1. What is mobile learning?

Mobile learning is a concept that came into existence long ago. However, it came to be used full-fledged just recently. Mobile learning, or M-learning as it is termed, is learning through social content across multiple contexts using personal devices like notebooks, tablets or mobile phones. Students can widely use this educational technology concerning place and time at their convenience. Document and knowledge sharing in this technology are almost instantaneous. This leads to faster responses and feedback. Mobile learning apps are the most important part of mobile learning as they make the whole experience fun and interactive.

2. What is the difference between mobile learning apps and other mobile apps?

Any mobile application is intended to serve a purpose that may be transactional, entertaining, or informative. These apps are designed to make users' lives easy. Most of these apps are standalone and engineered to perform a specific task. On the other hand, mobile learning apps are meant just for educating their targeted audience. They are more essentially used for killing the users. These apps are designed to be informative and interactive at the same time. These apps are free of cost for only basic use, and students need to subscribe to these apps for further use of the app.

3. What makes a mobile learning app different from eLearning?

With the world hit by the pandemic, education systems worldwide accepted remote learning as their only option. Remote learning can be provided with methods like eLearning or mobile learning. Mobile learning apps form an important part of mobile learning. With changing times requirements of learners in current times have changed. These requirements include: - Betterment of skills of the learners - Conceptualized learning and not just theoretical knowledge - Faster assessments and results - Challenging and innovative content Mobile learning apps are designed to provide the below benefits to the users. Faster connectivity Convenience concerning time and place Personalized experience Faster evaluation of quizzes or tests Engaging and interactive content. All the features mentioned above of mobile learning apps are lesser in eLearning. The other most significant difference is that mobile phones can be done on personal devices. However, some eLearning content may always need a laptop or a desktop for completion.

4. Is a mobile learning app all you need, or M-learning must have other components?

Mobile learning apps nowadays may always be designed to accommodate several features like knowledge giving sessions and assessments. However, it may not always be sufficient to meet the needs of all the app users. eLearning or mobile learning is not always enough to give complete education to the learners. Likewise, mobile learning apps can never fulfil all the requirements of remote education. There are instances when learners may require instructors to complete certain video lectures with different software, or some assessments may not be completed using the app itself. At such times, mobile learning or eLearning will need to suffice these requirements. Thus, mobile learning apps may have become an integral part of M-learning though they are not M-learning.

Mobile learning apps nowadays may always be designed to accommodate several features like knowledge giving sessions and assessments. However, it may not always be sufficient to meet the needs of all the app users. eLearning or mobile learning is not always enough to give complete education to the learners. Likewise, mobile learning apps can never fulfil all the requirements of remote education. There are instances when learners may require instructors to complete certain video lectures with different software, or some assessments may not be completed using the app itself. At such times, mobile learning or eLearning will need to suffice these requirements. Thus, mobile learning apps may have become an integral part of M-learning though they are not M-learning.

Mobile learning apps nowadays may always be designed to accommodate several features like knowledge giving sessions and assessments. However, it may not always be sufficient to meet the needs of all the app users. eLearning or mobile learning is not always enough to give complete education to the learners. Likewise, mobile learning apps can never fulfil all the requirements of remote education. There are instances when learners may require instructors to complete certain video lectures with different software, or some assessments may not be completed using the app itself. At such times, mobile learning or eLearning will need to suffice these requirements. Thus, mobile learning apps may have become an integral part of M-learning though they are not M-learning.

Mobile learning apps nowadays may always be designed to accommodate several features like knowledge giving sessions and assessments. However, it may not always be sufficient to meet the needs of all the app users. eLearning or mobile learning is not always enough to give complete education to the learners. Likewise, mobile learning apps can never fulfil all the requirements of remote education. There are instances when learners may require instructors to complete certain video lectures with different software, or some assessments may not be completed using the app itself. At such times, mobile learning or eLearning will need to suffice these requirements. Thus, mobile learning apps may have become an integral part of M-learning though they are not M-learning.

Although not completely, mobile learning apps are destined to be the future of learning. Mobile learning apps are a new way of learning owing to their convenience. Students, while deciding to subscribe to a certain learning app, must consider the below factors: The app must be user friendly and nothing complicated It should have varied content ranging from reading material to live video lectures. The app must be designed to be interactive and innovative. Faster response and feedback are also necessary for doubt clearing

Mobile Learning Apps: Advantages and Disadvantages of M-Learning

Table of Contents

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, everything came to a standstill. Even schools and colleges were shut for nearly two years. However, education is a necessity that has to be delivered by some means. And then, online education became more prevalent than ever before. Although online education was not something new, it was not that popular before. Since there was no option, online education became the only way to carry on with academics. Governments worldwide tried using technology as a medium to educate their population.

Along with eLearning, mobile learning has also evolved greatly in recent times. Mobile learning or M-learning is a form of education for distant learners who use mobile device educational technology at their convenience with respect to distance and time. Since mobile devices have changed the whole concept of exchanging information in all respects, M-learning is a concept that will never fade.

What is M-learning?

M-learning is the learning across multiple contexts through social interactions using mobile devices is M-learning. The devices used for M-learning are handheld computers, notebooks, mobile phones and tablets. This form of learning is convenient as it can be done virtually anywhere. Sharing content is instantaneous, which assists in easy and fast reception of feedback and tips. With the evolution of mobile learning, many M-learning apps have existed.

Mobile learning apps range from various classes and courses. Students can study anything from their academics and beyond. Although mobile learning applications are easily available and widely used, it is still debatable whether these apps are a boon or just a distraction. Read this article to decide if mobile learning apps are a boon or just a distraction.

Advantages of mobile learning apps

Mobile running applications have gained a lot of popularity in the past couple of years. However, for a better understanding, go through the benefits of these applications, which are listed here.

Convenient use: Mobile learning apps are a very convenient means of education. These apps are accessible from anywhere and at any time. Since these apps require a handheld device like a mobile, tablet, or notebook and an internet connection, they do not require any setup to attend lectures or gain knowledge.

Variety of content: Learning needs various content to help students understand concepts and assess their knowledge. Mobile learning apps rightly serve this purpose. A mobile learning app usually supports live video lectures, pre-recorded videos, quizzes, tests, and some reading content.

Supports assessment: Mobile learning applications are designed to deliver education to the users. These apps are also engineered to assess the students’ knowledge through quizzes and tests. These quizzes are innovatively created to be interactive and interesting.

Assessments are an important part of any education system, and mobile learning apps support assessments to a great extent making them perfect for use.

Innovation: Mobile learning applications are an innovative way of delivering knowledge. They are designed to suit the needs of all the students using the app. The innovative approach to designing these apps makes them fun and interactive.
Faster responses: Mobile learning applications are digital, and like any other digital technology, they are also fast in all the processes. The delivery of lectures and the results for the assessments are all faster than traditional classroom learning. The concise and crisp content also enables faster delivery making the experience good for the users.

Disadvantages of mobile learning apps

Mobile learning has come a long way since its advent due to the widespread use of mobile learning apps. There are still some disadvantages of mobile learning apps. A few of them are listed here.

Lack of connectivity: Connectivity is always an issue in developing countries. In countries like India, there are several places where electricity and an internet connection are far from reality. Therefore, overall, mobile learning apps or mobile learning are not feasible to be used by everyone.

Software and Hardware issue: Software changes are an inevitable thing. The change of trends of any software is not possible due to the changes in mobile learning apps. With all these changes, software and hardware issues create obstacles to the smooth performance of the educational mobile learning apps.

Distraction: Since mobile learning apps are to be operated on mobile phones, there is a chance that the child gets attracted due to other apps present on the mobile. The students use other apps instead of studying due to these instructions.

Mobile learning apps are often said to distrAct students with respect to all the correct situations. To learn more about this, read the article further.

Are mobile-learning apps a distraction?

Mobile learning apps are designed to help students study electronically with the help of devices like mobile phones, tablets, or notebooks. However, these devices, especially mobile phones, have a lot of other applications downloaded for various functions.

When students are handed phones, they most likely use other applications. Students usually get attracted to use applications for gaming or social media further. All this results in students getting distracted from what they should do. Excessive use of mobile phones gets a chance to get down on the shAde of the parking.

Due to the attraction that these students have towards these apps, students concentrate more on enjoyment rather than their studies during this point in time. The use of mobile phones, to a large extent, results in a lack of concentration. When students are less interested in education, they get through mobile phones. They obtain lower grades. All this leads to an increase in the parents’ homes.

There is also extensive use of social media for studying. Since a few teachers make enormous use of transferring knowledge and other details. This makes the students faster, but at the end of the day, they are made to use social media, which becomes a distraction for Ved. Mobile learning applications have a variety of distractions; however, if used in the correct direction, education can be easily delivered to the students.

Conclusion

The pandemic has given rise to concepts like eLearning or M-learning. M-learning uses technology in certain handheld devices such as mobile phones, tablets or notebooks. Using these devices for other purposes like entertainment and gaming results in the unnecessary use of mobile phones, which is not beneficial. The use of these devices for purposes other than studies leads to a lack of concentration and, as a result, will lower their grades, making them low on self-confidence.

Although these learning apps should not be used just for entertainment, they are highly useful in making students gain knowledge and assess themselves using these boons and never ask about the entertainment and taking money. They may leave it as it is. Therefore, mobile learning apps can prove to be a beam; however, if not used responsibly, these methods will lead to students getting distracted.