07/10/22 Expert opinion

Mobile Learning Advantages And Disadvantages

Mobile learning is a way to enhance the learning experience by using mobile devices and apps. These devices can be used in various ways, such as to provide information, instruction, or feedback.

It is a relatively new concept that has been taking off in recent years because it has the potential to revolutionize how we learn and train employees. Mobile learning is quickly becoming a part of education, and companies looking to take advantage of mobile learning as a means to improve their organization and employees should focus on apps that offer agility, flexibility, and efficiency.

According to an Asia-Pacific Skillsoft poll, 72% of participants reported higher engagement when learning on a mobile device, and Sciedu reports 70% of mobile learners felt more driven to learn when using mobile devices.

In other words, it’s time to embrace mobile learning and welcome a new era of training.

Related: Giant Escape Room

What Is the Meaning of Mobile Learning?

Mobile Learning, commonly referred to as “mLearning,” is the use of mobile devices and mobile applications to connect with relevant content, people, and services that support learning. It gives power to learners through mobile technology instead of being limited by it.

Many educational apps are available online, gaining massive popularity among school and college students. They are also helpful for instructors as they can provide notes and examples and refer to these apps to the students when necessary.

Through mobile learning, many resources are present online. So, if you don’t get it from one place, you can search for it from some other site.

What Are Examples of Mobile Learning?

Mobile learning is a new trend in the world of education. It can be used to educate students on a variety of topics and can be done from anywhere, any time.

There are many different types of mobile learning. Some are more hands-on, while others are more about understanding concepts.

Examples of mobile learning include:

1. Microlearning 

Microlearning may be the most convenient form of learning, but it is also the most effective. Think about how much we’re struggling to transfer tons of information from our brains to various places when we need it: notebooks, email inboxes, journals, and other places where a small portion of this information is ever used again.

Mobile microlearning takes one step back and completely changes the process of learning. Don’t get me wrong — a subtle approach is nothing new for learning methods. The history of education is filled with examples of people learning in bite-sized pieces throughout their lifetimes. But mobile microlearning is taking this principle to the next level: it allows you to deliver the exact amount of knowledge your learners are interested in when they begin studying.

2. Gamified Microlessons

Gamified micro lessons are fun.

Seriously — don’t you think playing games is so much more enjoyable than doing the same task over again?

Putting a little game into a typical microlearning lesson can make learning feel less like work and more like playing. The trick is to make these games as simple and brief as possible.

3. Social Media and Mobile Learning

The internet has changed how we interact socially, by allowing people from all over the world to connect. Mobile learning also helps employees to gather critical information on the go.

In today’s knowledge-based economy, you have to keep up with the latest developments in your field and track these changes in a timely manner. And gathering this information has never been easier; with mobile learning, you’ll receive real-time updates from experts across the globe without having to be chained to your desk or table.

4. Spaced Repetition

Even Albert Einstein agrees that the best way to learn something is over and over again — don’t you think he’s pretty smart? Using spaced repetition allows you to test employees at regular intervals until they fully master your courses, resulting in better learning outcomes.

Here’s the thing —if you want everyone to achieve maximum learning from your mobile learning efforts, it is not a question of whether or not your employees should be tested for learning gains. It’s a question of at what intervals you evaluate them. This is where spaced-repetition testing comes in.

5. Onboarding Training

The modern learner prefers to learn anytime, anywhere. Using mobile learning, your learners can access their training materials on the go. Mobile learning is particularly beneficial for onboarding because it allows you to train at scale and help new hires get onboard quickly and efficiently.

Related: Transforming remote employee engagement

How Gamification Can Improve Mobile Learning

Person typing on a keyboard

Gamification is relatively new and is being used to improve the efficiency of learning. It is a way in which games can be applied to non-game contexts to provide user motivation and engagement.

The gamification of mobile learning has been proven successful as it encourages users to engage with the app and learn more about the topic. Here’s how gamification can improve mobile learning:

1. It Gives Employees Control

Everyone loves video games, but what if you could learn from your favorite video game? The ultimate mix of gamification and mobile learning is the solution to that problem. Gamification piques the interest of your audience and gives them control over the experience — which is something all adults crave — while mobile learning gives the convenience to complete training anywhere at any time to avoid friction between learners, instructors, and management.

2. Learn Through Social Media Integration

Gamification engages learners, keeps them interested, and makes them want to learn more. Adding social media integration into mobile learning games can also offer advantages over other mobile learning platforms by enhancing engagement and extending the learning experience beyond the game itself.

3. Makes Learning Memorable

Getting training material delivered to mobile devices is convenient for employees, and that’s key for any mobile learning program. However, it’s your responsibility to ensure the knowledge your learners receive is memorable and easily applied in the real world. That’s where gamification can enhance your training program.

4. Makes Learning a Positive Experience

Gamification and mobile learning go hand-in-hand. Both strategies can be used to engage learners, although gamification is more effective as a standalone strategy since one of its main goals is to increase motivation.

Gamification generally works best in situations that present learning goals with specific criteria for achievement. The criteria can be presented through different paths and options, which the learner can choose until they find the one that’s the most optimal for them.

5. Increases The ROI

Training apps have been around for a long time, some as long as smartphones have. There’s a reason that they’re still in use today — because they work. People enjoy using training apps because of how convenient and easy it is to use them wherever you are. Combine this with gamification, and you’ve got the recipe for extending your training into the digital world.

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Tips to Combine Mobile Learning and Gamification

Smiling Woman Using Mobile Phone

Many organizations have been using this combination of mobile learning and gamification in their training programs which have proven to be very effective. This strategy can be customized according to the needs of the organization. Some tips include:

1. Keep It Simple

If you’re thinking about gamifying your mobile course, the first step is to figure out the main objective your game will cover. Will your game be based on a single skill or concept, or will there be several objectives it will cover? After you know what your game will teach, you can narrow your game design to that specific objective.

2. Create a Scenario-Based Game

Creating a scenario-based game that supports your company’s training aims and can be used on any smart device will provide your company with a less expensive, more memorable, and longer-lasting training experience.

3. Make It Social & Competitive

The effectiveness of mobile learning is well documented. Gamification during the learning process can easily reinforce the lessons and make them come to life. The next challenge for mobile gamification developers is adding social media aspects, which can take what you’re doing one step further by adding more engagement and competitiveness to the mix.

4. Don’t skip on security

No matter the circumstance, securing your mobile content is vital. In any business environment where confidential information is being used, employees must feel safe that their confidential information is not at risk of being viewed by a competitor or an outsider.

Your company must start with a trusted security solution when deciding how to provide this protected mobile learning experience. Apps like Lectora Mobile were created to work with a single sign-on (SSO) and two-factor authentication, thus adding extra protection to your users.

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What to Look Out for When Combining E-learning and Gamification

Look out for combined power that:

  • can be leveraged to increase learner motivation and engagement
  • can transfer cognition levels from knowledge acquisition to its application
  • can give mastery nudges
  • can support “learning as a continuum”
  • can improve ROI

Talk to the Gamification Experts

The emergence of gamification has quite literally revolutionized the world of training. Employees respond to it much better than they do to standard corporate training modules—they want something motivating to apply their learned skills on the job.

Digital games offer a fun way for employees to learn new skills, whether those functions are communication-based or focused around learning new technologies.

Emeraude Escape has a unique insight into mLearning and gamification being specialists in this field and know what makes a digital game fun and engaging for players.

Related: Virtual Escape Game for companies

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