Mobile learning
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The issue
With increasing numbers of people accessing the internet using mobile devices, organisations need to embrace mobile learning quickly. By adopting mobile learning, organisations can increase learner satisfaction and retention, widen participation and potentially reduce costs.
What you can do
Mobile learning allows the learner to communicate with tutors and peers, as well as access learning resources, while on the move. It facilitates “just in time” learning and the ability to gather and submit evidence for assessment.
Incorporate mobile learning into your organisation’s strategy
Our mobile learning detailed guide will take you through the stages needed to incorporate mobile learning into your organisation’s strategy and put in place a rigorous implementation plan.
One of the key challenges from our recent digital student project was to develop coherent ‘bring your own’ policies. Read about the key findings, solutions and exemplars on our project blog.
Work out the cost benefits
As most learners will bring their own mobile devices, you may be able to divert some of the cost saved on upgrading or replacing desktop computers by providing free technical support to students and enhancing the wi-fi infrastructure.
Embrace open technologies to support a growing range of devices
You may wonder how your organisation can support the wide range of mobile devices and platforms students will have. Technology can enable learners to access networked information irrespective of which platform or devices they are using.
Understand the security, privacy and legal issues
Mobile learning raises concerns around security, privacy and accessibility. Our guide, 'Your students, mobile devices, law and liability' addresses the legal issues surrounding student mobile use with lots of helpful scenarios.
Opportunities for accessible learning
Our guidance on accessibility and inclusion will help you maximise the potential of mobile technologies for learners with disabilities.
We are currently producing a series of video case studies showcasing the use of apps to support students with learning or physical difficulties.
Help students to apply mobile technologies to learning
Although learners may be familiar with using mobile devices in their everyday lives, they don’t always know how to apply this to learning.
Our case studies, featured in the mobile learning detailed guide explore how teaching staff have used mobile technologies to engage students successfully.
Be inspired by current progress
We’ve supported a range of mobile apps and websites for education in areas including hairdressing, healthcare, law and geography. Through our co-design work, we are supporting student led projects through the Summer of Student Innovation competition.
We have also funded a range of innovative projects across the FE and skills sector and supported projects to develop the use of assistive technologies in FE and skills
Looking forward
Through our research and development work we are exploring new ways of delivering content and services to students.
We are looking to transfer our expertise and experience developed through the eduroam service across the public sector in order to save public money, improve efficiency, and facilitate roaming between education and government venues.