The Rise of Mobile Learning

M-learning, or mobile learning, is a new method of leveraging mobile devices to access educational materials. All that is required is a smartphone and an internet connection; one can learn anytime from anywhere. With the emergence and growing popularity of Big Data, AI, the Internet of Things, robots, nanotechnology, supercomputers, smartphones, and other technologies, companies strategically employ technology to increase their productivity and efficiency and gain a competitive edge in the industry. Through learning, businesses can guarantee that their workforce remains relevant and competitive. Mobile learning has increased with the introduction of smartphones and mobile technologies.

Evolution of Mobile Learning

Alan Kay, a computer scientist, initially proposed the idea of mobile learning in 1968, when phones were not digital. Kay had the concept for the "Dynabook," a mobile device that would enable kids to learn wherever they are. The Dynabook would be portable, mobile, and educational. Although it was never constructed, it served as the basis for mobile learning.

With the advent of smartphone apps, Learning Management Systems (LMSes) could make information accessible on digital devices. However, not all enterprises jumped into mobile learning right once. Only 45% of the leading education platforms had mobile learning in place in 2012, with 70% having plans to do so in the following two years.

Some L&D divisions were unsure about how to use this new platform. In 2008, most firms were merely moving conventional learning content to mobile platforms and abandoning their mobile learning strategy at that. It was challenging for students who weren’t prepared to take courses from their phones on the 2008 Internet.

Today, the adoption of mobile learning has significantly increased. Most people own smartphones and can access learning services in the comfort of their homes or while they work other jobs. In 2021, over 75% of the workforce were using mobile learning. One-third of enterprises have a mobile strategy, and businesses identify high mobile uptake as a concern. According to the study, 75% of businesses believe that mobile learning is just as effective as traditional modalities.

Mobile Learning in Education

Mobile learning has proven to be one of the most effective educational instruments to emerge in a long time. Text, audio, and video are combined and integrated with user interactions. It is an independent platform, usable on a worldwide scale. It can be used for synchronous events, even though it is mostly an asynchronous media. Therefore, it is not unexpected that educational institutions at all levels and distant education providers, as well as trainers and lecturers, are increasingly adopting mobile learning as a delivery method.

The shared framework of time that once supported social order and the general understanding of the world is being eroded by mobile devices and the technologies and systems they employ. Time-keeping is being replaced by the socially negotiated time and softening of schedules made possible by mobile devices. Time has become personalized with the mobile phone. Previously, our social and professional relationships had to be planned and synced according to absolute time, but modern mobile technology enables us to change meetings and activities on the move. This has allowed people to access learning material from anywhere convenient to them.