Educational, training institutions and eLearning content publishers must adapt themselves to the new technological landscape in order to keep their courses and learning materials relevant to today’s learners.
The development of educational mobile apps provides exciting new ways to develop educational courses that are both effective in reaching educational objectives for teachers and rewarding to the online learner. This presentation will serve as a guide for managers at learning organizations into ways to adapt courses for the multi-screen and multi-device app based environment that today’s learners engage in.
Mobile Learning Market Size
Mobile devices are outpacing traditional desktop environments when it comes to accessing the web. In fact, 60% of search queries are now done through mobile devices (source: SearchEngineLand). This trend has spilled over into all digital industries including online education.
Worldwide revenues for Mobile Learning products and services reached $8.4 billion in 2014 according to a new report by Ambient Insight called ‘The 2014-2019 Worldwide Mobile Learning Market.’ The global five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 11.3% and revenues will reach $14.5 billion by 2019.
Responsive Learning Design to Support Multiple Devices
The key aspect in creating a successful mobile learning experience is to make the content accessible and responsive to a variety of different devices and screen sizes. It also means meeting the technical requirements of the different operating systems these devices use (Android & iOS).
Be aware that Flash is no longer compatible across all mobile devices, so sites still using Flash will not be accessible to all mobile users.
eLearning courses need to be designed from the ground up to be ready and responsive to different screen sizes, so there is no need to create multiple versions of the same content to remain compatible across different devices.
Mobile Learning Favors Micro Learning
Micro learning has become a core concept in modern eLearning design.
In the past, eLearning courses were designed to be 30 minutes to an hour with a lot of information to be delivered per learning session. However, this design was based on learning through traditional desktop environments.
The way that today’s learners access information has also changed their attention span and learning habits. In today’s more mobile device centered environment, information is best communicated in smaller segments. This new shorter length design format has a double advantage; it is not only easier to use on mobile screens, small sections are easier to update.
Social Mobile Learning
In the past eLearning has tended to lack the opportunity for collaboration and interaction that traditional real life classes offer. However, thanks to today’s mobile app technologies, the online learner does not have to miss out on the social and informal aspects of learning.
By leveraging the concepts popularized by social media sites, Social Learning Management Systems, like Instancy mobile app platform, provide collaborative learning features that enable learners to search and connect with peers and experts. With these technologies, learners can participate in real time discussions through discussion forums.
Gamification in Mobile Learning
Gamification is the process of turning parts of an education program into playable interactive games. This not only makes courses more enjoyable, but also adds variety and new ways to communicate the subject matter.
The interactive technology behind game design can be used to create real world simulations that teach a user how to practically apply what they learn in the class. Moreover, games facilitate a learner’s innate desire to compete and achieve.
Mobile Learning Analytics and the Experience API
Mobile and online learning doesn’t just benefit learners by providing them with convenient and dynamic ways to take their courses; it also benefits educators by giving them access to detailed learner performance analytics.
The analytic data that these built-in tools provide is important because it shows educators an accurate picture of how learners behave as they interact within the courses
These powerful new analytic tools enable educators to find the best ways to develop new courses and enhance existing ones.
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Mobile Learning
In addition to previously mentioned features artificial intelligence is another new technology aiding educators in enchanting online education
Chatbots, with natural language processing and conversational user interfaces, allow these learners opportunities to receive feedback and ask questions in real-time.
This allows for a highly customized learning experience capable of effectively educating in a variety of different learning styles and adapting to each learners pace and style.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented reality uses a variety of devices from smartphones, wearable technologies and other technologies to add to a learner’s real world experience. This allows more ways to create engaging educational models and instructional materials.
Virtual Reality creates an entire digital world that user can interact with and explore in much the same way they do in real world environments. This can transport learners into places of the world they would otherwise never have access to.
Conclusion
The key to delivering the best possible learning experience is to create uniquely branded mobile apps that educational and training institutions can customize to meet their learner’s needs. More specifically, the mobile app should be a branded native app that has all the functionality and behave like widely used apps such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and gaming apps.
Educational institutions have new opportunities for revenue streams though in-app purchases, and extra features such as access to more educational games. New products can be developed to take full advantage of the various features mobile apps can offer.
To download the ‘Full White Paper’ on Mobile Learning Trends click on this link.
To schedule a demo of Instancy Mobile Learning App Platform click on this link.
