The Pros and Cons of mLearning in the Workplace

The mobile learning (mLearning) market is taking off. Experts anticipate that it will be worth $37.6 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 36.3%. And  47% of organizations are already using mobile devices in their training programs.

So, if you don’t know much about mLearning yet or are still in the beginning stages of sorting through how you’ll implement it at your organization, here are some of the highlights of what you need to know right now if you want to stay competitive.

Stats You Need to Know About mLearning

According to statistics parsed by Capterra:

• 70% of learners felt more motivated when training on a mobile device.
• Mobile e-learners typically study for 40 minutes longer than students using a desktop or tablet.
• Smartphone learners complete course material 45% faster than those using a computer.

Pros of mLearning

• Mobile learners can work at their own paces and while they’re on the go, at any time of the day, and can access a multitude of courses.
• Learners are more likely to finish courses and retain what they’ve learned through mLearning on their mobile devices.
• Organizations save money and time when they implement mLearning programs because they don’t have to hire in-person trainers or send employees to various locations for training programs. Sometimes, they can even curate mLearning content into their systems so they don’t have to create all learning materials from scratch.
• mLearning helps promote more social learning and peer-mentor relationships through mobile apps that encourage collaboration, sharing, and discussion.
• Employees who get to decide what they want to learn when it’s most convenient for them will become more autonomous and will be more likely to take charge of their own learning goals and career ambitions. And this will, in turn, make them more motivated and engaged while they’re at work.

Cons of mLearning

• Because employees can access mLearning content whenever and wherever they want, they can easily become distracted by it, especially when courses offer addictive gamified content with incentives that allow employees to earn badges, points, etc.
• mLearning environments can sometimes become more isolating when they’re not blended properly with on-the-job training or training that takes place inside a physical classroom.
• Each employee will have a different aptitude for learning with a mobile device. While a lot of employees will find learning on a mobile device engaging and fun, some employees who don’t have a lot of experience with technology might struggle with it and not be as engaged by it.
• Sometimes, costs associated with mobile devices and the technology support required to ensure proper maintenance of mLearning programs can get pricy if your organization doesn’t have the appropriate infrastructures in place already.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will cover some mLearning trends and tips you need to know about.