mLearning: Bite-sized appeal…in two bites!

Look at how information is communicated these days: quick, concise and to the point. Readers are constantly craving the fastest way to gain information, in the quickest time possible.

Ever see CP24’s TV channel? You can find out the latest news, weather, sports scores and business market information within seconds of your eyes glancing at the screen. How about social media? Twitter limits what you see within 140 characters. So there is no need to read excessive information that is just too lengthy with text.

This is a great benefit to the reader, or in our case within the training industry, the learner. Content is cut down to the specific relevant material and communicated in a clear, concise manner.

Why spray it when you can just say it?

This is why mLearning needs to be compact and engaging for your learners:

Bite #1
Consider the size of most smartphones and mobile devices. If readers are going to scroll through endless content, they will probably wonder why their thumbs are exerting so much energy and stop the second they feel a general waste to their valuable time. Therefore, edit, revise, rescript – do whatever you can to limit the information you show the learner.

Bite #2
Content cut down for the sake of being small in size doesn’t cut it. You wouldn’t take out ingredients when baking a smaller cake – you would just measure less. The same goes for keeping your learners engaged – don’t remove the important stuff, just use less of it in a more concise manner.

In order for information to be retained, content needs to be visually delicious and appealing to the reader. Learners want engaging material which is read and absorbed quickly, keeping them craving for more. Otherwise, what’s the point of taking a bite if you aren’t hungry?

Leadership is Fear

Take a moment to reflect back.

Reflect on those moments in time where you were most uncomfortable, most afraid of unknown situations in your life. What did you do? How did you handle them? Were you paralyzed with fear, unable to move past insecurities and doubt? Or were you able to fight through the situation and learn from the experience?

We all have had feelings of uncertainty at times. Moments where we hold ourselves back from speaking up at work for something we believe in or trusting our gut instincts to make the right choices within our personal lives.

We all feel fear.

That is why it is so important to face fear. Look at it straight in the eye and overcome any obstacles it may present. If you want to be that leader, you must take those opportunities others are fearful of.

There are a few things to consider…

Understand who you are.

When it comes to tasks, take some time to think about which competencies are your strengths and where you would like to improve. Are you a “results-only” driven individual who could not care about soft skills? Or are you a “people-person” striving to build growth in your professional environment? Are you action-oriented or extremely lazy? Do you tend to be the first one to discuss change or prefer that someone else take on the responsibility? Or do you have a mix of everything? Recognizing your abilities will help you understand what you are fearful of and provide a clearer picture on the type of leader you want to become.

Understand why you are this way.

You’ve acknowledged that you’re a pretty easygoing individual, who doesn’t know what to do in life but does want to make a million bucks eventually by getting that amazing job without actually attaining the skills needed to qualify.  Maybe you think the complete opposite.

Our past experiences and learning have a huge impact on the way we perceive ourselves. Which of those experiences have shaped your thought process and guided you over the years? What has prevented you from overcoming obstacles? Feeling afraid before starting a task is ok and sometimes necessary. Use that feeling as motivation and constantly remind yourself of the positive development you are about to achieve. The ability to self-reflect is critical to your learning when overcoming any fears.

Understand Leadership is a journey.

The continued practice of self-reflection – understanding yourself – will help focus your thoughts in an analytical manner, giving you the ability to personally and professionally develop. Remember, we all feel fear, so it’s important not to ignore its impact. However, don’t give fear so much value! Great leaders acknowledge fear. They understand its importance in their continued journey for success. Most importantly, leaders live fear and are not terrified of tackling opportunities they are most afraid of.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela.

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Shakeel Malik has over 9 years of experience as a training leader within customer service, client experience, sales, technology and support initiatives. Within his role at Pathways, he manages client relationships, leads training projects and provides strategic leadership direction.  Shakeel’s past projects have included fostering leadership development, building strategic competencies, improving employee morale and developing evaluation tools within Adult Education.  He is also a volunteer Commissioner of a Basketball League, where he leads and facilitates all league operations including marketing, finance, sponsorship, digital technology and training sessions.

He holds certificates in Adult Education from Brock University and Dispute Resolution from York University, and is currently a candidate for a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education.