Within the U.S. 98% of the population have mobile phones, and 91% have smartphones. Telephones have turn into extra ubiquitous than computer systems. The final census discovered that just 81% of U.S. households had desktop or laptop computers.
You in all probability guessed this already, however most individuals have a cell phone. Cellular studying, or m-learning, is remodeling the best way we entry data—at work, at house, and all over the place in between. With smartphones now outpacing computer systems in accessibility, the chance for mobile-first coaching has by no means been larger.
Cellular utilization by the numbers:
- Over 7 billion cell subscriptions are anticipated worldwide by 2025
- 98% of the U.S. inhabitants owns a cell phone; 91% of these are smartphones
- Solely 81% of U.S. households personal a desktop or laptop computer laptop
- The idea of cell studying predates smartphones by over 30 years
These stats present that telephones will not be only a comfort—they’re the brand new studying hub.
(Sources: Ericsson, GSMA, U.S. Census Bureau, Pew Research Center)
With that in thoughts, in case your learners aren’t utilizing smartphones, they’re an anomaly. Even when your group doesn’t present cell gadgets to your learners, most of your learners possible have no less than one private machine, and that machine might be a cellphone. We use them for every thing: work, play, communication, and naturally, studying.
However do you know that the idea of mobile learning is greater than 30 years older than the primary smartphone?
The historical past of cell studying
Cellular studying, or m-learning, because it’s generally been referred to as, was first envisioned in 1968 by computer scientist Alan Kay, again when telephones had been something however digital. Kay launched the idea of the “Dynabook,” a transportable laptop designed to let kids be taught from wherever. Not fairly a laptop computer, not fairly a pill (and undoubtedly not a cellphone), the Dynabook was meant to be each cell and academic. Although it was by no means constructed, it laid the inspiration for what we now know as cell studying.
The idea gained momentum with the rise of smartphone apps. All of the sudden, Learning Management Systems (LMSes) may ship content material throughout a number of cell gadgets. Nonetheless, that didn’t imply organizations rushed to undertake it. In 2012, a number of years after apps went mainstream, solely 45% of high studying organizations had carried out cell studying, although 70% deliberate to take action inside two years.
How does cell studying look immediately?
With the introduction of 5G, cell phones grew to become quicker, extra responsive, and extra able to offering partaking studying content material. Nonetheless, cell studying will not be essentially getting used to its full potential.
A latest Training Industry article highlights a well-known problem in L&D: the tendency to use new applied sciences utilizing outdated instructing strategies. When on-line studying first emerged, as an illustration, some organizations merely uploaded recorded lectures and scanned handouts from in-person periods, lacking the chance to rethink the educational expertise.
The identical sample emerged with cell studying. A workplace study from 2008 famous that many organizations had been merely migrating conventional studying content material to cell platforms, with out rethinking how that content material ought to be skilled on a cell machine. Unsurprisingly, this method wasn’t significantly partaking for learners, particularly these attempting to finish full-length distant programs on early smartphones and sluggish web connections.
Sadly, this downside persists immediately. In lots of instances, organizations launch an app containing the identical programs {that a} learner may tackle a laptop computer or PC and name that cell studying.
Embracing a mobile-first design
Cellular studying ought to embrace the strengths of the machine. Take into consideration how folks already use their telephones: watching TikTok, scrolling via social media, taking footage and movies. In the identical approach smartphones are constructed for these actions, they’re additionally excellent for sure sorts of studying experiences:
Microlearning
We’re used to consuming quick movies and different fast content material on our telephones. Microlearning, which chunks matters into quick, simply digestible modules, is a pure match for cell learners.
Gamification
Cellular gadgets are good for including game-like options that make studying extra enjoyable and interactive. Suppose fast quizzes, badges you’ll be able to earn, or leaderboards that present your progress in comparison with others. These small parts, often known as gamification, can simply be constructed into cell apps and assist enhance motivation by turning studying into one thing that feels extra like play than work.
Augmented actuality
Telephones are a really perfect medium for augmented actuality. As an example, a retail worker may use their cellphone’s digicam to view a retailer show and examine it to a reference picture, serving to guarantee every thing is about up appropriately and persistently.
Simply-in-time studying
We’re used to looking for data on our telephones once we want it. The identical is true within the office, which is why producers like Litmos customer Lindt Australia use cell studying to make coaching straightforward to entry for everybody of their group – “from the pinnacle workplace to the manufacturing line.”
What are the challenges of cell studying?
It’s price noting that cell studying is widespread—68% of learners say they like it. However choice doesn’t at all times equal accessibility. Many organizations limit using private gadgets at work because of knowledge safety considerations, limiting how simply workers can interact with cell studying.
Past coverage, there are sensible limitations. Not each worker owns a smartphone that’s suitable with studying apps, and even those that do could also be reluctant to make use of private gadgets for work-related duties. It’s additionally potential that utilizing on-line studying purposes would possibly eat up knowledge and find yourself costing an worker cash.
That is the place employers ought to be aware concerning the high quality and accessibility of potential mobile learning solutions — to make sure any coaching apps used are safe, responsive, obtainable throughout gadgets, and in a position to present offline studying choices.
To deal with these challenges successfully, enter from cross-functional stakeholders is vital. Earlier than implementing cell studying that makes use of learners’ private gadgets, L&D must work with IT, Safety, and different enterprise leaders to create a cell studying program that works to your workforce and your learners.
How can cell studying look sooner or later?
To see how cell studying would possibly look sooner or later, it’s useful to have a look at how highschool and faculty college students are utilizing their telephones for varsity now.
In academia, smartphones are a useful device. College students are accustomed to accessing their LMS platforms via their telephones — it’s how they obtain and submit assignments. They use their telephones to take footage of PowerPoint slides throughout lectures. They use their telephones to entry on-line lessons. They’re even writing papers on their telephones.
In some instances it is a necessity; some college students won’t personal a pc, whereas others work exterior of college and wish to check and do coursework from their job websites. Nonetheless, in different instances it’s a choice: excessive schoolers who use their telephones for every thing naturally gravitate in direction of utilizing their telephones for coursework.
The staff of tomorrow are utilizing smartphones for studying now; it’s possible that they’ll anticipate the identical after they be part of the workforce.
Get forward with a cell studying technique that works
Is your group ready for the way forward for cell studying? The award-winning Litmos mobile app makes it straightforward to ship partaking, accessible studying experiences anytime, wherever, on any machine. Whether or not you’re simply beginning your cell studying journey or trying to enhance your present method, Litmos has the instruments that can assist you succeed. Contact us today to see how cell studying can match seamlessly into your coaching technique.