One of the trends that will undoubtedly make a strong impact on business management in the coming years is Mobile Learning. Not only does it provide companies with an effective tool for remote training of their workers, but it also achieves hyperconnectivity, accustomed to receiving updates instantly, in constant communication with its collaborators, and in continuous training.
The smartphone emerges as a mobile learning tool, replacing the role that classrooms had for years. A more recent case is virtual classrooms, as before smartphones, eLearning was a great revolution in formal and non-formal education. And it continues to grow: according to a report from OBS Online Business School, eLearning is estimated to grow annually at 7.6% until 2020.
Currently, 77% of organizations in the United States offer online training to develop employees’ skills. Although mobile learning is a relatively new trend, it will undoubtedly increase, as some experiences have already demonstrated better content retention, reduced training times, and increased productivity compared to other more traditional training models, and even eLearning. In fact, mobile learning users, on average, study 40 minutes more than those using a desktop computer (MNAlearning). Additionally, mobile learners complete courses 45% faster than those using a computer.
From isolation to hyperconnectivity in distance education
But the significant step that mLearning takes compared to eLearning is the evolution from isolation to hyperconnectivity. The smartphone “is a natural extension of the deployment of our thoughts. We have the possibility in our hands to connect with a simple touch and enter a interconnected world,” explains Francisco Fernández, professor of Communication Technologies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
According to the Educational Portal of the Americas, individuals are once again connected thanks to the convergence of media, and distance learning is no longer done in isolation. Instead, it forms a larger whole where all members are connected through multiple intelligences. mLearning thus eliminates one of the main reasons for dropout in distance education, the feeling of isolation, and turns learning into a form of hyperconnectivity.
