Strong Growth Potential for Mobile Learning in Asia Pacific

With increasing mobile penetration across markets in Asia Pacific, there is an emerging need for organisations to evolve their training programs and meet the learning desire of an ever-increasing mobile workforce.

Taking into consideration, the challenges and concerns that impact the implementation of mobile learning in Asia Pacific organisations, Skillsoft, a global leader in learning and talent management recently released a report titled, ‘The State of Mobile Learning in Asia Pacific.’

The report delves into insights to present, how mobile is shaping cloud-based learning reveals gaps in the learning and development landscape in Asia Pacific and identifies ways by which organizations can utilize mobile learning to address these challenges. The findings in the report is based on a study conducted across 16 countries in the region, through responses from 545 decision makers and learners, who may or may not handle learning initiatives in the human resource fraternity.

According to the report, topics that have the most unmet demand were skills training and best practices for enhancing productivity. Leadership development and training topped the list of desired mobile learning content that employees (55 percent of users and potential users) want access to on mobile devices but only one-third of organizations surveyed currently offer training on Leadership. Organizations must shift their focus to leadership development and training of current employees across all levels in order to build an internal leadership pipeline.

Mobile users want a full, rich learning experience on-the-go, and on devices that are easy to use and empower them to be more productive and efficient. Skillsoft’s study identified that interactive and visual formats are most effective for mobile learning (indicated by 64 percent of the users and potential users) and that 66 percent of such users desired learning that can be assessed on demand and in sessions lasting not more than an hour. Additionally, Smartphone were ranked as the most preferred device with “ease of use” being the most common factor for mobile learning device selection.

Organizations that have yet to adopt mobile learning as part of their learning program cited additional operating costs (56 percent), security and infrastructure concerns as key inhibitors.

“Organizations must consider the hidden cost of inaction. The cost benefits of making learning more accessible to the workforce, which drive increased productivity, efficiency and build a competitive edge, outweigh the inhibiting concerns,” said Glenn Nott, Vice President and General Manager, Asia Pacific, Skillsoft.

According to the report, two-third of decision makers have adopted or have plans to adopt mobile learning. Nott added: “With the uptake of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in 72 percent of organizations in the region, there is an enormous opportunity to adapt, shape and align mobile learning programs to learners’ needs and organizational goals.”

One key finding revealed that learners prefer to be involved in the development and design of programs created for them, with 63 percent of the respondents who are adopters and users indicating that they have been involved in some aspect of mobile learning development or planning. Organizations should consult their learners in the program planning process to ensure that learning is targeted, relevant, and engaging, while aligned with business objectives.

Respondents with access to mobile learning believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. The top benefit cited by more than three-quarters of both decision makers and learners was an improvement in efficiency at both the organizational and personal level. Investments in mobile learning proved to yield tangible returns, with improvement in business results ranked as the second most common organizational benefit after adopting mobile learning.

The report further indicates that more than half (57 percent) of respondents believe that mobile learning makes learning resources more accessible, and 46 percent of respondents believe that mobile learning is a good mechanism to infuse learning into employees’ daily workflow.

Herein organisations have an opportunity to transform the way they deliver talent development through content, formats and session lengths that resonates with and engages their learners, resulting in a greater return on investment and proves that organizations that leverage mobile learning successfully achieve greater employee and organizational effectiveness and business impact.

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