Event Recap: mLearnCon 2015

Here at Artisan E-Learning, we attend many different conferences throughout the year. This year alone, we attended ATD Techknowledge (recap here), Learning Solutions (recap here), the Lectora User Conference (recap here), and the ATD International Conference & Expo. And because we clearly don’t have enough frequent flyer miles yet, this year we decided to add another one to the lineup: mLearnCon. I thought I’d share some of the great information from that conference here.

Being that this was my (and Artisan’s) first time attending mLearnCon, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. Mobile learning is still very much in its infancy. The modern smartphone (iPhone) was introduced back in 2007, and the modern tablet computer (iPad) in 2010 (only five short years ago!). So, the idea of an entire conference surrounding the topic of mobile learning intrigued me.

Unlike other conferences, many of the topics discussed at mLearnCon felt very experimental. For example, David Kelly hosted a great session to explore how the Apple Watch (and other wearable devices) will change the way we deliver learning content. Overall, the conference and the topics discussed felt new, exciting, and ready to discovery.

Being that mobile learning involves delivery of content to many different devices with many difference screen sizes, I presented: Designing E-Learning User Interfaces for Mobile Delivery. During my session, I explored how mobile user interface design applies to e-learning and how bad design distracts from the learning process.

Finally, I showcased a simple, mobile-optimized course for mLearning DemoFest. Designed to show how Articulate Storyline 2 can be used to create an app-like experience on a mobile device, my entry: How to Cook a Turkey takes users through the process of selecting, preparing, and roasting their first turkey. The response was overwhelmingly positive from everyone who attended. I was thrilled to walk away from the Wisetail Award, which is handpicked by the event sponsor. You can watch the Best of mLearning DemoFest Webinar here.

All in all, mLearnCon 2015 was an exciting and rewarding conference. I look forward to seeing how this conference grows as mobile learning becomes more popular.

Did you attend mLearnCon this year? Comment below and let us know your thoughts about conference.