The Mobile device – an innovation that has radically transformed the way we obtain and use information. According to the Horizon Report, 2011, by 2015, about 80% of people will be accessing the Internet from Mobile Devices only, with the main focus on education. The phenomenal growth of the “mobile internet” is forcing the corporate world to go in for m-learning solutions to meet their training needs.

But, how can companies deliver good training through smartphones and tablets? What does it take to harness the power of the Mobile Device to improve performance? Well, firms need to:

Deliver micro-learning modules on mobile devices

Short online courses, with spans not exceeding 10 minutes each, can be delivered very effectively through mobile devices. These learning nuggets can be digested easily by learners and goes a long way in delivering effective just-in-time (JIT) learning support. For instance, a medical rep can access the information needed to clarify a physician’s query, instantly on his iPad. You can deliver micro-learning materials in variousformats such as videos, podcasts, games and so on.

Utilize the mobile device to unleash the power of social learning

It is well-known that people learn better in groups. You can use the mobile device to facilitate effective collaboration between your people. A wide variety of tools such as social media websites, discussion forums, wikis, blogs etc. can be accessed effectively on mobile devices and used to share information efficiently. Consider the following scenario. 

An automobile mechanic needs to repair the fuel-injection system of a new SUV. The technician has a few doubts about the system. He accesses a blog containing the FAQs about the system on his “phablet” and clears his doubts.

Make good use of the various features of mobile devices to deliver contextual learning 

Today’s mobile devices come with several features that can be used to enhance performance through contextual learning. Consider the following scenario.

A salesman of a washing machine company is meeting a prospective customer in the Rockaway Beach neighborhood in Queens, New York. The customer asks the salesman whether any of his neighbors have purchased the washing machines of the latter’s firm. The salesman, by accessing an online module developed using Adobe Captivate 9 (a rapid authoring tool which can be used to develop location-aware learning materials), on his smartphone, gets the required information. This creates a good impression of the product and the customer buys the washing machine.

Many companies are also using the ability of mobile devices to read Quick Response (QR) codes to provide their field personnel the required information. For instance, one of our clients in the pharmaceutical space provides its sales personnel quick reference guides containing QR codes. The medical reps can quickly scan the QR code with their smartphones and access a short clip containing the features of a drug. 

Conclusion 

Companies can impart training of high efficacy through micro-learning modules. Organizations can facilitate effective learning through smartphones and tablets by using various social media. By using the various capabilities of mobile devices such as geo-tracking, firms can help their people perform better. Hope you find this post interesting. Do share your views.