Sunday, October 4, 2009

Mobile Learning (or Knowledge in Your Pocket)

Mobile learning should be firmly on the agenda within any training department. The reasons for doing it seem fairly obvious, however few training departments it seems have actually invested in mobile projects. Why explore mobile as a platform for learning? Here are just some reasons to help you make your mind up:

1. (Almost) everyone has a mobile device, usually a phone
2. A mobile device means learning anytime, anywhere finally becomes a reality
3. Employees (depending on role) usually receive a company mobile device so no additional investment required here - just add content
4. Devices are becoming faster (broadband, 3G), more user-friendly and functionality-rich,
5. Internet-ready phones are becoming the norm (e.g. Blackberry) which open up access to a wealth of online knowledge
6. With the arrival of the touch-screen iPhone - phones and PDAs are becoming a cool must-have accessory for the business executive
7. The massive growth in Mobile applications (iPhones, Palm Pre, Google Android, etc.) mean there is no shortage of existing content or companies that develop content for mobile devices
8. New devices have bigger and better screens
9. Battery life has vastly improved so realizing truely cable-less learning is no longer an obstacle

These reasons alone should inspire and motivate any trainer to re-consider the power and access that a mobile device brings to their training programs.

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