Nanu, a new term in the world of further education? Maybe you, like us, have never heard of “M-Learning.” But here, the wheel hasn’t been reinvented!
What is M-Learning?
For the research of this blog, we at the blink.it editorial team gather information from specialist journals and online portals about the topic of further education. Recently, I came across a term that I had never read before: M-Learning. Wow, what could that possibly be?
I had to read and compare a few articles to understand what this “new trend” actually is. What is expressed in a complicated way in many places is actually quite simple:
M-Learning is the shortened form of Mobile Learning. The term “debunked” – sometimes a definition can be that simple! My colleague Laura recently wrote a nice article about the advantages of Mobile Learning: Mobile Learning 2019
M-Learning vs. E-Learning
Articles like this one in the American observatory initially create the impression that there is a completely new trend in digital further education. Here, M-Learning is defined and compared to E-Learning in a complicated way. In summary, the author of the article comes to the following conclusions:
| E-Learning | M-Learning || --------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- || formal | informal || more time-consuming | quick to handle: concise, simple content || designed for computers or large screens | designed for smartphones and other mobile devices |
The central point that I agree with here: M-Learning is designed for smartphones. Of course, when M-Learning stands for Mobile Learning! The other points are a matter of interpretation. M-Learning is probably only defined as “informal and short” because that is the best method for mobile devices.
My bold thesis: E-Learning can also contain informal parts and be kept short! Yes, E-Learning can even be designed as M-Learning. After all, E-Learning only stands for electronic learning – or rather today, for digital learning. And that can work just as well on mobile as on a computer.
This means: E-Learning can simultaneously be M-Learning or contain it. According to definition, M-Learning is always also E-Learning!
So why not design E-Learning that works just as well on mobile? Then it probably depends on the learner whether they are doing an exercise on their smartphone (that would be M-Learning) or doing the same exercise on a laptop (that would be E-Learning).
Conclusion: Don't be confused!
My research into the – apparently – new trend M-Learning has shown again: You can make a small science out of any topic. M-Learning simply means Mobile Learning according to definition. Moreover, the language among further educators is already very heterogeneous and does not need to be further complicated.
Thus, we have already investigated the following questions:
What does everything fall under E-Learning?
What distinguishes E-Learning from M-Learning? (this article)
How is Blended Learning to be understood?
And what exactly is Live Online Training?
Clear, unambiguous definitions for terms like M-Learning are extremely helpful for exchanging ideas. That is why we at blink.it try to question the terms and – yes, sometimes also to debunk them a little.
