Is Mobile Learning Right for You?

Availability

Traditional learning is away from the job; there are few or no work-related distractions. Mobile learning provides continuous access to learning when and where it’s needed — on the job.

Keeping all of this in mind, you should consider these questions when deciding if mobile is the right solution for a learning need:

• Is the learning purpose performance-based, rather than foundational?

• Is follow-up to formal learning needed or beneficial?

• Do learners need the content on the job as performance support?

• Can content be provided in small, discrete, easily digestible chunks?

• Is the learning need tied to a particular location or variable locations?

• Are learners mobile, either within or outside the work environment?

• Are computational or other computer-friendly tasks (such as recording or retrieving data) part of the content?

• Is any type of communication required or desirable?

Apps Versus Websites

If you choose mobile learning, you’re going to need to decide if it’ll be delivered via a mobile website or app. Each has its own advantages, depending on your learning need. Mobile websites are like regular websites, except they’re optimized for mobile devices — that is, for smaller screen size and touch-screen user interface. Here are the advantages of using a mobile website:

• Content is customized to smaller screens to allow for easier reading and use.

• It has a lower development cost compared to app development.

• It supports dynamic content — content updates can happen in real time.

• Content is completely cross-platform and cross-device. The same content can be accessed on a variety of devices.

• Existing development and production processes and tools can be leveraged.