Many Mobile Platforms……Solutions??

In a few polls I have done over the past few months about the types of phones users have, Iphone and Blackberry users are almost tied for first place. One of the concerns in developing learning for mobile phones is the different mobile OS that are available. There's BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian, Linux and J2ME. Until there are a set of standards for mobile content and operating systems like the internet we will have to create a solution around this. This was the case when the internet became widely used so it is very doable in this case, we learn from our experiences.

Here are some solutions from my own trial and error that work:

1. Knowing the types of phones your users have, e.g if the majority of your users are using a
   Blackberry or Iphone then your content can be created based on those operating systems
2. Purchase a few phones for the business that can be used by users without the types of phones
   your learning content is built for.
3. Stagger the training delivery so that users without the required phones can use corporate phones.
4. Trust your employees; give them a corporate phone to take home for a few days.
5. Create an e-learning version of the content for users without the types of phones your learning content is built for.

These simple solutions are doable for most businesses.
Remember, being able to give your employees snippets of learning delivers content in an easy, accessible, anytime, anywhere.

Technology, Technology, Technology

Statistics state "There are more mobile phones in the world than there are TVs" and "Mobile phones are the fastest growing consumer product in history". Do you believe? I certainly do. The cost of landlines is so high that mobile phones are the communication device of choice both in first, second and third world countries. Just ask the people of the Caribbean, North America and Africa. Towards the end of 2009 and into 2010 alone has seen the introduction of the Apple Ipad and Google Android. No longer are the middle class, wealthy and business people using mobile phones as the communication method of choice. With Canadians sending 92+ million text messages DAILY it's easy to see why everyone has a mobile phone. It's easy, instant communication.
Who does not want to stay connected? If you know of anyone without a mobile phone, please send me an email, I would like to meet them too. What is your mobile phone of choice? And why?

 

Why Choose Mobile Learning

Mobile Learning enables you to learn
WHEREVER you want to learn,
WHENEVER you want to learn and
WHATEVER you want to learn.
Whenever I say mobile learning or m-learning most people need further explanation. Mobile learning is the use of small mobile phones, Smartphones (Blackberry, Ipod, Droid), PDAs, MP3/ MP4 players, handheld gaming devices (e.g. Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, Ultramobile PCS).
Mobile learning can take place in any location, at any time, for any topic/subject including traditional learning environments such as classrooms, in workplaces, at home, public locations and in transit.  Mobile technologies can connect to mobile content via downloading, uploading, on-line. working via wireless networks, mobile phone networks or both, and linking to institutional systems e.g. virtual learning environments (VLEs) and management information systems (MIS).


Why Choose Mobile Learning

M-learning uses mobile phones as a medium for learning. It is possible to use every kind of waiting-time for learning, no matter where you are.

• Learning while you are waiting for the bus or the train.
  
• Learning while you are travelling.
  
• Learning while you are waiting at the dentist.
  
• Learning, wherever you might want to learn.
  

Training for the Holidays

 

In September, employees realize the summer is over and begin preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Around this time everyone is booking off their time for Christmas. December arrives and the office becomes a ghost town with the few left who are not eligible for vacation or have exhausted their vacation time. Management teams are behind closed doors busy strategically planning for the next year. In my years of experience I know that there is nothing happening in December and it's a good time to be at work stress s free, no deadlines and deliverables. Guess what! This is a great opportunity for businesses to strategically plan training and development initiatives for employees that are at work in December. Management teams will often have objections of time and money as reasons to not engage in training. December is that time when production has slowed and in some cases comes to a complete halt. This is one of the opportune times to engage employees in training. This is the solution for the objections of time and money. So next December, when your business or department looks like a ghost town….think Training. Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho.