Mobile Learning Design
When it comes to eLearning learner expectations are higher than they use to be, not only do learners expect to take training on their PC but also on the go using their smartphones, tablets and laptops. As a result of this when designing eLearning and digital training it is important you cater for these needs.
For example when a learner takes eLearning on a smartphone it is a very different experience to when they take it on a computer, some of these differences include how the learner navigates, how the learner consumes content and how they interact with the course.
Below are some considerations you can implement when designing mobile learning:
1. One screen per task
When a learner is using a mobile device there is much less room for content and functionality, that’s why it’s important to keep one task per screen. For example if there is a click and reveal activity, only place that activity on screen, avoid having any additional text, images, buttons etc. that are not part of the activity, this is in contrast taking eLearning on a laptop where you can have multiple pieces of content at once without issue.
2. White space
White space or empty space is the space between and around elements on screen, when taking training on a laptop there is an abundance of white space, however on a mobile device this space is limited. Allocating enough whitespace around on-screen elements is key to ensuring content is readable and the user interface is clean, therefore it is important when designing mobile learning to use whitespace as an asset rather than just as part of the background.
3. Navigation
Navigation is something that is critical to designing mobile learning, this is largely because how a learner navigates on a mobile device is completely different to when they are using a laptop or PC. On a laptop there is plenty of room for navigation buttons, however on a mobile device this could drastically cut into your on screen content. Therefore, it is important to ensure that when deciding on navigation for your mobile learning to make it discoverable, accessible and space saving.
