Why Mobile-Training?

Why Make Training More Accessible Through Mobile, Interactive Platforms

Recent studies on the online educational experience have shown that interactive online platforms can be as effective as traditional in-class education. Add the power of mobile learning to an online platform, and employers can introduce an entirely new benefit – accessible learning. In a well-designed mobile course, key concepts can be introduced or reinforced from anywhere and at anytime, controlled by a user’s swipe of a cellphone. 

In recent years, our cellphones have morphed into one device that we keep with us at all times, whether we’re at work, play, in transit, dining, or watching a baseball game. Not surprisingly, most studies claim that the average person looks at her phone at least 220 times a day. This represents a tremendous opportunity to design a mobile, interactive learning experience for today’s workforce.

Studies show we have reached a tipping point in device preferences. As of 2016, mobile-only users outweigh desktop-only users with the smartphone being the most used mobile device today. One study showed we are using our smartphones for more than 20% of our waking time! Since mobile has become the standard communication device, it is no wonder that mobile learning has become a distinct category in the online educational sector. And this is with good reason: mobile learning is a money-maker. A GSMA & McKinsey report shows that mobile learning is poised to become a $70 billion industry by 2020.

According to The eLearning Guild, mobile learning (or mLearning) is defined as any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting, or creating information mediated by a mobile device. Mobile learning has become a strategic business priority for companies worldwide, as more companies are aggressively implementing mobile learning programs for their employees.

Although there are a number of benefits to providing a mLearning environment for your employees, below please find what I would call the top three: 

Comfortable and Convenient Learning Environment

Given the familiarity of cell phone use, mobile learning  offers a comfortable and convenient learning environment with a next to none learning curve for most users. With mobile-based learning, students do not need to attend class sessions, and they do not have to be settled in a front of a computer to partake in the learning process. Therefore, students don’t need to leave work early just to attend their class or even miss important family gatherings, as they always have their smartphone in hand. Mobile training platforms will allow students to work and study during their most flexible time, since access is available 24 hours a day. In fact, according to a study by Michaels & Associates, 52% of people using mLearning use it in bed after waking up and 46% check devices before they go to sleep.

 Flexibility and Interaction

When it comes to instructional formats, there is no shortage of options in the mobile environment. An interactive platform can incorporate quizzes, polls, and bite-sized video lectures will provide a familiar user experience, similar to the social networking platforms most employees may already use. As a result, the technological learning curve is diminished, providing for better adaptability and increased engagement across all working age groups.

Enhanced Technical Abilities and Skills In Less Time

New findings from the Merrill Lynch GoLearn initiative show that mLearning can speed up the rate at which employees process and retain information. During this experiment, one group of virtual learning- and mobile-savvy workforce undertook the training on their mobile devices while the other group used traditional desktop computers to learn. The smartphone users completed courses an average of 45 percent faster than those who took the modules on their computers. The test scores were also equivalent for the two groups, proving that instructional effectiveness is not impaired when training is delivered to mobile devices.

As a result of engaging in a mobile learning environment, students have the ability to manage their own time, learn and explore the materials that they are presented, and most importantly complete assignments and projects on their own schedules. All of this while using a device that they are already using for work and play for the majority of the day, making the mLearning experience less of a disruptor and more of a part of the normal activities of a typical day. The perks in building mobile learning deserve serious consideration as they could well serve as a gateway to achieve your company’s learning objectives.