E-learning Curve Blog at Edublogs

In my last post on this topic I outlined some of the key findings from the E-Learning Guild 360 Report on Mobile Learning. Today I’m going to discuss the context for so-called m-learning in a little more detail.

Now read on…

Dr. Conrad Gottfredson, head of the Performance Support Lab & Seminar at the Masie Center, has described the requirement

for an orchestrated set of performance support tools to meet each learner’s moment of need

(2008, p.1)

He defines these as the Five Moments of Learning Need as:

1. When learning for the first time
2. When learning more
3. When remembering and/or applying what’s been learned
4. When things go wrong
5. When things change

He considers the requirement for a multi-channel publishing platform to ensure the currency of training information, as well as its relevancy to learners to be a central component of learning and development, particularly in the organizational context.

Similarly, with the emergence of the read/write web, the ability to contribute information and learning to the totality of an organization’s knowledge is quickly gaining value; as we move to a learning 2.0 paradigm, people are not just consuming, but also creating learning, and mobile technology is a being seen as a means to facilitate this learning modality.

According to the report,

…we see that, as Guild members become more experienced in e-Learning, they embrace new approaches to e-Learning more often than people with fewer years of experience. Survey results consistently show that experience in e-Learning encourages growth and experimentation, and does not foster complacency.

[However] a large number of eLearning Guild members seem stuck with the notion that “Mobile Learning” means taking existing training courses and delivering them on a small screen with little or no interactivity. … But some Guild members need to get out of the trench of thinking “m-Training” and think “m-Performance.”

(pp.6-7)

To support this assertion, Wexler et alia outline the growth in asynchronous learning modalities over the last decade, and note in particular the growth of podcasting and m-learning as content- and knowledge delivery channels (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. A comparison of selected training modalities

Based upon the evidence of the data collected in their survey, we can say that learning and development professionals are implementing e-learning-based training interventions almost as frequently as they rely on traditional classroom-based instructor-led training to deliver courses to learners.

The report also suggests that a competency in developing and delivering e-learning grows over time (and in experience), learning professionals implement non-traditional learning initiatives more frequently than heretofore (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Use of m-learning delivery channels distributed by professional experience

More…

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References:

Wexler, S. Brown, J. Metcalf, D. Rogers, D. and Wagner, E. (2008) MOBILE LEARNING What it is, why it matters, and how to incorporate it into your learning strategy. [Internet] Available from: http://www.elearningguild.com (Subscription required) [Accessed 21 July 2008]

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