What is mLearning?

M-learning, or "mobile learning", now commonly abbreviated to "mLearning", has different meanings for different communities. Although related to e-learning and distance education, it is distinct in its focus on learning across contexts and learning with mobile devices. One definition of mobile learning is: Learning that happens across locations, or that takes advantage of learning opportunities offered by portable technologies. In other words, mobile learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices.

The future of learning may reside in the mobility of learning. Already schools are allowing laptops in the classroom for notetaking and research. Is it possible that educators will soon allow hand-held devices as well? Homework assignments and syllabus's sent out as a text message to a student's phone?

Or, might it be possible to make learning more portable, allowing a sales representative to take performance-based mastery with them in the car and "study up" before that big sales meeting? The HealthCare industry has been considering large investments in this idea for years, particularly in pharmaceutical sales, where complete knowledge of drug effectiveness and treatment application must be memorized before that "big call" with a prescribing physician.

To have not only facts, but the ability for quick learning at a person's fingertips may take us into the next realm of interaction.