5 Ways Generation Z Can Benefit from M-Learning
If you have stumbled upon this article, there’s a big chance you’re reading it from your mobile phone. Whether it’s ordering food or watching cat videos, people use their mobile phones for absolutely anything these days. According to Statista, there are over 3.8 billion smart-phone users worldwide as of 2021. Consider this, the global population is over 7 billion people. This means that exactly half of the world’s population has a smartphone in their hands. So it’s not really much of a jump to expect m-learning to take off with them.
What is M-Learning?
Mobile Learning, or M-learning, is an innovative way for students to access educational content through their smartphones. It is no secret that we are super-glued to our phones anyway, so why not learn something? Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media for hours on end, you can access your classes and learn from wherever you are. You won’t move an inch either way, so why not at least get your brain working?
M-learning gives you a mobile learning platform. It will make it easier for students to stay on top of their studies and virtually interact with their peers. For students who get stage fright from standing in front of the class, m-learning is your new best friend. To become a mobile learner, all you need is a smart-phone and a stable internet connection. That basically means that anyone can be a mobile learner nowadays.
So what can you get out of it?
When it comes to online learning, there are a lot of factors to consider. From flexible hours to short content, the world is your oyster. Though, of course, there are various forms of m-learning, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before we dive into the three different types, you should know how you will benefit from this rampant e-learning approach.
1. Educate Yourself Anytime, Anywhere
2. Short and Sweet Bursts of Information
One of the most common phrases for Generation Z is, “What did you say?”. According to an article by Forbes, the average attention span of those who belong in Generation Z is 8 seconds. This is also why advertisements allow you to skip them after 5 seconds. Unlike the “Terms and Conditions” in anything you partake of, m-learning provides short and crisp information to maintain the attention of the reader. Short bursts of educational content will increase learning and not let your mind wander while reading. You can think about what you want to eat for dinner after you’re done going through your reading material.
3. Exercise Your Memory Muscle
Bite-sized information is easier to remember than content that drones on, especially if there is a GIF or two involved. M-Learning gives you the chance to read something you are interested in and not forget about it ten seconds later. With the right m-learning platform, you may not forget about the information you read at all. The short bursts of educational content are tailor-made for you to skim through and absorb the information right into your hippocampus. The hippocampus stores all your memories, even the embarrassing ones you wish you could forget.
4. Personalize Your Study Plan
M-learning allows you to be the captain of your own ship, which means you can decide every aspect of your study plan. Since m-learning is easily accessible, you have the option to decide what and how you want to study. According to a research conducted on e-learning in 2020, 77% of the e-learning industry consists of self-paced learning approaches. This means that personalizing your own study plan will help you progress better.
If you prefer studying bright and early, you can schedule all your classes in the morning and spend the rest of the day doing your own thing. On the other hand, if you prefer studying while everyone else is asleep, you can schedule night classes. Using class scheduling software can help you efficiently organize your timetable and ensure that your preferred study times fit seamlessly into your daily routine
5. 24/7 at Your Disposal
A unique advantage of m-learning is that you can use it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Unlike a library, there are no closing hours with these e-learning platforms. M-learning relies on distance learning, which is a learning approach that allows you to educate yourself remotely. You won’t need to save yourself a seat in the lecture hall anymore. M-learning is available for anyone with a mobile phone and a stable internet connection, so you have the chance to learn something any time you want.
But What Are the Different Types of M-learning Applications?
There are four different types of m-learning applications that will help you strengthen your knowledge. These m-learning applications are customized to provide information on whichever aspect you want to improve whenever you want. Whether you want to keep track of your water intake or learn a new language, there’s an application waiting for you to download it.
1. Workplace Learning
No matter how long you work in a specific field, there’s always more to learn. Whether it’s to help you further your career or to perfect a new skill, there are many applications that provide relevant courses. These applications give you the chance to stay on top of your game, and you can learn while you are on the move. You will find the most common workplace learning applications used by most companies are: Udemy, Coursera for Business, and Skill Pill.
With m-learning applications for your work, you will be able to learn more and increase your productivity. There will be no need to worry about falling behind and losing your value at work.
2. Skill-Building
M-learning offers a range of skill-building applications, such as SkillShare and Duolingo, where you can develop a new skill or improve an old skill you need to work on. Want to learn French? Pas de probleme!—or no problem. There’s your first lesson. Skill-building applications educate you through interactive content. They also track your progress to show you how much you’ve achieved. You will find that the most common skill-building m-learning applications are for learning a new language or a new software. Put on your reading glasses and get your nerd on.
3. Education
With the COVID-19 pandemic putting so many aspects of our lives on hold, m-learning educational applications are on the rise. You will find that these applications are available for all ages, from preschoolers to university-degree classes. You can inform yourself on any academic subject of interest, just like school. Educational mobile learning applications offer study material, graded assignments, and even final exams. Since these e-learning tools are easily accessed and portable, you will have no excuse for cutting class. It will be hard for your dog to eat your homework this time, so you better study well. Examples of educational m-learning applications are: Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX.
4. Hobbies
Mobile learning applications for hobbies can help users pursue their passions. These applications are mostly used for you to learn a new hobby that interests you. You can learn how to paint or how to play the piano—among other things. Since these applications were designed for handheld devices, it would be easy to learn with a more hands-on approach. You will see the information on your phone, try it on your own, and repeat. These types of applications give you the space to practice as much as you want, with the freedom to learn whatever your heart desires. You can develop a hobby with these mobile platforms: My Fitness Pal, Hobify, and Habitica. As Samuel Beckett once said, “life is habit, or rather life is a succession of habits”.
Conclusion
M-learning is an integrated learning approach that allows students of all ages to access educational content through smartphones. Studying can bore some people, but flexible hours and personalized study plans should make it a little more bearable. Not everyone enjoys studying. That’s why the short bursts of data provided from m-learning applications make it easier for you to learn and grasp the information.
The best part of the whole thing is the diverse number of m-learning applications. That means you can learn anything about anything using your phone. Whether you want to become a MasterChef or get a degree in social psychology, m-learning applications will give you the push you need.
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