Disruptive Technology: mLearning In 2015

Disruptive Technology: mLearning In 2015
Summary: Technology has disrupted the way we learn and has forced us to exceed, at every step of the way, our expectations - of its advancements. Disruptive in every sense of the term, it has never ceased to amaze us. When online learning came into being, little did we realize that that was just the beginning of a series of disruptions – each one transforming lives and taking businesses and global economy to a higher level. How different will it be in 2015?

Today’s disruptive technology will become tomorrow’s competitive advantage

For all the hype that was created around it, mobile learning actually had a slow start. It’s been a while since it took off and the figures have been low. The slow start is not due to negligence on the part of technology, but the hesitancy on the part of organizations and administrators to adopt a new learning strategy; but that has passed, and with less aversion to the use of technology-enabled learning, 2015 will be different.

2015 will see mobile learning as the most disruptive game changer that will profoundly alter the business landscape. Technology will enable organizations to transmit bite-sized bits of relevant information to help employees absorb as well as retain information. Employees will also be able to access information at the time of need (just-in-time learning).

HTML5 another game changer makes it possible for learning to be accessed on any type of mobile device – giving employees the freedom to choose the device they access learning on – one that they are comfortable with.

Adoption of the BYOD (bring your own device) policy will increase and employees will be allowed to access training and enterprise data on their own mobile devices. BYOD policy was not allowed in the past due to security reasons. But it’s difficult to ignore the advantages of the BYOD policy that include shunted hardware costs and increased productivity; and with employees owning better technology than their organizations can provide them, employers are on the lookout for another disruptive technology to counter the security issue and tackle any other issues that they may be wary of.

Augmented reality – a thing out of sci-fi books is for real and the future of learning. Augmented Reality (AR) is the technology that gives the ability to the user/learner the sense of the real world while interacting with the virtual and physical object. The feasibility of bringing augmented reality to mobile learning has been thought of since as far back as 2007 and we will see breakthroughs in this area as well.

The pace at which innovation happens, technology changes and businesses adapt to these changes is stunning. Today’s disruptive technology will become tomorrow’s competitive advantage. That is exactly what is going to happen to mobile learning – not just in its native form but also along with all the disruptive technology that comes along with it.