mLearnCon 2010: Qualcomm’s Mobile Learning Journey

Tuesday (15 June 2010, 4:00-5:00 p.m.) Workshop

You and your organization are thinking about mlearning or mobile learning. Should you implement it as a part of your learning and performance initiatives this year, next year, or ever? One of the first steps to take is listen to those who have already begun the journey. Qualcomm in San Diego, California, shared a few of their experiences at mLearncon from their mlearning journey.

If at First You Don’t Succeed…The mLearning Journey at Qualcomm

Qualcomm Speakers (you can find them on LinkedIn… connect and ask them your questions):

• Barbara Ludwig, Manager, Learning Technology
• John Polaschek, Manager, Learning Technology

Session Notes

Mobile apps like Hotseat (Purdue) and .Count the Yard.

Qualcomm Lessons Learned. “qualcomm’s Adventures in Mobile”
Mobile trend is get in-get out. Learners don’t want traditional learning.
Get in for information and then leave.

Sources RuderFinn.com

Mobile Intent Index.
M used for finance and advocacy, not used for creative expression.

MobiThinking.com. Global Mobile Stats. More and more users will be accessing the web via the mobile phone.

Qualcomm used Brew to create their first app for negotiations peer support.
Tips and reminders. Then went web based with a learning portal, acronym DB, search.

Then they used SMS also.

A lot of their Employees were getting email via mobile devices.

WordPress blog used with mobile plugin … Their employees read and write from their mobile devices. Is behind their firewall so mobile device needs a VPN to access the blog. They are trying to get Single Sign-on. WordPress blog used by Summer interns, 800, they collaborated about their experiences and it created a close community.

Now the blog is used as a mobile portal.

Social Learning
People don’t want learning on their phones but they want to connect with people who can answer questions. (Yammer). Worked well as a back channel for questions during large meetings.

Jive.
A social networking or collaboration tool. Has become the hub for their management skills course. Reading lists, tasks, forums, breakout groups for assignments. Jive has a mobile client for mobile devices. All of that content is now available via their phones.

Tracking, right now LMSes aren’t doing a good job for mobile. Not yet.

Top Seven Challenges:

7. Diversity of devices and platforms (are targeting smart phones) ( or could be web based or an app)
6. Lack of mobile ready content. (skill soft, elementk)
5. Contract issues. Renegotiate for mobile content.
4. LMS integration. No one is really ready for mobile. Ask if you care. How importent is it to track and report.
3. Phones, personal vs. Company issued.
2. IP/CCI leakage… And personal devices. Best approach is communication to keep intellectual property protected.
1. Security.