The latest report from Ambient Insight about mobile learning is out, and it comes up with some pretty surprising figures. It indicates that the worldwide market for mobile learning will probably grow from USD 3.2 billion (2010) to about USD 9.1 billion by 2015. That means a healthy CAGR of approximately 22.7%. The report analyzes trends and current expenditure across varied markets.

Mobile technology, having seeped into popular culture, is now finding widespread acceptance as a training and learning device in the workplace as well. If not already adopted, mobile learning is now certainly featuring in most strategy discussions within L&D teams in large and small enterprises.

Even though some large organizations have started using mobile technology to empower their workforce, for most others the question still remains – how do we actually use it in the workplace? Training departments are unsure how to design, develop and implement a successful mLearning strategy that works for their organizations.

I mentioned before in one of my posts about the growing use of smart phones application as a form of Just-in-Time performance support; as mentioned before; I feel eventually technology will enable individuals and not just companies/departments to deliver applications.

When developing applications for just-in-time performance support, here are some items I keep on my checklist. They are good to consider when taking on that app development assignment.

While doing some research, I came across this interesting article ‘Can India lead the mobile-internet revolution?’ (registration required) that McKinsey published in February of this year.

1. Find a problem with learning or performance first, think about learning next, and mobile learning last. This is somewhat analogous to “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Look for a learning/performance problem and analyze carefully if mobile learning is a possible solution and not the other way round. Ask if there will be a real benefit for the user. Ask if the user job profile involves individuals being substantially ‘mobile’ and not tied to a centralized location. Also factor in their use of and comfort with mobile devices.

This takes on a post I wrote several weeks ago, that spoke about four themes that will (and not five) predominate learning in the future. As we prepare to iterate development of Upside2Go, we will need to start figuring out what sort of features our users (learners, managers, administrators) would really like from a mobile LMS. While our current system offers some cool features, we must look further into the future. This is where the rubber meets the road, by dreaming up features we invent the mLearning systems future right here. Taking the trends I’ve mentioned before, and the huge increase in persistent internet connection personal computing devices, I feel there need likely be three key themes around which the features would coalesce. (this discounts our current feature set)

Mobile Learning has been on our minds and for all the right reasons. Today, mLearnCon 2011 opens it doors to hundreds of visitors from in and around the US. And we are one of the 30 exhibitors showcasing our entire range of innovative Mobile Learning Solutions at booth number 316.

Also on display would be our newly launched revolutionary platform for Mobile Learning – Upside2Go. We would be delivering a Master Class session based on this new platform titled ‘Mobile Learning and Performance Support with Upside2Go’, scheduled at 12.45 PM on 21st June. If you still haven’t gotten your free expo pass, we urge you to do it right now. See you there.

In an earlier blog post, Abhijit Kadle had written about a gradual but complete shift to mobile based devices for a whole host of activities, learning being just one of them. Today I came across a news article which strengthened that belief even further.

It is a well-known fact that Mobile learning hasn’t yet picked up steam within India. The primary reason for this being the low rates of mobile internet penetration in our country. However that might change very soon if we are to believe research conducted by McKinsey & Company.

I came across a report on the McKinsey Quarterly website titled – Can India lead the mobile-Internet revolution? Here are a few key points from the report, which I found really interesting.

The Centre for Performance Development has released the results of their Learning & Skills 2011 survey – which was held both at the event and online. Read more about it on the survey page on their website. The survey asked people to put blue or orange m&ms in various jars representing the L&D activities they expected to do more or less in 2011. Blue for more and Orange for less. Scientific isn’t it!

When you are getting started with mobile learning one of the decision you’ll have to make is which device(s) to target. In a SWOT Analysis of Mobile Learning we posted earlier this week, we listed this as one of the weaknesses of mobile learning as it stands today. Fragmented market and no real common development platform make this a serious hindrance to mobile learning adoption.

For over two years now, we have not only just been hearing about mobile learning but also actively understanding and working on it. From trying to explain five myths of mobile learning to assisting customer  new to mobile learning, getting started with mobile learning has been an exciting journey through which we have seen mobile learning seeing increasing adoption. This has been possible due to a variety of factors – better, faster, cheaper smartphones, the advent of tablet computers, and an increasing awareness of the benefits and applicability of mobile learning.