K-12 education today needs to cater to the learning style of Gen Z, the generation of “digital natives.†In fact, research shows that 51% of high school students bring a smartphone to school every day. A great way to reach today’s students is through the channels that they prefer using, such as mobile apps. Mobile learning has the potential to ease access to educational resources, and make them accessible anywhere and at any time.
Many students today are intrinsically motivated, have a sense of accountability and will seek such resources to make the most of what they have access to learn from.
Also, students, today are mindful of the fact that digital learning and eBooks are much more eco-friendly. So, here’s the case for mobile apps.
The Case for Mobile Apps in K-12 Education
The future of e-learning is undeniably correlated with mobile learning. Here’s why:
- More than 20 million students across the world are using mobile apps for education.
- According to Edsys, the use of Google’s educational apps increased 100% between 2015 and 2017.
- Choosing educational apps can help save educational institutions up to $1.5 million each year that is otherwise used for classroom learning.
- By 2017, 17% of schools in the US required students to use a mobile device in the classroom.
- Over 80% of parents believe that mobile apps offer an engaging and fun way of learning
These stats are only the tip of the iceberg. Research shows the 70% learners feel more motivated while studying on a mobile device, as compared to a computer, while learners using mobile apps for e-learning tend to study 40 minutes longer than those using a tablet or desktop. What’s more, e-learners who access course material on smartphones tend to complete studying the material 45% faster than e-learners using a desktop.
All this only goes to show that the use of mobile apps can help K-12 education. But how? Here’s a look.
The Future of K-12 Learning
According to survey results published by eLearning Industry, the “anytime, anywhere, bite-sized delivery mode†afforded by mobile apps offers a multitude of advantages, such as:
- 63% like receiving alerts and reminders about educational courses
- 61% say that mobile phones help them collaborate with teachers and peers
- 54% state that the phone helps them organize their school assignments
- 52% say that mobile phones help them access their school network even from home.
And, the benefits of mobile learning apps don’t end there. Teachers have also expressed appreciation of mobile learning, with 52% saying that students using such apps were more motivated to study the educational material. In addition, 36% teachers stated that mobile apps increased student creativity. Teachers have also accepted that such apps help improve problem solving and critical thinking, while motivating students to take ownership of their own learning.
Here’s a look at some more ways that mobile apps can benefit K-12 education.
1. Helps Microlearning
Research proves that microlearning can helps increase learning efficiency by 17%. Snackable content makes learning more manageable, focused and digestible.
2. Personalized, Adaptive Content
Some mobile learning platforms can provide opportunities to customize content delivery according to the learning style, capabilities, and stage of learning of each individual student. This affords the flexibility for students to move through the course material at their own pace and at the time of day that works best for them. Also, mobile apps can present multimedia content, including audio and video modes, which is proven to be more engaging, while increasing learner retention of information, and fostering better learning outcomes. A 2015 study revealed that personalization led to a 2 percentile increase in math and reading abilities within one educational year, while this gain surpassed the national average by the end of two years.
3. Tracking Progress
Assessment is an indispensable part of K-12 education. A learning experience platform, delivered via a mobile app, allows for various types of analysis, such as learning material accessed by each student, progress made on the material and even assessing learning outcomes. Such assessment tools can help teachers provide personalized feedback and support for students.
4. Eases Communication between the Institution and Students
Schools can easily students regarding any changes, upcoming social or school events or send out reminders through mobile apps. Teachers can ensure one-to-one communication, which will foster greater personalization of education.
5. Promoting Collaboration
Well designed mobile learning platforms can offer an efficient way to communicate and interact with instructors and peers. Research shows that learners tend to benefit from participating in a collaborative learning environment, where the learners share common goals.
The e-learning market is expected to grow to $275 billion by 2022. As of September 2018, 600 million people had subscribed to micro-learning apps worldwide. In fact, the Global M-learning Market 2018-2022 report by Technavio expects the mobile learning market to grow at a CAGR of a whopping 23% during the five-year period. To stay relevant in this rapidly evolving educational space, it will become increasingly important to become part of the revolution.
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