In a new AMBA survey conducted on behalf of library software specialist Ex Libris, we look beyond business schools’ broader digital objectives to understand the role that mobile apps and web portals play within an MBA student’s academic journey. Ellen Buchan reports, with additional input by Ambition editor Colette Doyle EDUCATION CALLING
Almost one third of smartphone owners (30 per cent) already use smartphones for on-the-go learning, meaning that mobile learning is a huge opportunity waiting to be seized. Most smartphone users use their phone to learn at their point of need and half of app users utilise them for educational purposes or to conduct research. Some 56 per cent of respondents to our survey conducted on behalf of Ex Libris agreed that a mobile phone is essential to completing a business course. This suggests that even though a phone may not commonly be the primary device for completing studies, it is still seen as a necessary tool for learning. According to the results, at the moment only half of respondents’ institutions have an app, but it seems likely that we can expect to see more business schools exploring the benefits of using this model to teach students in the future. The impact of digital platforms The Ex Libris survey looked at how digital platforms have impacted the MBA student experience. In surveying more than 1,000 MBA students and recent graduates on their digital preferences, the report uncovered several trends that can further inform business schools’ digital strategies.
he number of smartphone network subscriptions worldwide reached almost 6.6 billion last year and is forecast to exceed 7.8 billion by 2028. China, India and the US head the list of countries with the highest number of network subscriptions. According to research conducted by
Google, 80 per cent of the world’s population use smartphones. The study also found that more people are likely to solely use a smartphone (27 per cent) than solely a computer (14 per cent). The smartphone heralded the advent of accessibility to a vast pool of information. In turn, this has shaped the way people expect to receive information professionally; it needs to be tailored, relevant, accessible and concise. One testament to the dominance of the smartphone is the fact that, when learning, almost 60 per cent of people prefer the vertical orientation they provide rather than a horizontal screen. Some 91 per cent of the time spent on smartphones is on apps. The features built into smartphones, such as notifications and touchscreens, make it easy to present training and learning resources in a way that aligns with popular apps and is therefore cognitively tied to enjoyment, making learners more likely to autonomously and repeatedly engage with it.
28 | Ambition | JULY/AUGUST 2023
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online