Developers and consumers of eLearning are currently adapting to the rise of mobile eLearning, or mLearning. Distance learning is developing from the need to learn on the go on a 24-hour basis, and mobile devices are becoming a tool to receive this information. While mLearning is still in its early stages, solution providers like Trivantis have created learning management systems, such as CourseMill 6, that support educating from a mobile device.

According to a report by Ambient Insight in 2008, "the US market for Mobile Learning products and services is growing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7% and revenues reached $538 million in 2007.” The report indicates that mLearning is essentially recession proof.

Whether mLearning is used because of distance, or because of its easy accessibility, it has numerous advantages and few disadvantages.

Courses can be accessed anywhere, which encourages freedom and choice, and makes mLearning a powerful addition to blended learning strategies. Mobile learning gives users constant availability to courses, learning histories and other functions through systems, like CourseMill 6. Also, the portability and convenience of mLearning is presently unmatched.

Abhijit Kadle, a blogger for The Upside Learning Solutions Blog, which focuses on trends in the learning solutions field, said in the future it is plausible that all types of learning content will be mobile, but today we are not at that point.

“In the current situation, it’s more feasible to build mobile learning into the blend rather than replacing your existing training methods,” he said.

This advice is pertinent because eLearning is still a growing field, and mLearning is in its infancy.

The pitfalls of mLearning are somewhat obvious. While mLearning users value quick and easy learning, there are possibilities for technological difficulties and disconnections from physical interaction. Also, there are many distractions when learning in shifting locations.

Despite the problems with mLearning, if used correctly and consistently, the results can be rewarding to both the user and distributor. Kortny Williamson, research analyst at Corporate University Xchange, said companies like Homewood Suites and Capitol One have taken advantage of mLearning by providing iPods with preloaded training programs and brand information to new employees.

With the introduction of Apple’s iPad and the continual creation of mobile devices, Trivantis has released the sixth version of CourseMill LMS, which features enhancements like mLearning support, personal calendar integration and user role configuration. The system delivers content through mobile platforms such as Apple’s iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android and Palm WebOS. CourseMill 6 allows organizations to train a new generation of Smartphone-savvy workers.

 Most mobile devices cannot support Flash, which is another issue with mLearning. Trivantis alleviated this problem, and Lectora is now the only major authoring platform able to publish eLearning content to the iPhone and iPad. Because of this, Lectora, and its compatible LMS, CourseMill 6, serves as a strong solution.

Learning management systems like CourseMill 6 exhibit innovation that most never could have predicted. Learning from a mobile device has changed the eLearning industry and advanced the way people are educated and use mobile devices. The cost of an iPhone or Android no longer amounts to just phone calls and text messages. These tools can now further the education or training of those who take advantage.

Heather Thomas is the social media intern at Trivantis Corporation and is focusing on cultivating its social networks. She is a junior public relations student at Kent State University and is interested in corporate PR and social media. She enjoys traveling, reading and writing about the world of PR.