Best Advantages and Negatives of mobile Learning
Mobile learning is an increasingly popular learning method for people worldwide. It's a great method for instructors to reach new audiences and connect with students wherever they're spending their time on mobile technology.
The average Canadian checks their phone 144 times each day, while the average American checks their phone an insane 344 times per day.
In the process of integrating technology into their lives and lives, it's no wonder that people are turning to smartphones, tablets, and laptops to study. Mobile learning offers students freedom that they've never experienced when they are exploring new abilities and hobbies, trades, and careers.
Let's take a look at mobile learning's advantages and disadvantages and consider how m-learning will help your students.
Skip ahead:
- What is mobile learning (M-learning)?
- What's some positives of learning on mobile devices?
- Which are some negatives to mobile training?
- Find the balance with mobile education
What is mobile learning (M-learning)?
What are the most positives of learning on mobile devices?
There are plenty of advantages for mobile learning, however we've listed 6. The benefits include flexibility, accessibility and motivation, as well as current content, engagement, and affordability. We'll look into each one in more detail below:
Accessibility
One of the main benefits of mobile learning is accessibility. The courses that are online can be accessed, so students can access their courses from anywhere in the world. It makes mobile learning adaptable and helps creators connect with a larger audience.
Flexibility
Similar to accessibility but different, mobile learning gives students the ability to be flexible in traditional or in-person training courses don't. Students can complete the class at the time that works best for them regardless of whether they prefer to work at 12 noon or midnight.
And, if the course allows, students can learn at their own pace. It gives them additional flexibility as they can take this course as quickly as a couple of hours, or even a few months.
Motivation
Both eLearning as well as mobile learning use technology-savvy teaching methods and evaluation. Techniques such as interactive quizzes and tests can be gamified to encourage students to progress by engaging with the content as well as remember key points.
Engaged and enthusiastic students is likely to be able to recall the lessons they've taken in and be happy.
Current Content
Because mobile learning courses live online, they enjoy the amazing benefit of revision. Creators can't easily modify physical textbooks, live classes, or even webinars, after they've been created. Online courses can.
Course creators online can take advantage of this feature and update their courses regularly as needed. This will help them keep courses relevant and meaningful for students.
Engagement
Duolingo is now the most popular app to learn new languages through innovative methods such as microlearning. It gives students bite-sized lessons which can be completed every day.
Affordability
Mobile learning courses typically don't require in-person or synchronous instruction, and they aim to train one particular ability or produce one result. The scale of a mobile course can help it be more affordable as opposed to courses that need additional staff and maintenance, as well as scheduling and even research.
What are some disadvantages from mobile education?
Just like everything else it is true that there are drawbacks to mobile learning to be considered also. Mobile learning can leave students open to distraction, lack interactions with others, depend on tech too much, lack personalization, and exclude students who do not have access to high-quality technology. Let's explore each reason more down below:
Distractions
One of the advantages of mobile learning in the field of education is that it requires learners to connect to the content via the use of a mobile device. However, this also means learners are more likely to become disengaged.
Students will likely be receiving text messages, emails as well as social media updates throughout their classes. This can lead to a lack of participation and even completion rates to decline.
Lack of social interaction
The use of M-learning is a way to inspire students to create meaningful connections on the internet, but it doesn't provide to have meaningful interaction in person.
While some students may thrive in a more isolated and focused environment, other students could rely on their social connections for motivation. This is especially noticeable when students enroll in courses that require long-term engagement.
Reliance on technology
M-learning, just like eLearning depends entirely on the technology. Designers should consider operating system compatibility and optimization for mobile devices or else risk making unwieldy or difficult to use courses.
Reliance on technology may also eliminate skills that depend upon practical knowledge. As an example, for instance, artists or mechanics might have difficulty developing real-world skills, without direct feedback or in-person training.
Poor personalization
The most personalized feedback is usually provided by one-on-one mentors, an in-class instructor, or cohort leader. In spite of engaging assessments such as test-taking and quizzes that are interactive but students are unable to miss out on personal feedback when they're in mobile learning courses making it harder to learn and acquire new abilities.
Poor technology
Although most students are equipped with up-to-date technologies and reliable internet connections, there are some who don't. Some students may be learning with older tech or have intermittent internet or electricity.
The mobile learning model can provide an opportunity for education to many, but it can be a barrier to access for learners who don't have the right equipment for online education. Consider your target audience and make sure you design a course that is accessible to them.
Find the right balance in mobile learning
What may be a benefit to some might be detrimental to others. As an example, the total degree of flexibility offered by a self-paced class might be demotivating for some viewers. It's ultimately up to you to find an appropriate balance with the audience you're targeting and design the course accordingly.
However, the creators have the ability to outweigh the disadvantages of mobile learning and create more accessible, high-quality as well as inclusive classes more than they ever have before. When you've got the right content mobile technology can be used to connect with people around the world as well as engage students. You can develop a network of students.
If you're considering creating an online course, take a test for no cost! You'll get the course creation as well as the marketing and selling instruments you'll need to make your course into an online business of learning.