Mobile Learning

Mobile learning is massively expanding the ways in which we can help you develop professional and behavioural improvements in your people.

Before we begin, try and think of somebody who does not own a mobile phone, MP3 player or computer – hard, right? Many people carry gadgets around that are all 3 and more. So the means to get learning content through to people has never been closer to hand. Literally.

We can now pose a few more thought provoking questions:

• 80% of all organisational learning happens outside formal training – how do you capture that?
• How much of a standard instructor-led training course will be lost from short term memory 1 week after?
• How often do people go on courses but lose the learning by the time it’s needed?
• How much of the training materials (books etc) have you ever looked at since attending any course?
• What would it be like to have a coach with you whenever you needed one?

All of these historic training risks can be mitigated through highly accessible (usually free) and increasingly easy to use technological options. For example, we have recorded a suite of “podcasts” to support our Project Management courses. These are 10-minute long audio files that suggest ways of tackling sample exam questions. Just think, on the average supermarket trip you could get through half an exam paper! If you frequent the M25 who knows what you could learn.

Other ways we are harnessing the variety and ease of technology include “vodcasts”, “blogs” and on-line “forums”. Once you get your head round the new language and see behind the concepts, the more tantalising the opportunities for learning become. Vodcasts follow the same principle as podcasts but also contain short pieces of video. This means we can send our facilitators into any space or record your organisation’s charismatic speakers and transfer messages whenever and wherever required. We are working with a Government agency responsible for waste reduction who have been delighted to be able to train many employees without any paper or travel costs.

Millions now have their own blog – how can this be used to enhance learning? Blogs are about informal reflection. They provide the opportunity to encourage learners to keep noting down and reflecting on the learning ignited in the training room. Courageous companies are now also setting up learning communities who exchange thoughts and feedback on each others' blogs.

A more structured approach to managing this knowledge share is via on-line forums. These can be set up on any subject and allow people across the organisation, across the globe, to share thoughts, ideas and lessons learned on any subject under the sun.

Now you can finally start to really capitalise on the potential that resides in your business and get a meaningful 'bang for your training buck'.