E-learning has taken a step forward and gone mobile, and is now popularly known as m-learning. Delivering learning, both technical and non-technical, is easier via mobile devices because people are constantly connected to their phones, and because a mobile app provides a streamlined learning space on the go.
In 2017, the number of app downloads worldwide was 197 billion. It would be a missed opportunity to not take advantage of mobile apps for e-learning. In a corporate environment, the delivery of e-learning content via mobile apps encourages self-paced learning, and does not interfere with the daily work of professionals. And this is only one of the benefits of m-learning; here are five more.
1. Millennials and Gen Z love their mobile apps, so it is easy to reach out to them.
These generations are always looking to get that little bit extra out of what they’re doing. Never too far from their phones, they are easy to connect with through mobile apps dedicated to learning. Incidentally, mobile learning has made it easy to reach out to multiple generations of professionals, including older generations. Even if they do not use their phones as intuitively as the younger generations, they are more likely to use their phones for a meaningful purpose, such as learning.
2. Mobile apps allow content to be delivered in unique ways such as infographics, podcasts, and videos.
Why is this good news for people who do not respond well to the traditional classroom lecture format? The monotony is taken away by multimedia, the content is fresher and broken into smaller chunks (eg: infographics), and learners are more engaged and involved in the learning process.
3. 24×7 access across multiple devices makes learning easily accessible.
A common sign-in allows learners to move comfortably across multiple mobile devices, from their mobile phones to their tabs and even their smart TVs, for online as well as offline learning. Additionally, it allows learners to go back and revise concepts days, months, and even years after they have completed their course, as and when they require it.
4. It’s not work, it’s fun.
Learning through mobile apps does not appear to be a chore or disrupt one’s schedule. In fact, e-learning delivered through mobile apps often uses gamification to make learning engaging. It makes training informal and reduces the pressure of performance on learners. They can make mistakes and learn, and the consequences are not as severe as they might seem to be in traditional learning environments.
5. Course completion rates are higher on mobile apps.
Research indicates people are more likely to complete courses they take up on mobile apps rather than on their computers or in person. Why? Because it is accessible all the time, because it is accessible on a device they carry with themselves everywhere, because it is innovative and does not involve the traditional approach to learning, and because information in delivered in small bites (popularly known as “microlearning nuggets”), which aids retention.
With mobile learning set to be a $70 billion industry by 2020, it’s time to get on board and use mobile platforms to deliver learning material to a new generation of learners. Give us a call and let us walk you through the development of e-learning content that will improve learning outcomes!
