cets 2012, susan fisher, slides for mobile decisions: ensuring the solution meets the learning need

CETS 2012 August 16, 2012

Mobile Decisions: Ensuring Solution Meets Learning Need

Contents © 2012 by Innovative Learning Group, Inc. – All rights reserved 1

1

Mobile Decisions: Ensuring Solution Meets

Learning Need

© 2012 Innovative Learning Group

CETS | August 16, 2012

2

Who is Innovative Learning Group? • Experts in training and

performance support

• Owner and CEO Lisa Toenniges, CPT

• Certified Women’s Business

Enterprise

• Located in Royal Oak, Michigan

2




3

Introduction

• Session goal

Provide easy-to-use criteria for making

mobile learning decisions

• Session overview

– How to determine if mobile is the

best solution for a given learning

need

– Factors to consider in developing

a mobile solution

4

Finding the Right Delivery Method

Case Study 1: Farm Equipment Reference

• Learners: New sales reps for agricultural chemicals company

• Learning Needs:

– Recognize and name various types of farm equipment

– For each type, know when, how, and for what crop it’s used




5


Adapted from: Brinkerhoff, Robert O., and Apking, Anne M. High-Impact Learning:

Strategies for Leveraging Business Results from Training, New Perspectives in

Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change. Cambridge: Perseus, 2001.

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Case Study 1:

Farm Equipment

Reference

Learners: New sales reps for agricultural chemicals company

Learning Needs:

• Recognize and name various types of farm equipment

• For each type, know when, how, and for what crop it’s used




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A C T I V I T Y

Which Delivery

Method(s) to Use

Case Study 2: Quality System Auditing

• Learners: Auditors within medical device company who audit internal compliance to quality regulations

• Learning Needs:

– Apply best practices in conducting audits

– Use company auditing tools and templates

– Know where to find external resources for regulatory requirements

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Delivery Methods with Mobile Possibilities

• Formal Learning

– Self-paced training

– Virtual instructor-led

– Practice assignments

• Informal Learning

– Audio or video presentations

– Performance support

materials

– Reference information

– Communities of practice and

collaboration spaces




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How Mobile Delivery Is Different

Traditional Learning

• Good for providing foundational knowledge

Mobile Learning

• Good for providing needed information at point of impact

Content

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Knowledge Transfer



• Presentation, demonstration, practice, and feedback combined into one learning period

Mobile Learning

• Multiple learning opportunities spaced over time




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Interaction and

Feedback



• Physical and temporal proximity to human instructor, fellow students

• Live interaction, immediate feedback

Mobile Learning

• Interaction with, feedback from learner’s environment

• Computation, data capturing, communication capabilities

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Availability



• Typically not available on the job

Mobile Learning

• Always available to provide performance support on the job




13

Mobile Learning and Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model

Thomas F. Gilbert, 1978.

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Mobile Learning and Augmentation

Clark Quinn, Designing mLearning, 2011, and

Gary Woodill, The Mobile Learning Edge, 2011.




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Assessing Learning Need for Mobile Delivery

• Learning need: – Tends toward skill level and/or

requires learning reinforcement over time

– May apply to a particular work context

• Learning content: – Is used as performance support

– Can be provided in small chunks

– May include computational tasks

– May benefit from communication with others

• Learners are often or always mobile

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Case Study 1: Farm Equipment Reference

• Learners: New sales reps for agricultural chemicals company

– Most do not have agricultural background

– Usually on the road, calling on farmers

– Carry smartphones or tablets

• Learning Needs:

– Recognize and name various types of farm equipment

– For each type, understand when, how, and for what crop it’s used




17


• Learning need: – Tends toward skill level and/or

requires learning reinforcement over time

– May apply to a particular work context

• Learning content: – Is used as performance support

– Can be provided in small chunks

– May include computational tasks

– May benefit from communication with others

• Learners are often or always mobile

Case Study 1:

Farm Equipment Reference

Learners: New sales reps for agricultural chemicals company

• Most do not have agricultural background

• Usually on the road, calling on farmers

• Carry smartphones or tablets

Learning Needs:

• Recognize and name various types of farm equipment

• For each type, know when, how, and for what crop it’s used

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Mobile Solution Decision Tree

Mobile Learning Decision Tree | © 2011 Innovative Learning Group, Inc.

No

1. Is the learning need skill- or performance-based (rather than foundational or conceptual)?

Yes

2. Do learners need the learning content on the job as performance support?

No

Other solutions, such as job shadowing, coaching, or reference manuals may work better.

4. Can the learning content be provided in small, discrete, easily digestible chunks?

No

Formal training is

probably sufficient.

No

Yes

Yes

3. Does the learning need include follow-up reinforcement of formal training over time?

Yes




19

Mobile Solution Decision Tree, cont.


No

Yes

5. Are computational or other computer-friendly tasks part of the learning content?

Yes

A mobile solution may not be optimal for this need, but it should be considered if

the learners are mobile.

Yes

This need does not call for a mobile solution; look at other informal learning solutions.

This need is an excellent fit for a mobile solution!

Yes

Yes

No

6. Is any type of communication required or desirable for the learning content?

No

7. Is the learning need relevant to a particular context (location or situation)?

No

8. Are the learners mobile, either within or outside the workplace?

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Example A: Managers need to become aware of the company’s new policy

on diversity in hiring, which will be implemented by the HR department.

No


Yes


No



No

Formal training is


No

Yes

Yes


Yes




21



Example B: Field repair personnel for an electric utility must learn how to

install new transformers on electric poles.

No


Yes


No



No

Formal training is


No

Yes

Yes


Yes

22



Example C: Call center reps must be able to respond to specific types of

customer complaints and connect the caller to the correct resource for

further assistance.

No


Yes


No



No

Formal training is


No

Yes

Yes


Yes




23 Mobile Learning Decision Tree | © 2011 Innovative Learning Group, Inc.

Example C: Call center reps must be able to respond to specific types of

customer complaints and connect the caller to the correct resource for

further assistance.


No

Yes


Yes



Yes



Yes

Yes

No


No


No


24



Example D: Executives must understand company’s new strategic direction,

as presented by CEO in a 15-min. video, and how to apply it in their business

units according to a set of policy statements.

No


Yes


No



No

Formal training is


No

Yes

Yes


Yes




25 Mobile Learning Decision Tree | © 2011 Innovative Learning Group, Inc.

Example D: Executives must understand company’s new strategic direction,

as presented by CEO in a 15-min. video, and how to apply it in their business

units according to a set of policy statements.


No

Yes


Yes



Yes



Yes

Yes

No


No


No


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A C T I V I T Y

Is a Mobile

Solution Right for This Need

Case Study 2: Quality System Auditing

• Learners: Auditors within medical device company who audit internal compliance to quality regulations

– Conduct audits at geographically dispersed sites

– Carry laptops or tablets

– Must confer with their remote managers and colleagues during audits

• Learning Needs:

– Apply best practices in conducting audits

– Use company auditing tools and templates

– Know where to find external resources for regulatory requirements




27

Mobile Is the Solution —

Now What?

• Factors to consider in developing a

mobile solution

– Mobile platforms

– Mobile web sites vs. mobile apps

– Buy vs. build

– Authoring tools

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Delivery Platform Properties

• Operating system (iOS, Android,

Windows Phone, BlackBerry OS,

other)

• Form factor (tablet, phone,

media player, other)

• Screen size

• Input types (touch screen, voice,

keypad, etc.)

• Software installation restrictions

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Mobile Web Sites A D V A N T A G E S

• Support for dynamic content – updates in real time

• Same content accessible on a variety of devices

• Content customized to smaller screens (compared to desktop versions)

• Leverage existing development and production processes and tools

• Lower development cost

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Mobile Apps A D V A N T A G E S

• Don’t need an Internet connection

all the time

• Use native UI for fast graphics,

video, and content

• Can take advantage of unique

device features/functions

• Leverage app stores for content

distribution

But… higher development cost




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Buy or Build?

Consider:

• Cost

• Availability of existing content

• Capability to customize

• Compatibility with your

infrastructure

• Frequency of change

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Which Authoring Tool?

Some criteria for choosing tools:

• Target platforms (operating system, form factor, software

installation restrictions)

• Need to support multiple platforms

• Web site or app

• Capability and complexity

• Type of content

• Learning standards supported




33

mLearning Decision Maker App • It’s free and available for

Android and iOS

• Go to:

www.innovativelg.com/content/apps.aspx

Or

Or search for “mLearning Decision Maker”

in the app stores

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Contact Information

Susan Fisher Susan Fisher: 248.544.1568 x205,

[email protected]

@SusanBFisher

Innovative Learning Group: www.innovativeLG.com @innovativeLG

Mobile Line: www.innovativeLG.com/mobileline

http://www.innovativelg.com/content/apps.aspx

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.innovativelg.com/

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2668117

http://www.innovativelg.com/mobileline

cets 2012, susan fisher, slides for mobile decisions: ensuring the solution meets the learning need

Business

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mobile decisions

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