Is Mobile Learning Changing The Industry Of eLearning? 8 Reasons Why
Education is slowly changing its paradigm from the age-old classroom training sessions to blended learning that has technology playing a pivotal role in it. With more than a decade, eLearning has shot to fame with the level of convenience that it has shown over the years. Along with innovations and inventions in technology, eLearning evolved too through the technical advancements, changing its abode from desktops to mobile phones.
Mobile learning is also known as mLearning, which is all set to change the dynamism of digital education. A recent report quotes that almost 2/3 of the world's population has a mobile phone, of which more than half of the population has a smartphone; to be precise. Additionally, the reports have also estimated that almost 4 in 5 internet users across the globe would be making use of their smartphones to access the internet for the year 2017, which is expected to increase over the coming years. Powerful smartphones, access to internet connection, and reasonable data plans are some of the factors that have contributed to this major shift. Needless to say, this shift has cleared the path for mobile learning in the field of education.
Advantages Of Mobile Learning
Apart from these factors, there are some captivating attributes of mobile learning that has accentuated its glory in the 21st century. Read on to find out about them.
1. It Makes Learning Ubiquitous
A mobile phone is a device that reflects portability; making it easy to be carried everywhere. With mobile learning, the user can get hold of the content at any time, at any place, and for any number of times. This increases the convenience as well as the flexibility quotient of the users.
2. It Offers A Higher Potential For Retaining Information
The magnanimity of the content in mobile learning is chopped down into bits and pieces, making way for small and concise learning sessions for the users. The smaller learning sessions make it easy for them to retain information as compared to a much longer learning session.
3. It Allows A Wider Penetration
As the contents are available on the worldwide web, education gets a global platform. An eLearning content that is mobile friendly would undoubtedly be accessible on various other devices such as desktop, tablets, laptops, etc. This expands the scope for the users with multiple options present in front of them. With a wider penetration, the eLearning industry is sure to absorb many new and existing users in its glory.
4. It Helps The Course Completion Ratio Gets A Boost
With mobile learning, the ratio of completing the sessions would be more as compared to unfinished sessions. The stature of courses getting diminished and the use of different types of contents like video, audio, images, and PDFs have made the sessions interesting.
5. It Encourages Self-Paced Learning
The learner gets the advantage of learning at one's own pace without having to follow the race. Finding any session too long? You can break down the time interval and repeat the sessions until you have fully understood. This is where convenience gets a boost when it comes to self-paced learning.
6. It Makes Way For Social Learning
Nowadays, the Millennials are all bowled over by social interactions that are defined by the online world. Various social media platforms are swelling with users who are all enthusiastic about sharing information on the online platform. Mobile learning gives a boost to social learning with the social media icons to the rescue.
7. It Creates Extended Learning
The conventional method of education has an expiry date that comes into existence once the journey of employment begins. With mobile learning, you need not restrict the period of education. This type of learning can make knowledge accessible at any point in time; irrespective of your age, profession, or employment journey. Having said that, the fusion of technology and education has unfolded a new phase in the world of education.
8. It Wards Off Physical Boundaries
Mobile learning manages to eradicate a majority of education barriers that had cast a spell over the years. Non-availability of transportation, physical disabilities, time restrictions, etc. are some of the barriers to name but a few. Educating yourself through mobile learning would require you only 2 things – a smartphone and an internet connection; making learning a comfortable journey.
Final Note
The velocity at which mobile devices are penetrating the markets embarks the journey of digitization in education. This change is sure to affect the industry of eLearning with a majority of population shifting their gear to smartphones for learning purposes. Having said that, the mobile revolution is all set to make a huge difference in the industry of eLearning.
