To make mLearning effective, you have to identify the common mistakes that can compromise your lesson. While mobile learning is getting a lot of praise for the way it is revolutionizing the learning industry, it is not perfect. To be specific, it is not the perfect learning solution for all types of learning goals. This is why you need to know the pitfalls of mobile learning, not just to help you avoid them, but also to give you the idea on how you can best implement it in the learning process.
Here are the most common misconceptions, pitfalls, and mistakes that people make when it comes to mlearning.
mLearning is only for lite concepts, lessons, and ideas. This is not necessarily true. Although it is ideal that the course is short, that does not mean it cannot be substantial. When it comes to the concepts, it can be as complex as needed. You just have to figure out how to simplify it so it can be easily understood as learners access it “as-they-go.”
mLearning is the shorter version of eLearning. While this can be true, it is not always used for support purposes only. There are courses that you can deliver solely and primarily through mobile devices. In fact, there are lessons that are best delivered through this portal – like compliance training or product training updates. Make sure you understand the learning goals you can choose the right way to deliver the lesson. More often than not, you should use a different learning strategy for mobile learning and elearning.
mLearning can be used for anything. As much as we want that to happen – it is not possible. The small screen of some mobile devices may not be ideal for certain learning goals. Not only that, you should always remember that mobile learning should have a different layout. There are platforms that can make your course mobile-friendly so this does not have to be technically difficult. Just make sure that your course will not appear distorted because you failed to factor in the smaller screen of mobile devices. Apart from that, you should also consider the fact that mobile learners are usually in a more distracting environment. Your course layout and outline should consider that as you design your course.
mLearning will fail to deliver the complete learning experience. This is the biggest misconception of them all. Do not underestimate the power of mobile learning. As mentioned, there are some lessons that are better learned through mobile devices. In fact, learners might even get the best experience through mobile learning compared to the traditional learning options. Do not think that mobile devices will only give you half the experience just because they are smaller.
Understanding the limitations of mobile learning will help you avoid making the wrong decisions as you design your online course. It is important to keep these in mind so you have the right expectations as you create your elearning materials.
Mlearning is a great option to serve your online courses but it has to be used properly to maximize the benefits. Try not to force it if the lesson will not be delivered well through a mobile device.
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