Things to consider when developing mLearning
When developing mLearning there are a number of things to consider when compared to traditional eLearning. mLearning or mobile learning is digital learning that is specifically designed to be used on a mobile device such as a tablet or smartphone. As more and more learners take eLearning on mobile devices it is important you have a strong mLearning strategy.
Below are some things to consider when developing mLearning
1. Connections
When taking mLearning on a mobile device one of the biggest problems will be a limited or non-existent network connection. Unlike a laptop or PC which is connected to a more stable Wi-Fi connection, with mobile devices you are unsure how strong your connection will be. As a result, you need to consider how this will impact your training, if the learner looses their connection will their progress be saved? You might also want to consider adding a download course feature, by doing this learners can download a course on a stable connection, they can then take the course locally on their mobile device without having to use a connection that might be unstable.
2. Shorter concentration time
When learners take eLearning on a laptop or PC they will most likely be either at the workplace or at home, as a result they are more likely to spend long amounts of time taking eLearning in one go. When learners take digital training on a mobile device this is a bit different, on a mobile device learners can take training anywhere, this can be on a train, bus or while waiting for something. The difference in this situation is the amount of time they are likely to dedicate to an eLearning module is much smaller. When designing your content think how you can split it up into smaller segments that learners can take while on the go.
3. Smaller screens
Screen size is a big thing to consider when designing and developing mLearning, when compared to traditional eLearning the size of the screen is much smaller, this means you have a lot less space to work with. When taking mLearning think about how much content you have on screen e.g. text, if you have too much content it can result in the learner scrolling for ages which does not make a good user experience. Similarly when deciding on button placement for your course make sure it is easy to use both on a computer and a mobile device, what works on a laptop might not necessarily work on a smartphone or tablet.
