting to the training needs of the organizations, it allows several learners at different locations, to learn using the same learning material.
9. No access barriers
mLearning allows learners to use their own mobile devices that they have already been using, to access trainings. BYOD or Bring Your Own Device is the trend adopted by many companies, who have implemented mLearning, to overcome any access barriers.
10. Cost-effectively built
You can quickly develop your mobile learning courses, leveraging your existing eLearning content, in a cost effective manner and push out to learners through their handheld devices.
Thus mLearning offers an effective way of increasing learner’s participation and engagement. These are some of my insights that I hope you have found useful. Please do share if you wish to add to the list.
This is the second post in a series of “Roadmap from eLearning to mLearning – Content, Technology and Costs”. Stay tuned for the next post on “Steps to Getting Started with Mobile learning”.
