Mobile technology is a powerful tool to support learning. Its ubiquitous nature offers great potential in terms of accessibility, connectivity, and collaboration, its ability to support blended face-to-face and online learning experiences, and its ability to aid differentiation to meet learning needs. But using mobile devices for learning also comes laden with complex problems. These problems may revolve around a lack of knowledge or skills to overcome technical barriers, implement mobile devices for teaching and learning purposes, or adapt content to a mobile learning environment.

In the last few years, organizations were busy evaluating whether mobile devices are an effective channel for employee learning needs. However, research suggests that “organizations have moved beyond this stage and are now focused on solving challenges around security, content, bandwidth and cost” (Brandon Hall). Why is it that many organizations excited about mobile learning are yet struggling to start implementing them?

Mobile computing continues to explode as consumers’ adoption rate of mobile devices increases significantly. How do we create and implement a strategy to capitalize on this and other new and emerging technology platforms? Many organizations are interested in walking this path, but they struggle with knowing how to get started. Knowing what the audience wants, whether to build or buy, and how to fund the project are just a few of the strategic questions that organizations face.

There is a popular myth in our industry: that courses do not belong on a mobile phone and that only performance support can be successfully delivered to mobile. This session will disprove this popular belief.

The AutoTrader.com sales-training department designed an innovative strategy to support their fall product releases to a team of over 700, going completely mobile rather than using traditional classroom and eLearning. The strategy employed a combination of mobile core content, performance-support video and documents, scenario-based learning, and manager coaching and support. Partnering with the sales-training team, the AutoTrader “MyLearning” mobile application was used to deploy 21 nuggets of core content and 41 support resources structured via gamification and badging.

The Brandon Hall Group’s research shows that most organizations are still in the early stages of mobile learning, if they have begun at all. All organizations have some level of a learning strategy in place already, and it can be very challenging to integrate mobile with that and to develop a strategy and identify what works and what doesn’t for your particular company.

Making the decision to go mobile is one thing—making it happen is something else. Mobile-learning projects are complex, and change often. For an organization accustomed to a linear project timeline for eLearning development this can be a challenge. It’s important that mobile-learning projects are managed in a way that allows for flexibility and organizational success.

Field-based performance support (PS) generally means printed job aids, which quickly become dirty and outdated and are nearly impossible to replace with new information. Today’s professionals carry and prefer using mobile devices. They expect performance support whenever and wherever they need it, which makes mobile devices the perfect vehicle for delivering PS. When PS can be accessed by scanning images and real objects, it’s not only the fastest and most preferred way to get PS, it’s fun and amazing!

The Internet is full of compelling images, video, and sound, but most learning designers and developers struggle with understanding what content they are allowed to use, and which content is limited based on copyrights. There is a continuing struggle to quickly develop content while balancing speed with protecting our own work, respecting the work of others, and using copyrighted works fairly.

A number of different documents are distributed to learners during an instructor-led course. In many cases these documents exist as PDF documents, which creates a number of challenges. Distributing the documents securely may eliminate external resources like USB drives. When the documents are stored locally, there is no central way to update them and keep them up-to-date. Most critically, it is extremely challenging for workers to take notes on PDF documents.

One of the emerging technologies that learning professionals are interested in is augmented reality. There is tremendous energy and excitement attached to the opportunities presented by augmented reality, but few actual case studies that organizations can learn from as they contemplate walking that path themselves.

In 2013, the sale of smartphones exceeded the sale of traditional phones and the sale of tablets exceeded those of standard PCs. This trend has led to more organizations who want online courses that can be accessed from both mobile and desktop devices. Because the technology is different, it is challenging to develop learning that accommodates each device’s unique attributes.

People have yet to see major enterprise-level examples of Experience API (xAPI) adoption and the value of its features and functionality. Without these examples, bringing fully formed ideas about the xAPI’s capabilities back to their workplace is a challenge. Learning professionals need to see advanced integrations of the xAPI in non-traditional adaptations so they can understand how it can be used effectively.

From the smartphone in your hand to the 27-inch screen on your desk to the giant television on your wall, the range of ways to access the Internet just keeps growing and growing. This presents a huge challenge for training departments charged with cost-effectively and efficiently developing eLearning content for their organizations. What devices should they design for? How many versions of a course do they need? Do they sacrifice one type of delivery for another?

There is an overemphasis on mobile technologies in the mobile learning conversation. That may sounds strange, but it’s true. Mobile strategy isn’t really about mobile devices; it’s about taking your existing learning strategy and extending it so it can be supported optimally on whatever device the leaners have in front of them, wherever they are. Organizations should not have to reinvent their learning strategy to go mobile.

Medical training and continuing education that qualifies for American Medical Association (AMA) CME credits is traditionally done via classroom, online, and one-to-one training. However, these modalities have not kept pace with the technologies used by today’s medical professionals. More and more, medical organizations are confronting the challenge of producing AMA-compliant education and training that leverages the mobile technology of today.

Nonprofit organizations often have many thousands of volunteers. While mobile learning and performance support have a great deal of potential, they also come with some hurdles. Most nonprofits shy away from digital engagement because of the need for huge amounts of dynamic content and the requirement for volunteers to bring their own devices.

The process of getting newly hired salespeople trained and actively selling products is a key concern for most businesses. Organizations typically throw new hires into a classroom for a week or two, and then send them on their way with a couple of three-ring binders with little or no follow-up. Grainger was seeking faster and more innovative ways to make our new hires successful while recognizing that people learn better over time.

Truck drivers are trained and tested on inspecting the exterior of the truck as well as driving techniques. Where full-size sit-down simulators are effective for driving training and assessment, it is impractical to simulate an exterior inspection with a life-size simulator. In addition, it is challenging to incorporate assessment of exterior inspections with driving techniques when they use different media. This issue is also analogous to airline pilots and other professions where training requirements include inspection of a large vehicle.

In our field, mobile learning is the present and the future. However, implementing mobile learning in a secure environment is an ever-growing concern. It seems there are stories in the news every day describing a data breach and the damage such situations cause. Many organizations are facing this issue as demand becomes higher for mobile learning and they balance the desire to have an edge in an increasingly competitive market with the need to minimize risk.

The IEEE Actionable Data Book project is currently investigating open technologies compatible with the Open Stand Initiative. The goal is to define an open platform for mobile learning that is personalized, activity-based, and that has the potential for low-cost global adoption. The technical foundation for the project is the new EPUB 3 format for digital publications developed by the IDPF. It provides a framework for the structuring, packaging and mobile delivery of accessible HTML5 content.

Mobile policy doesn’t sound like an exciting topic, but it’s an essential component to a mobile learning strategy. You can have jaw-droppingly cool apps, context-sensitivity, video, alternate reality games, or all of the above, but you’ll end up failing if you’re not on top of your mobile policy. Quite simply, policy is strategy, and without strategy, you’re just stumbling around in the dark.

More and more learning professionals are realizing that training and courses are only one piece of the overall puzzle. Organizations are increasingly looking to incorporate performance support to provide workers with the support they need, when they need it. What most instructional designers fail to realize is that that the tools they use to develop courses can often be used to develop mobile performance support solutions.

Adobe Captivate is a great tool for creating eLearning, but how well can you use it to create mobile learning? There is some debate as to whether or not a designer can create learning programs for desktop and mobile at the same time. It’s definitely possible, but there are design issues and crucial development issues that you must address before you start.

Mobile devices have opened up new avenues to deliver training to employees, especially those who are constantly on the go. The challenge is to provide training that is effective, engaging, and, ideally, uniquely mobile. Many organizations are introducing game elements as a way to reach learners and hold their interest. Combining game elements and game design with the training content can do just that if properly designed and delivered.

Access to relevant information in a timely manner is a growing need of people in both their professional and personal lives. Leveraging augmented reality technologies on mobile platforms provides quick and easy access of information required to complete a job at hand more efficiently or simply to enhance a learning process.

While most organization see mLearning as something new, it’s actualy been in existsnece in some form for well over a decade. Just as mobile technology has advanced and evolved during that time, so to have the strategies we use to leverge these technologues for learning and performance. Understanding where we have been, and the lessons we learned getting to this point, will help better prepare us for the continued evolution of mLearning in the future.

mLearning programming is often needlessly repetitive, which makes the work inefficient and increases project costs. In other cases, the programming leads to undesirable design tradeoffs because engaging interactions can be difficult and time consuming to develop. A cursory investigation into ways to reduce programming repetitiveness and improve engagement level might lead one to think this problem could be easily resolved through tools or templates. However, it’s not that simple.

It’s increasingly difficult for administrators and developers to cope with the speed at which technological devices enter the market and the pockets of learners. eLearning professionals are faced with the challenge of finding the best response to internal or external demands for content delivery in the latest device, while still demonstrating sound pedagogy/andragogy, learning outcomes, and fiscal responsibility. And it’s only going to get more challenging in the future.

Being able to develop learning that works on multiple devices is very relevant in the learning industry today. Organizations are under increasing amounts of pressure to meet tight deadlines and to keep budgets down. Learning professionals are going to need tools that help them keep up with the growing demands of the multi-device workplace.

The widespread adoption of mobile devices has created many opportunities to enhance learning programs, but it has also brought new challenges. 20th Century Fox, a leader in the film, television, and entertainment industry, was able to successfully meet those challenges in its combined online and offline learning solution for managing courseware and critical training data through mobile devices for its employees worldwide.

Too many guidelines for mobile eLearning are based on opinion, not empirical research. This can really derail the effectiveness of learning programs. In addition, in an environment where every budget dollar is critical, organizations can not afford to waste time and money on poor mobile instructional design. There are now examples and case studies that enable us to take a more credible and research-supported path to mobile learning.

There is a frustration on the part of many HTML designers and instructional designers. While they would love to be able to place content directly on an iPhone or iPad as a native app, they soon realize that a solid knowledge of Xcode is required. If you want a native experience without having to learn iOS, Android, and BlackBerry (soon Windows 8) native development, then Titanium is the perfect solution.

Current studies show that more than five billion people will be using mobile devices by 2017, making smartphones and tablets more prevalent and accessible than desktop or laptop computers. Mobile learning has the ability to be a truly global solution for education delivery. At the same time, organizations must develop new knowledge and skills to support this expanded scope of learning.

Sometimes you have to capture video but don’t have access to your video camera, DSLR, or point-and-shoot camera. However, you do have something in your pocket, backpack, or purse that can capture exceptional video: your smartphone. These days, almost all smartphones are capable of recording high quality video. The trick is understanding how to use your smartphone camera effectively.

There’s a growing interest in creating interactive digital books for learning. The challenge is that there are several publication formats and many different vendor applications to use to build an interactive book. Knowing which format and/or tool to use, when to use it, and what’s involved in creating your content in the format provided by the vendor can seem overwhelming.

Have you ever tested spaghetti to see if it’s cooked by throwing it against a wall? That’s how too many organizations now approach their training programs—throwing standalone eLearning or face-to-face courses at their staff, hoping the learning will stick. There are things we can do to increase the odds of making learning stick by augmenting standalone courses. Many of these strategies are easy to implement and are very suited to mLearning approaches, giving us a whole new set of tools to improve the effectiveness of learning events.

Unlike instructor led training or eLearning, there are no industry-accepted standards for designing mobile learning. While some instructional designers have tried to adapt course-based teaching and exam-based assessment methods to mobile learning, they are often less than successful because they are not aligned with the unique performances of mobile devices, and the way people use them. Design thinking offers a way of solving this problem.

Instructional designers are increasingly faced with the challenge of building learning programs that are being accessed on different types of devices. Exporting a course in a way that makes it accessible on a mobile phone isn’t good enough. Our learning programs should adapt their content to work on the different types of devices being used to access it: PCs, tablets, and smartphones. That’s where responsive design comes in.

To enable a more “on-demand” (or “just-in-time”) approach to performance improvement, organizations are moving away from relying completely on formal learning models to an informal approach, where people can quickly access information when, where, and how they need it. Learning strategies are evolving, with a focus on opportunities to move away from traditional LMS-centric, push, methodologies toward smaller learning modules and flexible pull approaches.

Determining if and how mLearning fits into a learning strategy is complicated. The temptation is to adopt mLearning because it’s the latest and greatest panacea to solve all learning woes. Much like eLearning was positioned as displacing classroom learning at its height, so mLearning is viewed by many as the golden child. Learning professionals also face the pressure of having to establish return on investment for an unproven strategy with significant up-front investments.

Mobile removes the barriers that historically have bound learning to prescribed times and places. The need to learn has become more urgent and opportunities for learners to interact with content often materialize in unexpected, uncontrolled, and unstructured environments. The burden of technology is to deliver content in a manner that meets contemporary learning requirements.

Many large enterprise and government customers use Motorola mobile devices for their employees, and they require the security to control any internet access or application downloads. We wanted to give the end-users access to their documentation in the field when they required it at the moment of need. Off the shelf reader products could not be adjusted to meet our needs or integrated with other software with the flexibility for these requirements.

There are many different considerations that contribute to mobile learning design. Even the strongest designer of desktop learning programs can struggle with a transition to building mobile solutions. Too often, organizations struggle with trying to find their own way during their early mLearning projects.

Training and content development departments are tasked with developing mobile learning content very rapidly and very cost effectively. This makes mobile projects challenging and represents a problem that will only get worse as technology continues to advance. Many people have not thought about how to utilize off-shore vendors to augment their process and team to assist in creating mobile courses.

How often has someone approached you and asked something like, “How much would it cost to build an online course?” or “How much does it cost to build a mobile app?” These questions are very hard to answer and change based on each project, client, and scenario. However, there are some guidelines that can help lead you through this process.

Any time you’re in a meeting, class, or at a conference and look around the room you’re likely to see a number of people seemingly paying more attention to their mobile phones than to the topic at hand. These devices are not going away. The challenge we now face is keeping our face-to-face audiences engaged while competing with the myriad of mobile devices. The solution to this challenge is to leverage the devices themselves.

iPads are used in schools, universities, and businesses all over the world. Despite being a mainstream device, many individuals and organizations are still reluctant to use iPads for learning and performance support. Most of the hesitancy comes from ignorance and the belief that developing learning content for iPads is extremely challenging and expensive.