Designing Digitally
06/11/2018
It is becoming increasingly difficult to live in the world without some type of mobile device. The small, but powerful devices impact every part of our daily lives. They bring the world right to the tips of our fingers. They deliver information instantaneously whenever and wherever we need it. Mobile devices even impact the way we learn information. M learning represents the next innovation in corporate training by taking advantage of new ways of employee learning.
The world has become fast-paced and people are always on the go. Mobile devices keep them connected whether they are at work or at play. Mobile devices provide news and information, entertainment, social connections, directions, and restaurant suggestions. Now they are being used as part of corporate training programs too.
Mobile devices offer many advantages over the traditional classroom setting. The courses can be divided into small chunks of information that can be easily digested. This is referred to as microlearning and represents the new standard in education of all types. In addition, they provide a multimedia learning environment that engages the employees and forces them to interact with the lessons, rather than simply reading them. Mobile devices can be used to make learning fun. By incorporating games, videos, quizzes and media that holds the learner’s attention, mobile learning can be used to improve retention and application of the material. This represents a new way of using technology to enhance the learning environment.
The use of mobile devices has changed the way people interact with their world. They are used to having information at the time that they need it. For instance, there is no need to pull out the roadmap and plan a trip when one can simply put the address into the GPS and get step-by-step directions just in the nick of time. There is less planning involved in getting the job done.
People have become dependent on their mobile devices to have the information that they need when they need it. They like the freedom of being able to access information quickly. They also have shorter attention spans and live in a world of instant gratification. If they do not see the information that they need on a page, they will click out of it and move on rather than searching the page extensively. This means that the learning environment must adapt to the new learner by catering to the way they think. This is where mobile learning comes into play.
A new type of employee and a new type of learner means that corporations need to adjust the way they conduct onboarding and training. Mobile devices give them the ability to take advantage of microlearning and an immersive multimedia experience. They can create a learning environment where employees are excited and engaged in the lessons. They can also use it to form an understanding of the information beyond rote memorization. Simulations can help them to test employee knowledge in scenarios that represent the real world.
Another way that mobile devices improve learning is that the employee has the information right at their fingertips. If they forget something, they can quickly access the information again. The employee can choose when and where they want to learn. This is an excellent solution for adults who are trying to take care of their many obligations yet need to learn new information. The ability to use mobile devices at work is an expectation of the new generation of employees. They have grown up in a digital world and are most comfortable when their devices are close at hand. Mobile devices can integrate social collaboration and the sharing of ideas through chat and conversation. This can increase the motivation for learning and help the retention of information.
The ability to use mobile devices for onboarding and training allows companies to manage a workforce that may be in remote locations. It empowers employees by putting them in control of the environment in which they choose to learn. It allows employees to utilize time such as waiting at a doctor’s office or airport and turn it into productive time for learning. The new age of digital learning will make a positive impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational training programs.
Designing Digitally can help organizations develop engaging training programs that are designed for the mobile environment, offering solutions that take learning to the next level. We help companies develop strategies and programs to improve the way organizations deliver training courses using mobile devices. Contact our Learning Solutions Specialists to discuss opportunities to deliver training to your employees in a way that is in alignment with the demands in this digital age.
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