The idea of digital literacy emerged along with the increasing mobility of the world, which is entirely due to technological advancement. The concept of online learning has come into existence because of this.
eLearning and mobile learning are two terms being used interchangeably. But, are these the same? Certainly not.
There is a difference between these two methods of learning, While one is a much broader term, the other one is a part of it. Let us understand what these terms mean and the difference between them in a detailed manner.
eLearning
eLearning is a broad term and means learning online irrespective of what device you use- laptop, desktop, tablet or a smartphone, what platform you use, or learning using a teacher app or through a website from anywhere in the world. However, in such a type of learning, even though learning is online, learners may gather at a place and learn together. eLearning requires good internet connectivity and is designed for learners across all age groups.
These courses typically fit into the structure of a larger course and are usually intended for specific courses. These courses strive to give their students the finest possible learning environment.
Mobile Learning
Mobile learning, as the term suggests, refers to the type of learning that can be done from anywhere on a mobile device. Information is available at any time and from any place. The main objective of mobile learning is to make education available to those who are unable to attend lengthy lectures or conventional classroom settings due to various reasons.
Teachers can take live classes using a live teaching app on a mobile phone.
The Difference Between eLearning and Mobile Learning
The primary difference between these two is that eLearning has more features than mobile learning which helps in increasing the effectiveness of learning. However, whereas eLearning aids in understanding the course material, mobile learning is very effective in providing students with high-quality materials.
Online courses are available for life. They are made for continuous learning. The students receive high-quality content from them. Since there are no time restrictions on eLearning courses and they can be accessed from any device, students can take them whenever they choose.
On the other hand, with mobile learning, the emphasis is increasingly on efficiently giving students the information they need. There is a constant flow of information in eLearning courses, however, there is a limited flow in mobile learning. Students using mobile learning must be guided in order to complete their courses correctly. Since the courses are time-limited, there is not a constant flow of material. The duration of mobile learning, however, varies from course to course.
Final Thoughts
Mobile learning is a part of eLearning. Both go hand-in-hand. If there was no emergence of eLearning, mobile learning would not have been possible. Similarly, if mobile learning did not exist, eLearning would not have flourished or progressed the way it has today. Hence, even though the concepts differ from each other, one concept exists because the other concept exists.