Mobile learning which is also known as mlearning is a new and effective way to access all type of learning content using mobile devices. It is a very broad term that refers to the process of learning via the internet or mobile devices like smart phones, tablets, laptops, digital notebooks, and more. Though mobile phones have been around in one form for many years but soared in popularity only a few years ago when it started to allow students access to education. Through mobile phones, students are now able to learn anywhere and anytime no matter what. As long as you have a mobile device and an internet connection, you are good to go.
- Mobile Learning Examples
- What are the types of Mobile Learning?
- How can mobile Learning be used in the Classroom?
- How can mobile learning be used in Corporate Education?
- Pros & Cons of mLearning
- Some high-rated mLearning Apps
- Final Thoughts
Mobile Learning Examples
Here are a few mobile learning examples that can help us understand how mobiles have enable students to learn.
1. Gamified Microlessons
Gamification as we all know is a process of turning mobile learning materials into casual or competitive games. It uses a variety of gaming elements like drag-and-drop sequencing, matching, and more to make a user’s learning experience even more interactive and engaging.
2. mLearning through Microlearning
Microlearning is known to be an ideal and efficient way to make mobile learning more engaging and result-oriented. It is considered to be an approach where huge piles of overwhelming information is transformed into bite-sized modules that only focus on the key elements of any subject thereby making it easier for learners to focus.
What are the types of Mobile Learning?
Mobile learning has been found to have 4 main types and below are its names and short details.
1. High transactional distance socialized mLearning
A mobile learning is known to be high transactional distance socialized when it meets the following conditions.
- Learners tend to have more psychological and communication space with their instructors or educational institute.
- All the learners are involved in group learning where they are able to communicate, collaborate, and negotiate with one another.
- Similarly, all the learning content and rules of the activity are delivered from the predetermined program via mobile devices.
- And lastly, all the transactions mainly occur among learners and the teachers have minimal involvement in facilitating any group activity.
2. High transactional distance individualized mlearning
A mobile learning activity is considered to be type 2 if,
- The learners have more psychological and communication space with the instructor.
- Learners tend to receive a tightly structured and well-organized learning content and resources through mobile devices.
- Similarly, the learners receive the content and control their own learning process to master it.
3. Low transactional distance socialized mlearning
A mobile activity is of type 3 if,
- There is less psychological and communication space between the learner and the instructor.
- There are loosely structured instructions.
- The students tend to work together in the form of a group and solve a given problem and try to achieve a common goal.
- And lastly, students are engaged in social interaction, negotiation, and frequent communication.
4. Low transactional distance and individualized mobile learning
A mobile learning is known to be low transactional distance and individualized if,
- There is less psychological and communication space between instructor and learner.
- There is a loosely structured and undefined learning content.
- The individuals are interacting directly with the instructor.
- And lastly, the instructor leads and control the entire learning in an effort to meet the learner’s needs and at the same time maintaining their independence.
How can mLearning be used in the Classroom?
There are many ways to use mobile learning in the classroom and below are some of the ways mentioned.
1. By Building internet-related Activities
Using all types of search capabilities for mobile learning is known to be a straightforward exercise which allows learners to get hands-on without even downloading a new app or learn a new functionality. And the most easy way to integrate this is to ask the students to do online research about a specific topic at hand. Now, this could either be a group or individual activity based on the size of your classroom.
2. Make them watch a video online
The instructors in any classroom are always looking for ways to liven up the instructor-led training experience as no one is willing to listen to the instructor for hours. So there has to be more than one way to do that. Thus incorporating video segments can offer learners a moment to relax and focus on something else which can be very effective in recapturing their attention through visual means. You can also check out best eLearning tools.
3. Using voicemail in a peculiar way
As we are talking about how mobiles can be of use in learning, so here goes another way to make it happen. Instructors can set up their outgoing voicemail message for learners to listen to as a part of an activity. They can either record the message in the form of a scenario or provide clues that learners have to use to solve the puzzle or questions or anything else.
How can mLearning be used in Corporate Education?
Mobile learning can be used in corporate education, here is how.
By sharing learning content for mobile consumption
This is the most common way of using mobile learning in corporate education. When you create your learning material which is mostly done using desktop, you can then share it with your participants so that they can further learn using their mobiles. And they would have all the time in the world to learn according to their ease and pace. You can also checkout how hybrid learning can help in education at takethiscourse.net.
Interaction during lessons
Mobile devices can also be used for a blended learning approach. Here instructors can ask different types of questions during in-person training. And then the audience can answer them easily through a survey that can be taken on the smart phones. For this to happen, the trainer is supposed to send a link to the survey to everyone. You might also be interested in developing successful eLearning strategy and future.
Workplace Training: Training Evaluation and Measuring Effectiveness
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- ATC Training via FutureLearn
- 3 weeks (2 hours weekly) of effort required
- Course type: Self Paced
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Workplace Training: Delivery and Assessment Methods
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- ATC Training via FutureLearn
- 2 weeks (3 hours weekly) of effort required
- Course type: Self Paced
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Pros & Cons of Mobile Learning
Everything that we use has its pros and cons and it is very important that we have a clear picture of both of it. So here are the pros and cons of mobile learning that you should know of.
Pros:
1. Provides access anywhere and anytime
As mobile learning is all about studying and learning through a mobile set and with the help of an internet connection, it can thus easily be accessed from anywhere in the world and anytime. And that is the biggest advantage of mobile learning.
2. Easily covers huge distance
Another biggest benefit of mobile learning is that it easily covers huge distance. Meaning, even if you are in Australia, Canada, England or where not, you are able to access the same content or tests at the same or even different times as well. In short, distance has never been an issue in mobile learning.
3. Encourages students to perform well
Everyone loves to use mobile phones right? And when given an opportunity to learn from a book and a mobile then trust us majority would choose the latter option. So yes, mobile phones encourage students to perform well. And that is why there are many educational apps that use online quizzes and keep a check on student’s progress. The study material is often presented in such a manner that it attracts the students to take part in it and perform better than ever.
Other pros include offering a variety of content, giving the opportunity to test one’s knowledge, and more.
Cons:
1. Software issues
Software as we all know is an application that runs on a device according to the instructions fed or embedded in the software at the time of coding. Now even when the software may seem to work smoothly, there are many factors that can hinder its smooth life span. And when it does would interrupt your smooth mobile learning experience.
2. Hardware issues
Just like software issues can appear anytime, hardware issue can also occur. The physical device that you use can wear out after some time. Or overuse, dust, and device being used roughly can also cause hardware issues which can interrupt your mobile learning experience.
3. Lack of internet
Mobile learning is only as good as the internet. If you have a stable internet connection then you can keep enjoying this type of learning experience. But if your internet is not working properly or there is no electricity then your mobile is of no use to learn anything.
Other cons include misusing of the device, distraction, and more.
Some high-rated mLearning Apps
TalentLMS
With TalentLMS, your online training can become much easier than ever. With the help of this mobile learning app, you can train your employees, customer, and partners online no matter where you are. Highly intuitive interface TalentLMS provides a distraction-free environment and makes learning a breeze for everyone. For further details about this mobile learning application, click here.
MyClassCampus
MyClassCampus school administration software aims to help all types of educational organizations in getting digital and bringing all the stakeholders to a single platform. It offers a system with smart hardware integrations and more than 40 modules to help you operate in the most engaging, effective, and organized manner. For more details of this mobile learning application, click here.
Final Thoughts
Mobile learning has not only helped all types of learners learn in a more engaging and interactive way but also teachers and trainers to teach in a more fun and feasible way. Thus mobile learning is a win-win solution for both learners and teachers. So, learn all about mobile learning through this article and never stop learning.
