Even though the similarity between the terms and many people considers mLearning only as a subcategory of eLearning, these two teaching models have considerable differences in delivery, content, application context, and approach.
When we talk about mLearning, more than just thinking about courses, training, and classes held through mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, it is necessary to understand that this type of teaching obeys a different dynamic from traditional eLearning and that we think about two essential points: content and context.
Contents
The content in mLearning, contrary to what many people tend to think, is not the same as in eLearning, but on a smaller screen. In mobile courses, the content needs to be designed for mobile reality and how people currently consume information on these devices. Here are some factors you should consider:
- the small screen
On desktop devices with large screens and very high resolution, putting many texts, images, and navigation options in a single space may even work. Still, on mobile devices, it will ruin your student’s experience.
Making it able to assimilate the content of each screen well without having to keep zooming in to read something or click a button is essential to facilitate learning and get a course with high-quality standards.
- study time
While on a computer or a notebook, you can make a person concentrate for up to 2hrs on a lesson; on a cell phone, you will hardly get that retention time. Therefore, it is necessary that the content is worked in pills, in microlearning format, and that the student can study in short breaks while having a snack at work or waiting for a bus.
Context
When it comes to implementing mLearning, it is necessary to carry out different surveys to prove that your audience is prepared to deal with this type of teaching and its particularities.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
- Are my students familiar with mobile devices and access to this type of device?
- Do I need durable, dense content for memorization (a feature of eLearning), or do I want my students always to have it on hand when they need it (a feature of mLearning)?
- Is it my intention to work with my content more interactive, playful, and dynamic way, using games and other resources such as the cell phone camera and recorder?
With all of this in mind, you will choose your distance learning model better and facilitate your students’ learning and engagement with Allegro media design.
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