By Kate Burrows
I grew up in an era when workplace training was done in a classroom, or for me specifically it was mostly done on the job.
As a cadet newspaper journalist, a senior journalist would sit beside me and check every single word for relevancy in any story I submitted.
In those days, you could also smoke in the office which gives you some hint as to the years of my wisdom and experience.
It was a rigorous and excruciating process. But I got to appreciate the value of each word, and also why smoking in the office should definitely be banned.
However for today’s workplace learning, training is becoming less seat-based and dictatorial as we seek more efficient and convenient learning environments, and individualised outcomes.
And unfortunately for newspapers, today’s information is being delivered in bite-sized, more digestible chunks as our attention spans adjust to an increasing digital and mobile environment.
The result is an increasingly relevant role for mobile elearning as a method to acquire new skills.
Smartphones, tablets, and even other devices like smartwatches will play an increasingly relevant role in eLearning on the job, according to Docebo’s Leveraging the Natural Synergy of Mobility and Micro learning in eLearning report.
It makes sense – our phones and other devices have become our virtual offices.
Mobile elearning is particularly suitable for those business professionals who want to obtain or improve their skills at their own pace and at a time that suits them.
It provides them the option to progress their training while on the morning commute, or waiting for a coffee.
Mobile elearning is particularly relevant for business people who want to learn specific skills and competencies that will help them improve their performance and productivity in tendering.
For example, HR Associate Mary needs to learn how to ensure her tender responses are compliant against the tender requirements.
Mark, who is a Finance Manager, wants to learn how to better structure and write a tender response.
Mary also wants to do the Introduction to Tenders and Tendering Certificate for some much needed background and context in tenders.
Neither of them can afford to spend a day or two out of the office and in a classroom where the course material is generic, and not targeted to meet their specific knowledge levels and skill requirements.
Fortunately for Mark and Mary, the Tender Training College can offer them online courses that match their individual requirements, and which they can complete on their mobile devices – when it suits them.
