What is MLearning (mobile learning)?
Is it learning that can be accessed via a mobile device browser or learning that was created to be engaged with on a mobile device? You can access mobile-friendly learning via a mobile device but this isn’t all that defines mobile-friendly learning.
The thing is that mobile-friendly designs may work well across multi-devices (keyword being well), but they are not optimized for mobile phones.
One way to tell that a design is mobile-friendly is if it shrinks in portrait mode on a mobile phone. A learning object that has learners struggling to resize or reshape content isn’t mobile-friendly. The result is that non-mobile-friendly designs affect users’ experience causing them to default to desktop learning.
Figure 1. Content originally designed for a desktop experience on a mobile device.
Mobile-friendly designs can not utilize screen-real estate for two reasons.
1. They weren’t developed for mobile devices.
2. They weren’t designed with a tool that automatically makes content responsive. See the same slide appearing in landscape mode in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Showing slide in landscape mode.
Mobile-first learning refers to designs intended for mobile phones. The design utilizes and maximizes the mobile screen. See figure 3. below.
Figure 3. Showing Mobile-first design.
When do You need an MLearning Strategy?
If your organization is new to MLearning you need a strategy. Making every single learning object on an LMS mobile responsive isn’t a solution. Neither is authoring every future LO for mobile before expanding it for desktop. The truth is, MLearning isn’t suited for all learning. A significant part of your MLearning strategy as an Instructional Designer or Training Manager should be to create a great mobile learning experience.
Here are some considerations when developing an MLearning strategy or evaluating your current one.
Mobile-suitable content
Only create a learning object for Mlearning if it points to mobile solutions. Learners don’t want to be attached to their devices to study modules that take hours to complete. The best content for mobile devices is quick-fix performance support.
Take, for instance, a technician in the field who works with lots of cables. When faced with a challenge, the employee doesn’t want to wade through an hour-long video to get to the content he needs. He needs a byte-sized, easily digestible solution that takes only a few minutes.
Figure 4. Technician in the field.
MLearning isn’t a replacement for a more detailed course that the learner needs for job competence. It is an enhancement or supplement. Mobile learning is about specific use or moment of need learning.
Figure 5. Learning developed for mobile devices shouldn’t be text-heavy.
When planning for mLearning, think of it as the FAQs to more in-depth course content. Content for mobile devices should be video-based rather than text-heavy.
Most mobile device users already view short videos on their mobile devices. when designing for mobile, be considerate of how users navigate their mobile devices. Only build simple interactions into the videos. Aim for optimized rather than mobile-friendly designs.
Make MLearning Adoptable
How can you help your organization adopt an MLearning perspective? You should use a two-pronged strategy. You need content optimized for mobile devices and learners who want to access learning via mobile devices. The organization’s leadership is crucial to this happening. Training managers can help leadership make data-informed decisions by tracking how employees interact with the LMS.
A good LMS can report what devices learners use to interact with the LMS. It can also track the amount of time learners spend accessing material. If learners are already accessing material with mobile devices, training managers can gain insight that will provide qualitative usage data on user preferences. In cases where learners aren’t accessing material on their mobile devices, ask questions such as:
- Are there data plan concerns?
- Would learners prefer to download the modules on their devices?
- Have learners had bad mobile experiences when engaging with the material?
- Is the content too long?
If the organization already has material optimized for MLearning and learners aren’t interacting with it, they need to create awareness. But, again, finding out learners’ reasons themselves can provide a lot of insight.
Evaluate MLearning
I work in evaluation, and I am big on evaluation. I want to know if what we are doing to meet our goals and objectives is working Often, an organization’s stakeholders will want to know as well. MLearning shouldn’t be developed for its own sake. Ideally, it should be designed to meet a need or close a performance gap. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel when evaluating MLearning. You measure it just like you measure other training outcomes.
Gather data from learners’ feedback and supervisors’ evaluations. If your organization doesn’t already have MLearning ready content, do a comparative analysis of the outcomes of those that accessed content via mobile devices vs. desktop. Are they finishing faster? Are they scoring better? Are they giving better or worse ratings for the courses? To determine how effective MLearning is in your organization. Measure its value so you can make data-informed decisions.
Collaborate with the IT Department
As part of your mobile strategy, you will want to get IT on board as they might have concerns about security concerns that prevent learners from accessing the employee portal on personal devices. Find out how they can address security concerns and provide offline capabilities or dedicated mobile apps. Having accessibility may increase the adoption rate in your organization. When onboarding the IT Department, use the opportunity to have the L & D department test run the LMS and Learning objects on mobile devices.
Moving Forward with MLearning
Depending on what phase your organization is at in its MLearning journey, there might be significant cost implications for adopting this perspective. Especially if they need to purchase an LMS that makes mobile content responsive or provide mobile devices for employees. In addition, they might need to promote awareness and generate buy-in from learners. Some learners might want the flexibility that mobile devices provide, while others might choose to draw the line at engaging with work on mobile devices to promote a work-life balance.
Regardless of your mobile strategy, some learning content should remain desktop training. Use MLearning only when it makes the most sense to use it. Indeed, the aim isn’t to repurpose all e-learning content for mobile. A good MLearning strategy recognizes that there are learning paths best suited for desktops and those better suited for mobile devices.
Figure 7.
Even so, every organization can find ways to leverage mobile devices from a learning standpoint if they ask the right questions. When creating a UX-centered MLearning strategy, one starting point is what do our learners need?