What is Mobile Learning? (Definition, Advantages, & Examples)

When everything is competing for your attention, finding time to study and learn can be challenging, especially when your course materials are lengthy. 

Let’s say you took an online course and knew that you needed to watch over 10 videos, each lesson lasting 20 – 30 minutes. You would have to set aside huge time blocks just to complete the course. 

While this may seem standard, this approach doesn’t always suit students’ needs. The world is increasingly fast-paced, and sometimes, students only have small micro units of time to dedicate to learning. 

What if there was another way to promote learning, even when you only have 5 or 10 minutes? 

That is where mobile learning comes in. This article will explain mobile learning in depth, explain how it can help your students learn better, and provide actionable tips to help you create your own mobile learning course. 

So let’s jump right in!

What is Mobile Learning?

Mobile learning, also known as mLearning, is a form of online learning catered specifically to mobile devices. Instead of the usual classroom or desktop setup, students can log in via their smartphone or tablet and get straight to their lessons by opening an app. 

One key characteristic of mLearning is short, bite-sized lessons, which are also known as microlearning. Microlearning empowers the student by allowing them to quickly absorb new information in minutes, increasing their ability to retain what they learned. 

Mobile learning also taps into the social network style of engagement. In addition to micro videos and lessons, students can discuss what they learned through forums and social media feeds. 

What’s the Difference Between Mobile Learning and eLearning?

Now you might be wondering, “What is the difference between doing an online course on your mobile device and mobile learning?”

The differences are subtle, but the main difference is the learning modality. Mobile learning is focused more on microlearning which makes it easier to go through lessons quickly, even if you are on the go. 

Traditional online courses tend to have larger lessons. You typically need to allot more time for studying. Longer lessons require more focus and sometimes additional resources like 3rd party applications. 

Mobile learning cuts straight through the noise. Opening the app immediately logs you in and takes you to your dashboard, where you can resume your coursework. Lessons are shorter, and the total time to complete a mLearning course is often quicker than a typical online course. 

Now that you know the difference between mLearning and eLearning, let’s talk about the pros and cons of mobile learning. 

Advantages of Mobile Learning

Mobile learning thrives as a teaching model because it is easily portable and accessible. Through the use of an app on a mobile device, you can automatically log your students in and direct them to their lessons at the press of a button. Given the busyness of the average person today, a student could easily go through their course materials during their downtime.

These short study sessions lead to the second advantage—improved productivity and knowledge retention. Every day, you only have so much mental energy to commit to completing tasks. Small lessons require you to focus for short periods of time. You can devote your complete attention to a course lesson for 5 – 10 minutes, absorb the content, and then do something else. This helps you retain the information better and leaves you feeling accomplished and productive. 

Another advantage is that mobile learning can act as supplemental learning material for formal learning environments. Since you can learn at your own pace, you are more likely to complete your mobile learning course and build upon the lessons from your formal learning. Since you are already on a mobile device, you can also communicate with peers or your instructor via forums or social media communities.

Disadvantages of Mobile Learning

The greatest advantage of mobile learning is also its greatest disadvantage. Your mobile device is the central location for countless applications. You have immediate access to social media, instant messaging, the internet, and other applications. Constant notifications might pull you out of focus and redirect your attention to something less productive. If you do not exercise discipline, it is easy to get distracted. Distractions can inhibit your learning and make it harder for you to complete assignments and lessons. 

Another disadvantage of mobile learning is that it is entirely reliant on connectivity. Your mobile device must be connected to the internet and adequately charged so that it can stay connected to the course. Without power or a strong internet connection, you might not even be able to work through the course. Additionally, only specific mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops can connect to the mobile learning platforms. For example, it is likely to be difficult to log into a mobile learning course with a flip phone. 

The last disadvantage of mobile learning is that it focuses only on quick lessons, which makes it less effective for in-depth study. Long lectures and deep learning often require time to thoroughly explain concepts and discuss them with peers. Additionally, you might find it more difficult to incorporate 3rd party applications as part of your lesson plan in a mobile learning environment. Now this doesn’t mean mLearning is less effective as a teaching model compared to eLearning, but rather they have different focuses. Mobile learning is for quick, accessible, just-in-case learning no matter where you go, while eLearning is for more rigorous, long term study. 

Mobile Learning in Corporate Education

Mobile learning can be handy for corporate use as well. 

Often, employees need to stay up to date on various compliance training, and mobile learning is a convenient method for delivering a quick online course with short microlearning lessons. Here are some possible course topics that could be covered in a corporate mobile learning online course:

• Employee Onboarding and Orientation
• Security and Safety Practices
• DEI and Sensitivity Training
• Self-care and Personal Wellness Training
• Leadership Training
• Changes to Policy and Procedures
• Product Knowledge Training
• Sales Training

Mobile learning brings multiple unique advantages to the corporate workplace. Small microlearning sessions make it easy to train your employees and improve their knowledge retention, which directly translates to higher workplace safety and productivity. 

Often, employees who exit the company shortly after they are hired cite a lack of support and understanding of their role as their reason for leaving. With mobile learning, you can build a course that helps the employee step into their role with expertise and confidence.

Now that you have an idea of what mobile learning can look like, let’s dive into some real-world examples. 

Examples of Mobile Learning Done Well

Khan Academy

Sal Khan founded Khan Academy in 2008 with a vision for free, accessible education. Today, Khan Academy serves as supplemental learning material for K-12 students, with lessons translated into over 36 languages. Khan Academy also offers courses in subjects such as history, economics, programming, and exam preparation (LSAT, SAT, ACT).

Students, parents, and teachers are able to access these resources both on desktop and mobile devices, find the lessons they need, and pace themselves at a comfortable learning rate. Students are encouraged to master each lesson first before moving on to the next lesson. To motivate them, Khan Academy uses gamification to ensure their students are having fun while learning. 

Duolingo

If you took a second language class in high school or university, you might remember walking into a classroom where your teacher spoke in long fluent sentences in that language, leaving you scratching your head as you tried to understand what they were saying. 

Instead of throwing you into the deep end of the pool of learning a language, Duolingo uses mobile learning as the foundation for each lesson. Students are taught 1 – 2 words per lesson, making it easier for them to remember the meanings of each word. In addition to text-based learning, Duolingo also supports learners with visual and auditory cues to help students retain what they have learned. 

Students are encouraged to open Duolingo every day through their gamification system. And it clearly works, given that over 2 million users have a daily login streak of over 365 days! Just like Khan Academy, Duolingo is available on both desktop and mobile devices, making it easy for you to learn at home or on the go. 

TED-Ed

Ted-Ed is another popular mobile learning platform, offering users a dynamic educational experience anytime, anywhere. With its mobile application, Ted-Ed empowers learners to engage with a vast library of high-quality educational videos, lectures, and interactive lessons, covering a myriad of topics across various disciplines.

Ted-Ed caters to individual learning styles, allowing users to explore and deepen their knowledge on subjects of interest at their own pace. Their interactive features enable users to participate in discussions, quizzes, and collaborative activities, fostering a sense of community and active learning.

Mobile Learning FAQs

What Strategies and Techniques Can I Use to Make My Mobile Learning More Effective?

If you are looking to create your own mobile learning course, you will find that success boils down to mastering the basics of online course creation. 

First, you need to ensure that your content is impactful and transformative. Your target audience should feel compelled to complete the course because it is helping them achieve their goals and desires. Without quality content, your mobile learning course is doomed to fail. 

Another element of successful mobile learning courses is leveraging the power of microlearning. Your course should be delivered in bite-sized pieces. Your students are likely to spend between 3 – 10 minutes on each lesson. Therefore, you will need to break your lessons into their simplest components. 

One powerful technique used in online courses is gamification. Gamification is where you entice your students to complete their assignments and courses by giving them rewards at the end of major milestones. You can offer rewards for completing modules, logging in every day, and even completing the course. 

Rewards can vary widely depending on your student’s needs. You can give them certificates, spendable points, or monetary rewards. If your program includes a membership, you can offer extensions to their subscription as a bonus for completing a task. The sky’s the limit with gamification, and as long as the reward is enticing, your students will feel excited to progress through your course. 

Can I Create a Mobile Learning Experience with a Regular Learning Management System (LMS)?

If you are already an online course creator, you might already have a platform that you are using for your courses. Before you rush to look up the best mobile learning course platforms, remember that the advantages of mobile learning are in the structure of the lessons and its accessibility to mobile devices. 

That means if you are using a platform like Thinkific or Kajabi, which has mobile integrations, you can easily create a mobile learning course.

However, if your platform does not support mobile learning, consider building your course on a mobile platform like Edume, Paradiso LMS, or TalentCards

Create Your Mobile Learning Course Today

Mobile learning can be a powerful tool in your business to empower your students and build a strong relationship with your brand. With techniques like gamification, microlearning, and community support, you can support your students with a course that helps them stay productive and retain information longer. 

Whether you are a seasoned course creator or someone just starting out with online course creation, mobile learning courses can take your educational materials to the next level. So, start today, and explore where you can incorporate mLearning into your online classroom. 

To learn more about the process of creating online courses you may want to join us on our Hybrid Courses Bootcamp. It’s completely free to join and teaches you how to create a successful and profitable online course.