Introduction
In the past few years, mobile learning has been on the rise. This has completely revolutionized the world of eLearning. The credit for its success can be given to its flexible nature. Because of its nature, one gets the opportunity to learn on the go, whenever and wherever. So whether you are at home or anywhere else in the world, as long as you have a device, you are only a click away from learning. Mobile learning increases user engagement by almost 72%.
The reason for its popularity could also be the plethora of education apps available these days. From there, you can learn about any subject, from language to coding. They are also interactive, which is usually a concern when homeschooling or learning outside of school is talked about. This brings us to the topic of skill development, arguably the most important thing today. It is a necessity not just for professional but also for personal growth. Developing skills allows you to perform well in your workplace while also maximizing your potential.
Mobile learning helps with skill development as well. Active learning, which engages students to learn through discussions and skill training sessions offered by some educational applications, opens up a world of opportunities for skill learning. It is one of the many reasons why mobile or eLearning is becoming the future of education.
Evolution of Mobile Learning
Since its early days, mobile learning has come a long way. So, training traditionally involved a mentor who would guide you through the learning process. But then it switched from offline to online learning. Earlier, it was believed that knowledge, the best kind, could only be taken from past experiences and existing knowledge. But then, learning from live experiences and activities became more prevalent, and people started believing in the concepts of collaborative learning. This way of learning further evolved when social interactions and problem-solving started being viewed as essential for training in the corporate world. Why does the corporate world need employees with problem-solving skills and good social interactions? The answer was the companies’ need to build a bridge of work relationships and train employees better so that they understand the dynamic of the business world. Businesses and organizations today are also implementing BYOD (bring your own device) rules.
Then convenience came into the scenario. The Millennial era gave rise to ambient learning. Around this time, mobile phone technologies were also evolving. These two eventually joined forces, and mobile learning became a part of the corporate learning universe.
Today, there is an abundance of eLearning material online. Smart gadgets are a great resource for developing new skills. They let students study at their own pace, access courses or modules on their devices, and broaden their skill set as needed. Microlearning, which lasts two to five minutes and is frequently delivered through mobile learning, helps students stay focused and improves retention. In order to increase engagement, it uses social learning. According to Albert Bandura’s “Social Learning” theory, learning is a cognitive process that happens in a social setting and can happen even in the absence of direct reinforcement or motor reproduction. It may also happen through observation or direct teaching. It may also have a newsfeed, forums, chat feature, or comments area where students may communicate with each other, exchange ideas, and pose questions. Whether you’re looking to learn something new or upgrade your existing skills, Crack-Ed has you covered. We focus on skill-development and providing experience at every step possible.
Impact of Mobile Learning on Skill Development
A study was conducted on how microlearning courses are effective at increasing feelings of confidence and accuracy. Out of the 243 participants, with an overall response rate of 48% and a sizable number of participants accessing the standard operating procedures (SOP) inside the course, the findings demonstrated a high level of engagement. Surprisingly, 80% of the participants said that the microlearning course had persuaded them to work more precisely, demonstrating a beneficial effect on their performance. Furthermore, following the training, 78% of the staff reported feeling more confident in their capacity to do jobs successfully.
Apart from this, here are some of the ways mobile learning has impacted skill development:
- Accessibility and Convenience: By removing time and location restrictions, mobile learning enables students to access instructional materials at any time and from any location. The ease of use and accessibility of this resource are especially advantageous for people with hectic schedules, remote locations, or restricted access to conventional learning materials.
- Tailored Education: Adaptive learning technologies, which customize exams and information to each learner’s unique requirements and progress, are frequently included in mobile learning systems. By concentrating on the areas where learners most need to improve, this customization increases the efficacy of skill development.
- Informal and Just-in-time Learning: Mobile phones are a great way of offering learning sessions that are short and portable. With just-in-time learning, the process of learning comes with tutorials, reference resources, and practice questions. This technique of informal learning fills in gaps and problems right away, aiding in the development of skills.
- Multimodal Learning: A variety of content formats, such as text, audio, video, interactive simulations, and quizzes, are supported by mobile learning.
Having said that, we need to be mindful of the fact that, apart from mobile learning’s impact on skill development, there are certain upsides as well as drawbacks to mobile learning, which we will discuss in the subsequent sections. If you want to upskill while ensuring you gain quality knowledge, Crack-Ed is the way to go. We upskill students across the globe through activity and mentor-led learning.
Benefits of Mobile Learning
Listed below are some of the benefits of mobile learning and how it has changed the world of learning:
Adaptable and Simple Connectivity
It is well acknowledged that one of the primary advantages of eLearning in the context of corporate learning is the ease and flexibility with which learning may be accessed. You may access courses from any location using a desktop, laptop, notebook, or mobile device.
Budget-friendly
The term cost-effective isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind while talking about the benefits of mobile learning and interactive education. That is because, depending on the course, it can be expensive sometimes. However, there is a chance that it can ultimately save you money.
Individual Learning Styles are Supported by eLearning
eLearning allows students to exercise their unique learning techniques while taking into account the variations of each individual learner. Put another way, students can select particular subjects that interest them and are not always compelled to pass all the courses in a program. Since every student has a unique learning style, there will never be a solution that works for every kid all at once.
Monitoring Performance
The methodical tracking of a child’s learning and development is made possible via eLearning. Since digital media is used to offer the courses, learning is properly organized into hierarchical processes. The method is thoughtfully structured to provide learners with material in stages; completing one stage grants access to the following one. This makes learning fundamentally sound and comprehensive.
Challenges of Mobile Learning
There are two sides to every story, and where mobile learning has taken the world by storm and has such good advantages, there are also some challenges that show that it comes with its own set of flaws.
The first and most concerning is that usually there is no direct human contact. Sure, students interact with each other, but usually through texts or videos. Another thing is that it is very easy to get distracted this way. On average, a person has 60-90 apps installed on their smartphones. It doesn’t matter how engrossed you are in your lecture; you will get distracted by all those notifications. And lastly, something we have all experienced that can be very frustrating is connectivity issues. Failing to find a secure internet connection can lead to falling behind in class.
Fortunately, someone has recognized this issue. Google gave out 4,000 Chromebooks to Californian students during the COVID-19 lockdown in the first half of 2020 and provided free Wi-Fi to 100,000 rural homes for a minimum of three months.
Conclusion
Mobile learning, as we learned in this article, is one of the finest tools for gaining fresh skills. It allows students to study at their own speed, access courses on their devices, and increase their skill set based on their preferences and requirements. Additionally, micro-learning helps learners keep their attention.
However, with the benefits come the drawbacks, and it is our responsibility to make the greatest use of the available resources.
Crack-Ed can help you realize your full potential! Through activity and mentor-led learning, we assist students all across the world improve their skills. Do you want more? We provide guaranteed work possibilities in a variety of industries, including Sales, Marketing, Operations, Tele Calling, and Service.
Visit us to learn more!
References
https://elearningindustry.com/elearning-is-transforming-education-in-india-importance
Benefits of Mobile Learning Solutions for Skill Development (acadecraft.com)
