The human brain is not wired to maintain focus for hours of learning content. Microlearning delivers content in short bursts with well-timed repetition to help learners retain and apply knowledge more effectively.
Interactive elements like short videos, mini-games, flashcards, and assessments make for engaging microlearning. They also encourage the learner to take control of their own learning.
Relevance
As the world becomes increasingly data-driven, the need for new knowledge has never been greater, evidenced by microlearning an evolving elearning trend. But our working memory is limited and our attention spans are short. As a result, today’s learners have very little time for lengthy training courses or reading through entire textbooks. Instead, they want quick tidbits of information on demand, just in the moment that they need it.
With microlearning, it’s possible to deliver just that. By breaking learning content into small, bite-sized chunks and making it accessible over mobile devices, you can provide relevant and timely information that improves learning outcomes.
Unlike traditional, full-course online learning, the best microlearning modules offer a single, clear objective to help students acquire specific knowledge. These lessons are concise and engaging, with videos, quizzes, and other interactive materials to maintain learner interest. In addition, microlearning strategies often use repetition to reinforce key messages and improve retention.
This approach is especially useful for complex subject matter that can be difficult to distill into a single course or book. In fact, it’s been found that if students are required to answer questions at the end of each module they retain 20 percent more knowledge than if they were given an exam at the end of a full-length course.
This type of microlearning is also effective for delivering tacit knowledge, or the intuitive understanding and inherent skills that are required to perform tasks. This is because it allows you to break down a complex task into manageable, step-by-step, easy-to-follow lessons that can be digested in small increments. By using a variety of different learning formats, including video tutorials, infographics, step-by-step guides, and FAQs, you can appeal to different learners’ preferred learning styles.
Customization
When compared to traditional learning materials, microlearning offers an extensive array of customization options. This means learners can tailor their learning experiences to suit their needs and the specific job they’re doing, helping them retain information longer.
For example, if a new employee is starting in customer service, a microcourse could be designed to teach them how to handle difficult situations with customers. The content would be concise, direct, and devoid of any extraneous information that could distract from the learning goal. This approach helps ensure the knowledge is retained long after the training has ended, by leveraging the Primacy and Recency Effects.
Additionally, using video to deliver this knowledge is a powerful tool to engage and retain learners. In fact, studies show that video engagement can increase by up to 300%, when compared to standard eLearning. Additionally, learners can access microlearning modules on the go with a mobile app, which allows them to fit their learning into their busy schedules.
Microlearning’s modularity also makes it easy to update and refresh content. This is a major benefit when compared to lengthy training manuals, as it can save time and effort in updating training materials and keeping them up-to-date.
This allows L&D teams to respond quickly to changing industry standards, technologies, and challenges in real-time. This provides a continuous flow of relevant learning for employees, which can have a direct impact on their performance and business results. It’s also a great way to reinforce knowledge and keep employees up-to-date without interrupting their work or taking them out of the workflow. This can be delivered via a range of formats, such as how-to guides, FAQs, or videos, to meet a variety of learner preferences.
Adaptability
Adaptive microlearning delivers the right learning content to each individual learner. As a result, learners can be more engaged in the course and are more likely to retain knowledge. This can be achieved through the use of varied learning formats such as video, quizzes, infographics, and interactive presentations, to name a few. These formats are all designed to appeal to different types of learning styles. For example, some learners may respond better to visuals, while others are more kinesthetic or auditory.
This approach also helps to break down learning barriers. For instance, when learning a new piece of software, the knowledge base can be broken down into modules that cover specific aspects of it, such as creating an image or adding text to a PowerPoint slide. The modules are then available for learners to access on demand – as they need it – without having to enroll in an entire training course covering the software.
As the content is continuously updated and maintained, this approach can also reduce learning gaps and provide learners with the opportunity to revisit information on a regular basis. This, in turn, can improve the likelihood that the knowledge retained will be applied on a day-to-day basis.
Additionally, the integration of learning into commonly used work tools can help to make it a regular and anticipated part of employee workflows. This, in turn, can increase the perceived value of learning and encourage employee engagement. For example, a customer service representative might engage in a short learning module on handling difficult customers before their shift begins – a lesson that’s customized to align with the specific challenges they face. Similarly, engineers might engage with modules on industry standards and technological advancements that are relevant to their responsibilities and job duties.
Contextual Learning Triggers
With shorter attention spans and a fast-paced work culture, the ability to deliver knowledge in context is essential for success. Microlearning offers a way to deliver relevant training at the right time, boosting engagement and retention. The format also encourages regular memory reactivation, accelerating the transfer of new information from short-term to long-term memories.
With microlearning, learning can be delivered through a variety of formats that suit different learning styles. These include text, visuals, audio clips, and assessments. Each can be used to reinforce specific concepts, or to test whether learners have retained what they’ve been taught.
The most popular form of microlearning is text-based modules that provide bite-sized pieces of information. Some learners are visual, and prefer to learn through videos or images that represent complex information visually. Others are auditory, and benefit from listening to audio or podcasts. And some may be kinesthetic, and respond better to learning with their hands, such as through flashcards or physical activities.
Adding gamification to your microlearning strategy is another great way to increase engagement and boost retention. This can be done by including short, interactive games that allow learners to compete against their peers, or by introducing a leaderboard, which helps them connect individual learning nuggets to the larger training goal.
Ultimately, it’s the content itself that makes the difference. If the learning modules aren’t engaging, learners will quickly switch off and find other ways to spend their time. The length of a microlearning module is another factor, as learners are unlikely to commit to a longer course, especially if they’re already overwhelmed or distracted. To avoid this, you should use a combination of short, focused lessons that are easy to digest and offer a clear logical progression.
Continuous Learning
A key aspect of microlearning is its emphasis on continuous learning. When learners are offered frequent, brief bursts of knowledge, they can refresh the content as needed to meet the demands of their job role. This reinforcement prevents the brain from forgetting newly acquired information and flattens the steep learning curve that’s typical of traditional training programs.
Short Videos
The most common type of microlearning is short, engaging video modules that can convey a new concept or skill in a highly-engaging format. Similar to the short videos and social media content that many employees are familiar with on their smartphones, these bite-sized videos provide an effective way for learners to gain new skills without having to deprioritize work.
Interactive Elements
The interactivity provided by engaging elements such as quizzes, mini-games, flashcards, and simulations can boost learner engagement and improve retention. These can be used in conjunction with video, audio, or text to deliver a complete learning experience. Gamification elements like points, badges, and leaderboards can further motivate learners to engage with the content.
Bite-Sized Assessments
Microlearning can also be enhanced by adding bite-sized assessments to allow learners to practice and evaluate their skills. These can include quick quizzes, surveys, and simulations that can be accessed on any device and offer immediate feedback.
The best thing about these assessments is that they can be repeated for further reinforcement. In fact, research has found that learners who repeat content over a period of time learn better than those who don’t. The combination of repetition and on-demand availability allows employees to self-assess in their own time, whenever it’s most convenient — whether that’s during a coffee break, lunch date, or even before they go to bed for night owls.
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