Mobile learning is not a new concept and has existed for over two decades. With the advent of smartphones, they are even more popular today. It is also known as mLearning, where smartphones are used to teach students.
It is a form of eLearning, but mostly done through the smartphone, which is portable and convenient, and videos are usually of short duration. Students can simply log in anywhere, anytime that they want, and access the quality study material to learn concepts.
The primary use of mLearning is to teach students concepts effortlessly by breaking down the elements of the subject. Moreover, students are given the choice of when & where they want to learn at their own speed & pace, increasing engagement and improving knowledge.
Benefits of Mobile Learning (mLearning)
- Today’s generation uses smartphones.
The first reason is quite evident. Today’s young generation loves to use the smartphone. Almost 90% of the population throughout the world owns a smartphone. One can find smartphones that are cheap and affordable, which come with all the basic features for mLearning.
There is no need to make use of an expensive smartphone and waste money because it can be done through an ordinary device itself. Moreover, the smartphone can last at least 8-10 years or even more.
- It is an efficient mode.
mLearning is an efficient mode of helping & teaching students learn more about the subjects. Students like to learn through smartphones because the content is short, interesting, and exciting to understand.
They do not have to spend more than one-hour learning things. Students can learn what they are not able to grasp or understand through the traditional class. Hence, valuable time is saved, which can be spent on other worthy causes.
- It is an accessible method.
Using smartphones gives students, especially working professionals, the ability to access study material whenever they want to. As they cannot access during the daytime, they can do so once their working period for the day is over.
The mLearning is also ideal for remote students who cannot access regular or traditional classes. When coupled with a learning app, it becomes efficient for both the teacher and the student as well.
- This method is engaging.
mLearning is popular because it compresses enormous quantities of data into small & short videos. This gives the learning experience a quick method, giving several interactive components to the method through boards and quizzes.
Students do not have to sit through hours of learning content, which can be quite dull & boring as well. Instead, they need to sit for a few minutes, as low as 5 minutes, and then they can do their other personal or professional work.
Typs of Mobile Learning
- High transactional distance socialized mLearning (HTDS)
The high transactional distance socialized mLearning is when the teachers give the students more attention. Moreover, they are taught in groups and interact with each other. Students must interact with each other, giving the teacher
- High transactional distance individualized mLearning (HTDI)
The high transactional distance individualized mLearning happens when students have more psychological space with the teacher. Besides, students in rural areas get individual teaching and receive the content.
- Low transactional distance socialized mLearning (LTDS)
The low transactiona
- Low transactil distance socialized mLearning ensures that there is sufficient interaction between the student and teacher through the smartphone. They need more communication space with the teacher. onal distance individualized mLearning (LTDI)
The low transactional distance individualized mLearning consists of a loosely structured but efficient mode of learning. Here the teacher leads things from the start and ensures that things are done as required.
How is mLearning different from eLearning?
Besides the use of smartphones, there are several other differences between mLearning and eLearning. Firstly, the purpose of mLearning is to enhance learning support. In the case of eLearning, it is to offer students in-depth knowledge.
Secondly, mLearning provides students with short content videos that range from 5-10 minutes only. However, in the case of eLearning, the videos can range from 15-90 minutes. Students might prefer videos that are of short duration as it helps them to learn the concepts better.
Conclusion
Mobile learning is here to stay. It is up to the students to hone their skills and emerge with success in studies through mLearning courses. It comes with several benefits that are too hard to ignore.
One can choose the type of mLearning they want depending on their budget, requirement, and preference. There are plenty of available study materials where students can enhance their overall knowledge.
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