E-Learning is changing the way that we learn today. Mobile devices are making it increasingly easier to take part in such activities. This has created a subset of learning that is entitled m-Learning. This term is becoming increasingly popular in the education world. Unfortunately, some people use it without knowing the extent of the term. The article posted below provides a more in-depth look at what m-Learning actually entails. Take a look!

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New technologies are constantly being introduced into the classroom setting. In an age where cell phones are less and less a privilege and more of a necessity, finding new ways to implement mobile devices into the learning environment are key in a learner’s education. We came up with 4 reasons that your mobile device can increase your learning/training capability to ensure you get the most out of your eLearning experience.

1. Ease of use

With the breakthroughs of mobile applications and smart phones, it’s safe to assume that people who are in the learning phase of their lives have grown accustomed to using this technology in their everyday lives. So why not use it to learn as well? Even more apparent in today’s learning environments, teachers are beginning to use mobile devices to supplement their normal teaching lessons.  There are few lessons required to teach learners how to use mobile devices because they already use them every day. The learning curve is short, and the potential gains high.

2. Enhanced creativity

Students get bored with the same daily education routines very quickly. Forcing students to pore over a 600 page textbook doesn’t help much, either. Mobile applications can help students to become more engaged in the learning process instead of just memorizing text. Having new activities to complete, participating in digital competitions, and using mobile apps helps to piece together lessons you have learned in the classroom are great ways to expand the learning experience for learners. This form of diversification is a huge help in knowledge retention because learners’ brains are being stimulated in more ways than reading comprehension.

3. Increased Participation

Classroom activities can be a tough pill to swallow, especially if the majority of the class isn’t already on-board. Mobile devices can be used to help encourage team-building and successful completion of an activity within groups. We tend to be more receptive to education that uses new technology an exciting way, and it is much easier to process information presented to us in a format that is easy for us to understand.

4. Creating an “informal” education environment in a formal setting

When learners are in a “fixed,” instructor-centric learning environment, they often don’t learn as much as they would in an informal environment. By using mobile devices to supplement the learning experience, we create a more “informal” environment that allows learners to maximize their learning capabilities and control more of their own experience (learner-centric). Mobile applications are informative, but are also designed to be entertaining and fun. Incorporating the creative and fun elements into learning can help foster an environment where students can explore creativity and enjoy the learning process.

-The Enspark Team

Long gone are the days when you sit down with a textbook, paper and a pencil.

No longer do we see people carrying notebooks and other stationery.

More common are tablets, laptops, and cell phones.

Education is evolving much like everything else in the world. People who continue adhere to old technology are considered behind the times. Mobile learning is revolutionizing the way we learn today.

Mobile learning is defined by the eLearning Guild as:

Any activity that allows individuals to be more productive when consuming, interacting with, or creating information, mediated through a compact digital portable device that the individual carries on a regular basis, has reliable connectivity, and fits in a pocket or purse.

Smartphones and tablets have stamped their way into our society and are becoming very useful tools in eLearning. They help learning to be less of a hassle and more of a convenience. This means there are no more excuses for the learner who claims they don’t have the time to sit in a classroom for four hours—now they can just bring up their online course and do their work on a Blackberry in their free time.

The unfortunate reality of mobile learning is that it’s a new frontier for many—and oftentimes stakeholders don’t realize that these useful tool are available to them. In some cases courses delivered over a mobile device are better delivered and more accessible than traditional desktop computers.

Before you write off learning or training based on inconvenience and inaccessibility, make sure you explore all options available. I think you would be surprised.

-The Enspark Team

The use of mobile devices is evolving the learning process as we know it. Is it just another fly-by-night idea? Or has it made a permanent mark in learning? Time will only tell, but in the meantime…take a look at this article and read these opinions. It will give you a view from a different perspective. http://bit.ly/p02C5V

Mobile learning is a new idea that is creating a lot of buzz in the E-learning universe. Nowadays, everyone is on the go and being able to learn while doing so is as important as ever. As with any technology, we need to be as creative and up to date as possible in delivering such learning avenues. Here is an interesting article about Mobile Learning. There are 4 ways that Mobile Tech is improving learning: http://on.mash.to/niZ35n. Enjoy!

-The Enspark Team