elearn Magazine: If Mobile Learning and Support are Wonderful, Why aren't They Everywhere?
Why aren't more of us developing for mobile delivery? Allison Rossett ponders this conundrum in her recent article. With the prevalence of mobile devices, it seems only logical that e-Learning developers would be moving toward the mobile channel. It's not happening at the rate expected, however – at least according to Rossett. It pleased me to see that she didn't just open Pandora's box but attempted to account for its inventory as well. Of course, that's the beauty of Rossett – she doesn't leave us hanging without answers. She has provided us with a solid base to begin our own exploration of the topic. Here I'll add my own thoughts about the road blocks to mobile delivery.
As with any type of electronic delivery medium, the primary question comes back to design and delivery. If we refer ourselves back to the notorious methods or media debate (Richard Clark and Robert Kozma), we might ask if it is necessary to develop for mobile delivery at all. While I stand squarely in favor of first assessing the content need and then determining the best way to deliver it, I think we cannot ignore the fact that our learners are using mobile devices with increasing frequency. A paper case study might be an adequate way to deliver a learning activity, but if we can enliven that case study by making it interactive and delivering it directly to a learner's smartphone or tablet, shouldn't we? I believe the answer is yes.
That brings us to the first roadblock I see. Many designers and developers are just now beginning to grasp the particular merits and shortcomings of mobile devices. We are at a design crossroad. Can the same interactive experience designed for computer-based delivery simply be ported over for mobile delivery? Possibly, but we need to consider mobile platforms, device characteristics, and user habits, among other things. For example, when moving from paper to electronic media, researchers soon identified the "three-click rule" (users will typically only click three links deep before they give up). We also know that users will typically only scroll down a web page 2 or 3 times before leaving. When consuming audio or video, users typically have an attention span of 5 to 8 minutes. So we need to answer some questions about design requirements for mobile devices.
Another problem for many of us is that not all of our learners are using mobile devices. We cannot deliver required material strictly to mobile devices when not everybody has access. Until all our users have access to mobile devices, or organizations and schools are willing to require the use of mobile devices, designers and developers are limited to creating only enhanced content for mobile delivery.
From my personal perspective, I must admit that I have chosen to shun mobile computing. I don't have anything against it, but frankly I do not wish to be that tethered to a device. I like the feeling of being disconnected when I step away from my computer. Mobile computing options are expensive, as well. With the expenses of raising a family and maintaining a household, it's difficult to justify the additional $100 or so per month that mobile access would cost. And while I CHOOSE not to assume that cost, some folks quite simply don't have the means for mobile access. That's another roadblock.
So where do we go from here? Obviously, we cannot ignore the presence of mobile computing, and clearly the demand exists. I would propose that mobile delivery is something we ease into gradually. First, identify learning activities that can easily be delivered cross-platform with minimal adaptation, thus allowing universal access. Next, begin assessing the rate of mobile use and the interest of users; not everyone who has a mobile device will be interested in using it for learning. It will also become necessary to decide what types of learning experiences may be well suited for mobile learning. That means that even the reluctant, such as myself, must force ourselves into adopting mobile technology. It is impossible to understand how to create for a medium when you are not adept at using.
I still won't be giving out my number.
