One technology that has evolved the most in the last few years is the mobile phone. Mobile phones have facelifted almost every aspect of human life. 

Today, mobile phones are changing the way we learn. Thanks to this little device in our pockets, learners now experience unparalleled convenience. They can learn and understand small bits of their program on-the-go or during their free time. 

However, even after flexibility and convenience, there are still several technological and social challenges that mobile learning developers face. It is true that there have been plenty of breakthroughs but mobile learning is yet to create a measurable impact in the education industry. 

Here are some of the major challenges that are being faced by mobile learning developers along with the solutions to overcome them. 

Compatibility with content 

Content is the most important component of every training program. With mobile learning, educators find it tricky to create programs that are compatible with computers as well as mobile phones. The files and formats used for computers are often not supported by other devices. Hardware capabilities and the size of the phones differ widely, leading to the creation of content with multiple formats. Consequently, learners and educators face a great deal of confusion. 

Solution: There are now several platforms like Thought Industries that make it easy for educators to offer seamless mobile learning experiences to their learners. The thought industries pricing model further makes it a hit among corporates. You can also use authoring tools to easily create content for multiple platforms and devices. 

Small screens 

As convenient as mobile phones may be, reading texts on small screens continuously often leads to big pains. Eyeconstraints and headaches are often commonly faced issues. Looking at the screen with the neck down further causes neck cramps and can affect the overall body structure. 

Solution: Today, we can see the size of the mobile phones increasing along with the improving quality of the display and viewing angles. It is now suggested to educators to adopt virtual reality add-ons that neutralize the small screen and bad posture limitations. Also, it is important to ensure that the duration of each module is short so that learners are not spending extensive time completing one module. 

Cybersecurity and privacy

Mobile learning or not, data privacy and security has been a concern for many. However, there has been an increase in the mobile connections that are unmonitored. And since mobile learning urges learners to use their own mobile phones, there are high chances of security threats. Moreover, your training programs might contain sensitive information or even expose your company’s network to the outside world. This can lead to the risk of data theft. 

Solution: Today, internet security protocols for mobile phones are improving every day and soon they will be as secure as your desktops and laptops. Other than that, encourage or make it mandatory for your employees to have anti-virus software installed in their mobile phones to secure data. 

Attention span  

When learning using a mobile phone, there are several other distractions that might hinder the completion of a program. Social media, music, shopping apps, or even mobile games can shift the focus of learners. It makes it difficult to focus on learning and retaining information. It can often lead to weakening the purpose of mobile learning. 

Solution: Make sure that your program and interface is engaging. For this, you can make use of different multimedia elements and gamification features to make your course more interactive and captivating. 

Conclusion 

To wrap it up, mobile learning is one of the most convenient ways to learn. It has made learning more flexible and easy to access. It also promises to increase the effectiveness of your training program. It is crucial to design content that is mobile-friendly and this might require you to change the way you write as well as develop your program. After all, what might look good on your computer will not be the same when looked at it from a mobile phone. 

So, considering all the things, we can say that while m-learning provides valuable support, it will still take time to shift to becoming a primary medium of learning.