This document discusses mobile learning (mLearning) by addressing who participates, where it occurs, when it's useful, what types of content and activities are involved, why it's effective, and how to implement it. It notes that mLearning audiences include those with busy schedules who want just-in-time, short learning segments on mobile devices. Content includes courses, job aids and microlearning to support formal learning and job performance. mLearning provides learning opportunities whenever and wherever users have spare moments. The document provides additional resources on mLearning best practices and trends.

1. Mobile Learning – Who, Where, When, What, Why, and How!
Training 2012, Atlanta, 2/13/2012
Thomas Stone
Senior Research Analyst, Taleo
Twitter = @ThomasStone, @TaleoResearch
http://www.taleo.com/talent-management-blog/
Who? Where?
Audience characteristics: Any “stolen moments” of time:
 Mobile job environment  Waiting at the airport
 Comfort with smart phones  On the plane or train or subway
 Very busy work schedules  In the car (esp. if audio only)
 Learn when convenient  In line at the post office
 Require targeted and distilled info  In the Dr’s waiting room
 Want smaller chunks of learning content  … others?
 Seek just-in-time learning
 Have a range of devices Performance support use-cases:
 Require support & learning on the job  Sales
 Field engineers
Most common in enterprises today:  Repair technicians
 Sales  Medical workers
 Executive and other leadership  … almost anyone!
 Field engineers
When? What?
The Five Moments of Learning Need (Conrad Gottfredsen) Formal learning:
 Learning basics for the first time  Courses to replace ILT/e-Learning
 Learning more (intermediate / advanced)  Book abstracts
 Remembering and/or applying what was learned  Blended learning assets
 Facing a problem  Video to provide advanced concepts,
 Dealing with something that has changed greater depth, etc.
 PowerPoint or Books
Why?  Quizzes / Assessments
Retention and review:
 Location, Location, Location! (Think location-specific)
 Test-prep flashcards
 Learning when convenient
 Short audio/video clips or podcasts
 Combat the “Forgetting Curve”
 E-Learning abstracts
 Update, motivate
 Follow-up quick-tips
 Performance support… Just-In-Time!
 Spaced learning
 Reaching the unreachable audiences
 Gen-Y / Millennials
 Potential time-savings Performance support:
 As part of blended learning programs  Job-aids, checklists, data look-up
 Motivational audio, daily quick-tips
 Mobile e-reference
 Access social media (forums,
micro-message, blogs, expert search, etc.)
How?
1. Which mobile learners? 5. Flash? HTML5? Content re-use?
2. Which use cases? 6. Text-based? Audio? Video?
3. Which content types? 7. Apps, mobile browser, both?
4. Which devices? 8. Tracking and reporting?
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2. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Try Mobile Learning Yourself
 GetAbstract – download the GetAbstract iPhone/iPad app, or visit http://www.getabstract.com/
 ADL mLearning Guide – search for this in the iTunes store
General Resources
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLearning – the Wikipedia entry on mLearning provides a good
overview of the topic.
 http://www.elearninglearning.com/mobile/ – The mobile learning category from Tony Karrer’s e-
Learning portal.
 http://www.slideshare.net/ – search SlideShare for “Mobile Learning” and you will find numerous
presentations on the subject.
 http://html5please.us/ – one of several good HTML5 reference resources available
 http://mobilehtml5.org/ – another good HTML5 reference resource
 http://ymlp.com/archive_gewujsqgjgu.php – ADL Mobile Learning newsletter archives
Research Reports
 “Learning on the Move,” Aberdeen Group, January, 2012,
http://www.aberdeen.com/aberdeen-library/7575/AI-learning-knowledge-management.aspx
 “Horizon Report 2012: Higher Education Edition,” from EDUCAUSE and NMC,
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/HR2012.pdf
 mLearning: A Practical Approach to Mobile Technology for Workforce Training,” from McGraw Hill
Research Foundation, November, 2011 http://mcgraw-hillresearchfoundation.org/wp-
content/uploads/2011/10/Mobile-Learning.pdf
 “From e-Learning to m-Learning: An Honorable Reception,” from ADL, 2011
http://www.adlnet.gov/from-elearning-to-mlearning-an-honorable-reception
 “Mobile Learning: Learning in the Palm of Your Hand,” from ASTD and i4cp, 2011
http://www.astd.org/content/research/MobileLearning.htm
 “Mobile Learning: Landscape and Trends,” from The eLearning Guild, May, 2011
http://www.elearningguild.com/research/archives/index.cfm?id=149
 “m-Learning: Mobile Learning is Finally Going Mainstream – and it is Bigger Than You Think,” from
Bersin and Associates, March 2011, http://www.bersin.com/Practice/Detail.aspx?id=13738
 “Getting Started with e-Learning: Mobile Learning (mLearning),” from The eLearning Guild, May
2010, http://www.elearningguild.com/research/archives/index.cfm?id=142&action=viewonly
 “The US Market for Mobile Learning Products and Services: 2010-2015 Forecast and Analysis,” by
Ambient Insights, 2010, http://www.ambientinsight.com/Reports/MobileLearning.aspx
Books
 The Mobile Learning Edge: Tools and Technologies for Developing Your Teams, by Gary Woodill
(McGraw-Hill, 2010). See: http://www.mobilelearningedge.com/
 Designing mLearning: Tapping Into the Mobile Revolution for Organizational Performance, by Clark
Quinn (Pfeiffer, 2011). See: http://www.designingmlearning.com/index.html
 The Mobile Academy: mLearning for Higher Education, by Clark Quinn (Jossey-Bass, 2011).
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3. Mobile Learning Blogs to Follow
 mLearning Trends -- http://mlearningtrends.blogspot.com/
 mLearnopedia -- http://mlearnopedia.blogspot.com/
 Ignatia Webs -- http://ignatiawebs.blogspot.com/
 The Mobile Learning Edge -- http://www.mobilelearningedge.com/
 The Mobile Learner -- http://themobilelearner.wordpress.com/
 Mobile ESL -- http://mobileesl.blogspot.com/
 Learning in Hand -- http://learninginhand.com/blog/
 M-Learning Is Good -- http://mobileben.wordpress.com/

th
Living in the 4 Screen -- http://www.livinginthe4thscreen.com/
Individual Magazine and Blog Articles Worth Reading
 “Enterprise mLearning Predictions for 2012,” by Robert Gadd, mLearning Trends blog,
December 30, 2011 http://mlearningtrends.blogspot.com/2011/12/enterprise-mlearning-
predictions-for.html
 “Mobile Learning Made Easy,” by Naomi Norman, T+D, December 2011
http://www.epic.co.uk/assets/files/ASTD_Mobile_Learning_Made_Easy.pdf
 “Promising Tools for HTML5 Development,” by Judy Unrein, Learning Circuits from
ASTD, November 2011 http://www.astd.org/LC/1111_unrein.htm
 “There’s an App For That!,” by Gail Dutton, Training magazine, October 2011
http://www.trainingmag.com/article/there%E2%80%99s-app
 “mLearnCon 2011: Putting Learning in Motion,” by Bill Brandon, Learning Solutions
Magazine, June, 29, 2011 http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/706/mlearncon-
2011-putting-learning-in-motion-a-week-after
 “Ten Mobile Questions,” by Clark Quinn, Learnlets blog, May 17, 2011
http://blog.learnlets.com/?p=2079
 “Are We Wired for Mobile Learning?” an Infographic, February, 2011
http://voxy.com/blog/2011/02/are-we-wired-for-mobile-learning/
 “Ode to Mobile Performance Support,” by Allison Rossett, Learning Solutions Magazine,
Aug. 9, 2010
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/500/ode-to-mobile-performance-support
 “Top Myths and Misconceptions of Mobile Learning,” by Robert Gadd, Learning Solutions
Magazine, June 9, 2010
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/471/top-myths--misconceptions-of-mobile-
learning
 Mobile Learning: Obstacles and Solutions,” by Joe Ganci, Learning Solutions Magazine,
June 7, 2010
http://www.learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/473/
 “When Mobility Meets Learning,” by Ellen Wagner, Elearning!, May 17, 2010
http://www.2elearning.com/www/news/top-stories/single-news-article/article/when-
mobilitymeets-learning.html
 “Smartphones Make IBM Smarter, But Not As Expected,” by Nabeel Ahmad and Peter
Orton, T+D, January, 2010
http://store.astd.org/Default.aspx?tabid=167&ProductId=20958
 “Don’t Leave Home Without It,” by Sarah Boehle, Training magazine, September, 2009
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/training0909/#/32
 “Merrill Lynch: Bullish on Mobile Learning,” Chief Learning Officer, April, 2008
http://www.clomedia.com/index.php?pt=a&aid=2135
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