TY - BOOK

T1 - Mobile learning for sales and service personnel

T2 - Case studies in the corporate training environment

AU - Prasad, Ravindra

PY - 2020/4/16

Y1 - 2020/4/16

N2 - This research investigates how organisations where e-learning is alreadyfirmly established experience the adoption of mobile learning. Drawing onresponses from training managers and sales and service staff, it investigateskey aspects of mobile learning, as understood in organisations; how theyperceive the relationship between mobile learning and e-learning provision;their key objectives for deploying mobile learning; and the dynamics of mobilelearning practice as it is emerging.The project uses a multi-case study methodology with data collected fromthree corporate organisations in different sectors (healthcare, computing, andfinancial services). In each case, data is drawn from interviews with trainingmanagers and questionnaire responses from sales and service staff.Sharples’ framework for mobile learning, which focuses on the mobility oflearners and learning as ‘conversations’, forms the analytical basis for thestudy. Three case reports are first presented, and then a cross-case analysisis conducted to draw out points of commonality and difference between thecases.My findings show that mobile learning is understood in the organisationsthrough the lens of e-learning: while the two are not perceived as the samething, the relationship is perceived to be close. While some barriers toadoption are technological, most concern social factors (stakeholderresistance and lack of leadership support). There is also a lack of use ofcollaborative aspects of mobile learning in emerging practices, even thoughrespondents were aware that such possibilities existed. Most importantly,actual practices of mobile learning are driven more by the organisations’business needs and how they have previously used e-learning, rather thantheir specific perceptions of mobile learning.The work contributes to existing research on mobile learning in the corporatesector (especially the perceived advantages and effectiveness of mobilelearning, and challenges in adopting it), and in particular, the influence ofcontext (social factors) on integrating mobile learning in organisations.

AB - This research investigates how organisations where e-learning is alreadyfirmly established experience the adoption of mobile learning. Drawing onresponses from training managers and sales and service staff, it investigateskey aspects of mobile learning, as understood in organisations; how theyperceive the relationship between mobile learning and e-learning provision;their key objectives for deploying mobile learning; and the dynamics of mobilelearning practice as it is emerging.The project uses a multi-case study methodology with data collected fromthree corporate organisations in different sectors (healthcare, computing, andfinancial services). In each case, data is drawn from interviews with trainingmanagers and questionnaire responses from sales and service staff.Sharples’ framework for mobile learning, which focuses on the mobility oflearners and learning as ‘conversations’, forms the analytical basis for thestudy. Three case reports are first presented, and then a cross-case analysisis conducted to draw out points of commonality and difference between thecases.My findings show that mobile learning is understood in the organisationsthrough the lens of e-learning: while the two are not perceived as the samething, the relationship is perceived to be close. While some barriers toadoption are technological, most concern social factors (stakeholderresistance and lack of leadership support). There is also a lack of use ofcollaborative aspects of mobile learning in emerging practices, even thoughrespondents were aware that such possibilities existed. Most importantly,actual practices of mobile learning are driven more by the organisations’business needs and how they have previously used e-learning, rather thantheir specific perceptions of mobile learning.The work contributes to existing research on mobile learning in the corporatesector (especially the perceived advantages and effectiveness of mobilelearning, and challenges in adopting it), and in particular, the influence ofcontext (social factors) on integrating mobile learning in organisations.

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/941

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/941

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -