© 2013 Learning Weaver. All Rights Reserved. 100 Seconds of Mobile Learning John Gibbs Instructional Designer Atlanta, GA mLearnCon & mLearning Devcon

© 2013 Learning Weaver. All Rights Reserved.

100 Seconds of Mobile Learning

John GibbsInstructional DesignerAtlanta, GA

mLearnCon & mLearning DevconSan Jose, CA

June 19, 2013

Presenter

John GibbsInstructional Designer

President, ISPI Atlanta

M.S. Instructional Systems; M.A. Mass Comm.

Needs analysis & solution implementation for corporate, government and NGO clients

100 Seconds of Mobile Learning 2 John Gibbs

Agenda

Mobile learning nuggets: An old or new approach?

What are learning nuggets?

Rationale for mobile nuggets

Sample learning nuggets

Dimensions of strategic nugget solutions

Needs

Delivery

Formats: Instructional and media

Overcoming de-contextualization of short segments

Delegating production to non-designers

Strategic use of learning nuggets


Is Mobile Learning New?

But Mom, we haven’t taken “Hunting 101” yet.

This is it, kids. Keep moving if

you want dinner.


Is Quick Learning New?

Envisioning the education of young Larry Page (pre-Google)

Larry: Mom, how could I calculate the area of this apple pie?

Mom: Pi * r2

Larry: What’s Pi?

Mom: About 3.14159

Larry: Someday I’ll make it even quicker to find the answers.


Defining the Boundaries of Learning Nuggets

Free-standing extracts from an existing course

Contiguous sub-components of a course

Organizational policy statements

A 5-minute module

Any short learning object

Job aids

Documents

Links to ebook segments

Utilitarian definition: What’s useful to your situation?

Avoid diluting the concept by throwing in everything

Which of these should we call learning nuggets?


Rationale for Mobile Learning Nuggets: Givens

Well established:

Mobile = Popular

Short = Good

Shorter = Better

Mobile = Short

So:

Mobile nuggets = A natural


Rationale for Mobile Learning Nuggets: Details

Fast pace of work and change

Shrinking attention span

Desire for brisk learning events

Ultra-rapid development by SMEs & customer units

Need to get information out before it’s obsolete

Workers are already using mobile devices, so why not insert your messages in this popular channel?

At last—after years of hype—reusable learning objects!


Sample Learning Nuggets: New and Old


Dimensions of Nugget Solutions

1. Need Drivers

Organizational

Individual failures on performance objectives

Workgroup performance gaps

Process/policy/product updates

Personal/Group

Ad-hoc information/performance needs

Discretionary refreshers

Self evaluation post-training or periodic review

Top-Down

Required

Tracked

Bottom-Up

Discretionary


Formative Evaluation to Identify Content Candidates

You can assume . . .

. . . that your analysis, design, development and implementation met every objective completely for every learner.

Or you can assure . . .

. . . that you plug the remaining holes using targeted nuggets for critical and confusing content, using formative evaluation to identify:

High-impact (costly errors)

High-frequency (even low-impact errors incur costs)



2. Delivery Systems

Schemas

Linear/Sequential

Hierarchical

Web shaped

Search by tag/text/ keyword/QR code

Competency/ objectives maps

Hosts

Native (local) apps

Web apps

Intranet/Extranet

LMS/LCMS

Knowledge management platform

Elect performance support system

Push

Email, SMS

Tweets, Apps

Pull

Menus, Flowchart, Search



2. Delivery Systems: Access Schemas

Hierarchical

Topic 1Subtopic 1A

Subtopic 1B

Topic 2Subtopic 2A

Subtopic 2B

Topic 3Subtopic 3A

Subtopic 3B

Subtopic 3C

Random AccessLinear

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Web-shaped



3. Content Formats

Performance supportJob aids: static or interactive

InstructionGamesMicro-assessments with feedbackRepurposed course extracts, SCOsElaborations on prior contentSummaries and reviews

Blended & multi-purpose DemosVideos/animationsWalk-throughs on use of job aids


Content Candidates

Right-sized nuggets In duration

Per form factor

Information sourcesExtracted from existing courses, manuals, guides

Developed specifically for mobile

On-the-job supportReview, refresh, reinforce

Location-based

Infrequent/high-precision tasks


Instructional Formats

Simple presentation

Navigable mind map

Quick scenario

Quiz, then teach

Summary job aids


Overcoming the Risks of Ultra-Short Content

What do you risk losing?Complexity

Linearity

Connections

Context

How can you compensate?Collections

Hierarchical schemas

Links and references

Web-shaped schema

Linear:“Next” button consisting of deep link to next object

Combinations

Key Solution:

Quickly set context


Maintaining Context

How the mind processes new informationStarts with the “branch” to locate the information

Adds new information to that branch as an elaboration

How to achieve this in learning nuggetsSelect nuggets from hierarchical or other logical arrangement

Expand context via layering; pop-ups, links

Quick segues from previous to next information

Question:

Would you teach a whole course through nuggets?


The Art of the 5-Second Segue

Object 1, Segue In:

Once you’ve jacked up the car, remove the lug nuts from the wheel.

. . . .

. . . .

Object 1, Segue Out:

This sets you up to remove the wheel.

Object 2, Segue In:

With the lug nuts off, you’re ready to remove the flat tire.

. . . .

. . . .

Object 2, Segue Out:

With the flat tire off, you’re ready to install the wheel with a good tire.


Delegating Production to Non-designers

Templates to the rescue

Provide broad guidelines

Provide annotated examples of finished nuggets

Provide a review of early efforts—gently

For video:Forget about word-perfect rehearsals

Try multiple takes with broad direction


Tips for Incorporating Nuggets Strategically

Keep a performance improvement mindset

Don’t assume your training fills every gap 100%

Reserve percentage of budget to fill remaining holes

Let nuggets do what they do bestIntroduce, review, refresh, assess

Fill gaps: Determined through evaluation


Continuing the Discussion

Where shall we continue this discussion?

Address follow-up questions to:

John [email protected]+1 678.778.7561
