The promise of e-learning
It's true that most of us aren't quite as enamored with anything prefaced by "e" as we once were-and for good reason. These days, it seems as if anything "e" is little more than "e-hype." However, I think e-learning, when put in the proper context and when the benefits are realistically promoted, holds real promise.

Few would argue the fact that training and continuing education are good for individuals and good for business. Numerous studies have shown that employers can accelerate development, deployment, and implementation time of business applications if they provide their workforce with high quality training. Moreover, companies can reduce administrative overhead and technical support costs by implementing effective training programs. The upside of e-learning, the fastest growing segment of the corporate training market, is that it makes learning more accessible and less expensive. Indisputably, this is a good thing.

The convergence of e-learning and mobile technology
While mobile devices are approaching ubiquity today, the industry is still in its infancy. In the grand scheme of things, today's mobile devices are like the Model T. To say the best is yet to come is an understatement. While mobile devices work decently today, the improvements we'll see in the future will doubtlessly be vast. Fortunately, the industry is growing up quickly, and it won't be long before expectations nearly match actual performance.

Fusing mobile technology and e-learning is a no-brainer. A key benefit of m-learning is its potential for increasing productivity by making learning available anywhere, anytime. Because mobile devices have the power to make learning even more widely available and accessible, mobile devices are a natural extension of e-learning. Imagine the power of learning that is truly "just-in-time," where you could actually access training at the precise place and time on the job that you need it.

A tale of two companies
If the mobile industry is still in its infancy, then m-learning is still in an embryonic stage. While there's a lot of talk about using mobile technology to extend e-learning, few companies are very far along in actually making m-learning a reality. That being said there are two companies I consider to be at the forefront of making m-learning happen. Each company has taken a unique approach. The two companies are Arizona-based KnowledgeNet (at http://www.knowledgenet.com) and Silicon Valley-based SmartForce (at http://www.smartforce.com).

KnowledgeNet
KnowledgeNet's approach is to make its courseware universally available. Through its proprietary engine, known as Monsoon, KnowledgeNet is able to develop and deliver its training content in multiple formats. As KnowledgeNet's VP of product development, Chris Dragon explains, "We are committed to making our content truly available anywhere, anytime, while not compromising the student experience. We are able to rapidly develop content for PDAs that is as rich and interactive as it is for the PC. Our courseware for the PDA contains animation, high quality sound, and intuitive navigation."