Ignore mobile learning at your peril. It may define how any LMS moves forward
There was a time when smartphones were problematic on the plant floor or in the field. No longer. Now these devices have the capacity to empower learners and expedite the learning journey.
So what happened? Well, part of it is the fact millennials, which now occupy the largest segment of the workforce in North America, can’t put their phones aside. They’re virtually glued to them, as illustrated in the chart below. Another key factor is the fact mobile learning has become an increasingly relevant component of all eLearning programs, and learning management systems in general.
Here are three key reasons mobility is the new reality in eLearning.
1. The device is already in their hands
If learners can use their devices to better understand job-related knowledge as they are on the field, at their jobs, they will. So why not use the devices they hold in their hands to facilitate that kind of knowledge transfer?
We used to view all learning opportunities as very separate experiences, but eLearning and mobile devices have changed all that. For example, with the right LMS in place and the right mobile program executed, learning can be right at the fingertips of an oil rig worker as he or she executes their own safety checks and corrective actions.
2. Knowledge is community-based
With the right LMS and mobility program, job-related knowledge is not limited to what is prescriptive, according to the administrators of a learning program. Instead, learners have access to the experiences, knowledge, and insight that accomplished learners in their very field have been exposed to, and they can access this community-driven knowledge right at the point of need.
3. Offline is online
It used to be so hard to reconcile offline data with online, synchronized data, but as best-in-class LMS providers continue to realize, offline is the new online, and we need offline data to sync effortlessly with online data.
This is becoming an increasing reality with progressive LMS providers, and it should be a key consideration in investing in any new provider today.
For example, there are many industries where offline functionality is a part of doing business. An offshore rig or a shipping fleet, for obvious reasons, cannot be “connected” for a period of their operations. As a result, if they desire optimal learning conditions, they need to ensure offline learning is synced with online learning.
But if you want to get the whole picture on the role of mobility in eLearning today, take a look at our white paper, Embracing the Mobile Future.
For greater insight on the mobile future in eLearning, download our white paper on the subject today.