As internet usage on smartphones has skyrocketed beyond any other device, implementing strategies through mobile devices has become critical for training programs. Learn more about mobile learning trends here.

Companies must provide an exceptional experience to engage their employees in training, especially because as other smartphone experiences have improved—such as online shopping, gaming, services, etc.—workers’ expectations of what constitutes “mobile learning” have increased considerably.

Therefore, organizations can no longer simply shrink their desktop courses to smartphone size and call it mobile learning. Now more than ever, they need to be aware of the latest mobile learning trends to deliver a compelling experience.

Mobile Coaching will be Indispensable

With mobile coaching, employees always have an subject matter expert at their fingertips. Before a major sales launch, for example, workers can log into their app and have a live video chat with a mentor or coach to receive last-minute advice and boost their confidence.

Workers can also search and watch videos to learn about best practices for the exact type of task they are about to perform. Or they can even record their own video to practice for a presentation or a meeting, and coaches can view, grade, and provide feedback.

It will be a trend in 2019 because mentoring is increasingly important, as is the rise of remote workers in companies. The right technology allows connecting the workforce with mentors continuously while providing more real-time training opportunities.

Mobile Micro Assessments for Knowledge Retention

Training doesn’t end when employees complete a course. Not at least since the rise of microlearning and the use of mobile micro assessments—two trends in mobile learning.

Training managers in companies can create short assessments with two or three questions, then schedule them to be sent to workers days, weeks, or even months after they have completed a course to evaluate how much knowledge they have retained.

It will be key in 2019 because science says workers can forget up to 50% of what they just learned in an hour, 70% in a day, and 90% in a month. This is critical, especially when it comes to topics like safety.

Therefore, new ways are needed to keep old training material fresh without being annoying or too demanding. Mobile micro assessments are the perfect solution for several reasons:

• They are short, as answering takes only a few minutes at most, and employees can quickly get back to work.
• They are convenient, as receiving a message on a device they are already using, such as their own mobile phones, significantly reduces what is being asked of workers.
• They bring an element of surprise. Employees cannot hide when they receive a notification or a text message to perform a micro-assessment. Setting a time limit also forces workers to rely solely on their own knowledge.

As results are obtained, you can know which specific subject areas your workforce has forgotten to edit existing courses or add complementary materials.

More Companies Will Incorporate Augmented Reality (AR) Performance Support

Performance support consists of any training material employees can access while working, but when combined with augmented reality (AR), it takes it to another level.

Despite the best efforts of corporate training, 70% of employee learning happens outside their reach, through on-the-job experience. That’s a lot of trial and error for companies that really can’t afford many mistakes.

That’s why companies like Boeing and Airbus have implemented proprietary AR applications to provide workers with the help they need when building engines, troubleshooting repairs, or finding parts in a giant warehouse.

But in 2019, this technology will not only be for larger companies. As smartphones become smarter, and Apple and Google continue to add tools to their AR development kits, more and more companies will be able to create their own augmented reality experiences available on their workers’ phones without the bulky headsets or smart glasses from before.