Leverage Engagement Through Cellular Studying
Why mobile learning is the future of engagement
Mobile learning is clearly on everyone’s lips; we can hardly have a conversation about eLearning without mobile learning at least once. All major LMS companies offer mobile learning options. Not only do users enjoy mobile learning, but it becomes incredibly necessary. According to CNBC [1], by 2025, 72% of people will only access the Internet via their smartphone.
If you’ve already mastered engaging users on more traditional learning platforms, finding ways to get users’ attention on mobile platforms can be frustrating. But the reality is that technology is advancing so rapidly that the way we engage learners will also continue to evolve over time. Now is the time to experience this incredible way of learning. Knowing the best way to engage users requires a lifelong learning approach.
How does mobile learning reach users?
As the shocking statistic above proves, the way people access the internet is far from logging into a desktop computer. Tablets and phones of all types and sizes have become an important means of accessing 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 to connect to the internet. While people are unlikely to complete study modules on smartwatches, people are likely to become more dependent on smartwatches for notifications and reminders. This is important if you want users to meet study deadlines.
Even users who have access to a laptop or desktop may not be able to access it reliably. These types of devices are often shared by family members. They are more likely to have consistent access to their personal mobile devices around the clock.
The use of mobile devices makes it clear that you have to find users on their smartphones and tablets if you want to reach users permanently.
Mobile learning gives users room to maneuver
One of the greatest advantages of mobile learning is that training can be taken anytime, anywhere. Some companies see the benefit straight away. However, other companies might ask, “What for? Employees can easily complete the training on the job if I tell them to take it. There is not much need for training elsewhere. “
However, what is missing here is one of the great ways mobile learning can engage users. Mobile learning increases flexibility in the workplace. Flexibility is becoming one of the more important factors that employees pay attention to in the workplace. The past year has shown that more employees like to work from home due to the additional flexibility. Employees can pay more attention to their children, do laundry on a slow day, or work in their favorite café. They can travel during the day while at work, which gives employees more opportunities to visit their parents or other loved ones, for example. According to Forbes, flexibility in the workplace increases employee acceptance and morale.
Employee approval and employee morale should speak for themselves as factors that increase engagement in learning. When employees feel good about eLearning and believe they have value, they are more likely to complete the training and give it the appropriate attention.
Flexibility is not just something nice that you give your employees from time to time. It’s a broader daily strategy to keep employees happy, engaged, and efficient. Giving employees more freedom of action and control over their lives – even in small steps – can make them better workers and improve their quality of life. eLearning needs to be another flexible piece of the puzzle if you are to develop a strategy for flexibility in the workplace.
Mobile learning is learner-oriented
Another way to increase engagement through mobile learning is to find ways to meet user needs in ways that only mobile learning can meet. The best way to get someone excited about your offering is to show them that it solves a problem in their life. If you’ve heard the term “learner-centered”, that’s what it refers to.
One eLearning strategy that supports mobile learning in a unique way is just-in-time learning. Just-in-time learning are short modules or guidelines that employees consult when necessary. For example, if an employee is currently putting together a PowerPoint presentation and needs to be reminded how to make the slide show ADA-compliant, they will call up a resource at that moment. This is just-in-time learning that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. To meet employees’ just-in-time learning needs, a platform is required that they can access anytime, anywhere. This is especially true for employees who work outside of an office environment. Think of just-in-time learning that can be accessed via a smartphone in the warehouse, on the go or on the sales floor.
If you want to take advantage of engagement through mobile learning, it is important to ask yourself: What problem can I solve for my employees with this platform?
If you’re not sure, it is time to research your people’s learning needs to make sure your strategy takes their perspective into account as it evolves.
Mobile learning is the future of engagement
In the foreseeable future, it will hardly be possible to reach most users uniformly using traditional platforms. A desktop-based strategy is no longer practical if you want to develop 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 bind people. They allow users flexibility and freedom of action in everyday life. Mobile devices are there for users when they need them urgently.
Users are most likely unmotivated to chase training. If you want user engagement, you have to meet them where they are. Both physically and emotionally, mobile platforms are the way to reach users.
References:
[1] By 2025, almost three quarters of the world will only access the Internet via their smartphone
[2] Mobile device data sheet
