People have yet to see major enterprise-level examples of Experience API (xAPI) adoption and the value of its features and functionality. Without these examples, bringing fully formed ideas about the xAPI’s capabilities back to their workplace is a challenge. Learning professionals need to see advanced integrations of the xAPI in non-traditional adaptations so they can understand how it can be used effectively.

From the smartphone in your hand to the 27-inch screen on your desk to the giant television on your wall, the range of ways to access the Internet just keeps growing and growing. This presents a huge challenge for training departments charged with cost-effectively and efficiently developing eLearning content for their organizations. What devices should they design for? How many versions of a course do they need? Do they sacrifice one type of delivery for another?

There is an overemphasis on mobile technologies in the mobile learning conversation. That may sounds strange, but it’s true. Mobile strategy isn’t really about mobile devices; it’s about taking your existing learning strategy and extending it so it can be supported optimally on whatever device the leaners have in front of them, wherever they are. Organizations should not have to reinvent their learning strategy to go mobile.

Medical training and continuing education that qualifies for American Medical Association (AMA) CME credits is traditionally done via classroom, online, and one-to-one training. However, these modalities have not kept pace with the technologies used by today’s medical professionals. More and more, medical organizations are confronting the challenge of producing AMA-compliant education and training that leverages the mobile technology of today.

Nonprofit organizations often have many thousands of volunteers. While mobile learning and performance support have a great deal of potential, they also come with some hurdles. Most nonprofits shy away from digital engagement because of the need for huge amounts of dynamic content and the requirement for volunteers to bring their own devices.

The process of getting newly hired salespeople trained and actively selling products is a key concern for most businesses. Organizations typically throw new hires into a classroom for a week or two, and then send them on their way with a couple of three-ring binders with little or no follow-up. Grainger was seeking faster and more innovative ways to make our new hires successful while recognizing that people learn better over time.

Truck drivers are trained and tested on inspecting the exterior of the truck as well as driving techniques. Where full-size sit-down simulators are effective for driving training and assessment, it is impractical to simulate an exterior inspection with a life-size simulator. In addition, it is challenging to incorporate assessment of exterior inspections with driving techniques when they use different media. This issue is also analogous to airline pilots and other professions where training requirements include inspection of a large vehicle.

In our field, mobile learning is the present and the future. However, implementing mobile learning in a secure environment is an ever-growing concern. It seems there are stories in the news every day describing a data breach and the damage such situations cause. Many organizations are facing this issue as demand becomes higher for mobile learning and they balance the desire to have an edge in an increasingly competitive market with the need to minimize risk.

The IEEE Actionable Data Book project is currently investigating open technologies compatible with the Open Stand Initiative. The goal is to define an open platform for mobile learning that is personalized, activity-based, and that has the potential for low-cost global adoption. The technical foundation for the project is the new EPUB 3 format for digital publications developed by the IDPF. It provides a framework for the structuring, packaging and mobile delivery of accessible HTML5 content.

Mobile policy doesn’t sound like an exciting topic, but it’s an essential component to a mobile learning strategy. You can have jaw-droppingly cool apps, context-sensitivity, video, alternate reality games, or all of the above, but you’ll end up failing if you’re not on top of your mobile policy. Quite simply, policy is strategy, and without strategy, you’re just stumbling around in the dark.

More and more learning professionals are realizing that training and courses are only one piece of the overall puzzle. Organizations are increasingly looking to incorporate performance support to provide workers with the support they need, when they need it. What most instructional designers fail to realize is that that the tools they use to develop courses can often be used to develop mobile performance support solutions.

Adobe Captivate is a great tool for creating eLearning, but how well can you use it to create mobile learning? There is some debate as to whether or not a designer can create learning programs for desktop and mobile at the same time. It’s definitely possible, but there are design issues and crucial development issues that you must address before you start.