Why Mobile Learning Is The Future Of Engagement
Mobile learning is clearly all the rage; we can hardly get through a
conversation about eLearning without mobile learning coming up at least
once. All the major LMS companies offer mobile learning options.
Not only do users enjoy mobile learning, but it will become incredibly
necessary. According to CNBC [1], 72% of people will access the internet
using only their smartphones by 2025.If you’ve already mastered engaging users on more traditional
learning platforms, it may be frustrating to devise ways of capturing
the attention of users on mobile platforms. But the reality is that
technology is evolving at such a quick rate that the way we engage
learners is also going to evolve continuously over time. Now is the time
to learn about this incredible mode of learning. Knowing the best way
to engage users involves a lifelong learning approach.
How Does Mobile Learning Reach Users?
As the shocking statistic above proves, the way people access the
internet has come far from logging into a desktop computer. Tablets and
phones of all kinds and sizes have become a major way people access
online content. Pew Research Center [2] states that 85% of Americans own
a smartphone. What’s even more surprising is that more than half of
Americans now own a tablet.Smartwatches, like the Apple watch, are another—albeit limited—way
people connect to the internet. While it’s unlikely people will be
completing learning modules on smartwatches, people will likely become
more dependent on smartwatches to receive notifications and reminders.
This is important to keep in mind if you want users to keep up with
learning deadlines.Even users who have access to a laptop or desktop might not be able
to access them reliably. These types of devices are often shared amongst
family members. They are more likely to have consistent,
around-the-clock access to their personal mobile devices.Mobile device usage makes it clear that if you want to keep
consistently reaching users, you need to find them on their smartphones
and tablets.
Mobile Learning Gives Users Agency
One of the biggest draws of mobile learning is that training can be
completed anytime, anywhere. Some companies see the benefit of that
right away. However, other companies might be thinking, “What’s the
point? Employees can just complete the training at work when I tell them
to complete it. There isn’t much need for training to be completed
elsewhere.”However, this is missing one of the great ways that mobile learning can engage users. Mobile learning increases workplace flexibility.
Flexibility is becoming one of the more important factors employees
look for in a workplace. The past year has proven that more employees
love working from home because of added flexibility. Employees can give
their children more attention, do laundry on a slow day, or work from
their favorite coffee shop. They can travel while working during the
day, which gives employees more opportunities to, say, visit their
parents or other loved ones. According to Forbes, workplace flexibility increases employee buy-in as well as employee morale.Employee buy-in and employee morale should speak for themselves as
factors that increase engagement with learning. If employees feel good
about eLearning offerings and believe that they have value, they will be
more likely to complete the training and give it proper attention.Flexibility is not just something nice you give your workers once in a
while anymore. It’s a bigger day-to-day strategy to keep employees
happy and engaged and efficient. Giving employees more agency and
control over their lives—even in small ways—can make them better workers
as well as improve their quality of life. eLearning has to be another
flexible piece of the puzzle if you want to create a workplace
flexibility strategy.
Mobile Learning Is Learner-Focused
Another way to increase engagement via mobile learning is to find
ways to meet user needs in ways that only mobile learning can fulfill.
After all, the best way to get someone excited about what you have to
offer is to show them that it solves a problem in their lives. If you’ve
heard the term “learner-focused,” this is what that refers to.One eLearning strategy that mobile learning uniquely supports is
just-in-time learning. Just-in-time learning is short modules or guides
that employees consult in the moment of need. For example, if an
employee is currently putting together a PowerPoint presentation and
they need a reminder of how to make the slideshow ADA-compliant, they
will pull up a resource that very moment on how to do so. That’s
just-in-time learning, and it can be accessed anytime, anywhere. To meet
employee just-in-time learning needs, it’s necessary to have a platform
that they can access whenever, wherever. This is especially true for
employees who work outside of an office environment. Think just-in-time
learning that can be accessed via a smartphone in the warehouse, on the
road, or on the sales floor.When you want to leverage engagement via mobile learning, it’s
important to ask yourself: What problem can I solve for my employees
using this platform?If you aren’t sure, it’s a great time to do research into your
employee learning needs to ensure your strategy takes their perspective
into account during development.
Mobile Learning Is The Future Of Engagement
Before long, it will be nearly impossible to reach most users via
traditional platforms on a consistent basis. A desktop-based strategy
will no longer be viable if you want to build a learning strategy that
engages users on a regular basis.Mobile platforms are where users spend their digital time. They are
the platforms that go everywhere users go. Mobile devices don’t tie
people down. They allow users flexibility and agency in their everyday
lives. Mobile devices are there for users in their urgent moment of
need.Users are most likely unmotivated to go out of their way to hunt down
training. If you want user engagement, you have to meet them where they
are. Both in a physical sense and in an emotional sense, mobile
platforms are how you can reach users.