Spike In Mobile Learning Due To COVID-19 Crisis

Featured article by Sean McPheat, L&D digital learning expert

The current COVID-19 is presenting many challenges to us all and one of that is lack of mobility!

It’s ironic then that we’re experiencing a spike that our online training content is being consumed on a mobile device more often than desktops during this current crisis.

That’s most likely down to the fact that the majority of us are homeworking and are mobile around the house if nothing else.

The normal split is 75% desktop, 25% mobile & tablet.

2 weeks into the COVID-19 crisis and we are finding 52% desktop and 48% mobile and tablet.

It does make sense though when you think about it. How many of us have a dedicated space at home to cut ourselves off from everything and everyone?

It’s most likely that the kitchen or dining table is used or if you’re lucky a home office.

The beauty of mobile learning is that you can take the learning with you. You can take it into the garden, the bedroom, the landing – you can even take it into the toilet!

More and more elearning is now created with mobile in mind. Video is so popular.

But mobile learning needs to be short. Attention spans are short. We’re used to instant gratification so if there’s a 20 minute elearning session on offer, chances are it isn’t going to be taken.

Know that this upcoming session is 3 minutes in duration and there’s a chance.

There’s also the learning platform that you need to take into consideration. Some work great with all mobile devices and are very responsive, leaving a great user experience.

Others are very clunky and even if the content is great, your users will not logon because of this.

That’s why Skillshub is such a powerful online learning platform. It’s very simple to use

It was created with “mobile first” in mind a bit like Google approaches SEO.

It will also be interesting to see how developments pan out with the growing popularity of webinars and webex’s. Some of the experiences on a mobile device for consuming a webinar training event are sketchy at best.

Especially those that are wanting you to participate in them via online chat and workrooms. The experience on a mobile needs to be improved for these.

Time will only tell what the legacy of COVID-19 will have on virtual and online learning in the future. Will face to face training be a thing of the past and will we move ever closer to a mobile learning dominant world?