In today’s day and age, it is expected of employers to take on the responsibility of improving the skillset of their employees, so as to increase their productivity. It was not till two decades ago, that an average employee would work at an organisation solely reliant on the skills and knowledge gained from their education prior to joining the workforce. However, this practice is increasingly becoming phased out brought about by significant changes to the dynamics of the corporate space.
One of the most prominent changes, is the introduction of mobile learning. Mobile learning improves the overall administering of corporate training, making it easier for employers to impart skills to employees. This article hence, elaborates on the top mobile learning trends that are changing the ways employers train their employees.
AI and Machine Learning
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, are gradually molding mobile learning. With aid from tablets, smartphones and other smart applications such as Siri and Alexa being integrated into eLearning, machine learning and AI are making significant contributions to the personalization of learning experiences.
These algorithms are being integrated into mobile learning apps, and as a result, corporate trainings are gradually assimilating apps as part of the learning requirements for employees. By integrating machine learning and AI algorithms into mobile learning, employers and corporate trainers can track the existing knowledges gaps, subsequently recommending the most suitable learning paths for different employees.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) have grown in prevalence within the corporate world over years, and has proven to be an essential tool in corporate training. With the aid of AR, employees are able to undergo simulations and real-life scenarios in a secure, risk-free environment.
For example, Jaguar Land Rover collaborated with an augmented reality service provider to design a mobile learning app for its employees. The app was designed to allow the user to visualize the inside of a car without physically dismantling the interior of the actual car. As such, the technicians need only launch the app and adjust the iPad’s camera to the dashboard to automatically start the training.
Location Based Technology
Location is one of the critical factors that allow for personalization of corporate training; the technology enhances the learning experience by personalizing the content to the appropriate geographic location.
This works best for organisations that possess a global presence, as they are able to leverage location-based technology to localise their corporate training to a specific area. This is especially crucial when considering factors like compliances policies that tend to vary from one region to another. Hence it is important for organisations to ensure that their employees get the relevant compliance training, which is fortunately, made possible by mobile learning.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR), which is the use of technology to create simulated environments, is very much similar to AR. One salient difference, however, is that VR replaces your vision, placing you in an entirely virtual reality, whereas AR adds to reality as it is.
As such, some of the leading technology companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Google are heavily investing into VR development, working towards the possibility of VR transforming mobile learning in the near future.
VR has made tremendous progress; it’s ability to provide hands-on learning in a risk-free environment has allowed it to become a necessary addition to every organisation’s arsenal of corporate training tools. So much that, corporates like Volkswagen and Walmart are already using VR technology in corporate training.
Better Hardware Configurations
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have nearly as much storage space as the average computer, and thus are able to handle a wide range of operations and tasks. Mobile device manufacturers of today are in a constant race to upgrade the hardware capabilities of the devices, aiming to improve the overall user experience.
This will inevitably influence mobile learning in the corporate training sector, since user devices are increasingly able to handle multitasking operations through mobile learning apps.
Voice Assistants and Smart Speakers
Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri are perfect examples of voice assistants; these apps are made essential by leveraging the mobility and accessibility of mobile or wearable devices. Furthermore, when coupled with AI and/or machine-learning algorithms, these apps are able to enhance the user’s learning experience, notably on mobile learning.
For example, Amazon’s Alexa versatility has allowed it to serve multiple purposes, from engaging users to partake in interactive short quizzes to reminding employees of upcoming events such as corporate trainings.
Shift to the Cloud
Organisations are generating vast volumes of data daily while simultaneously in a constant struggle to look for means and ways of saving storage space and resources. Currently, the best solution is to shift their IT infrastructure to the cloud. Interesting to note, learning apps, which have become synonymous with mobile learning, are also being hosted on cloud servers. This shift to the cloud eliminates the need to expand the mobile devices storage space to accommodate the mobile learning apps.
With advancement in AI and machine learning algorithms, there is bound to be more data generated, hence the cloud’s feature of storing limitless data is the best solution to thus far.
Conclusion
Mobile learning is changing how organisations are conducting their corporate training. The aforementioned hence, are just some other mobile trends to watch out for in 2019 as well as the future to come. Therefore, eLearning development companies ought to take note and start to gear up for the upcoming changes, modifying and expanding their arsenal of learning management.