Introduction
In his book 3-minute eLearning, learning architect Ray Jimenez, Ph.D., claims that by using microlearning, developers may speed up development by 300% while cutting costs by 50%. Microlearning takes up less time and costs less to develop than traditional eLearning. Given its effectiveness and efficiency as a method of employee training, microlearning is no surprise to see a rise in popularity.
You will learn what microlearning is, its advantages, and its level of effectiveness by the end of this article.
What Is Microlearning?
Although there isn’t a formal definition of microlearning, all microlearning-based training has one thing in common: brevity. Little learning modules or quick learning exercises might be good for this.
You can access knowledge in brief spurts through micro-training at your convenience. Information should always be concise with various formats (text, interactive multimedia).
These are some illustrations of microlearning content:
Text (phrases, short paragraphs)
Images (photos, illustrations)
Videos (of a short variety)
Audio (short snippets of speech or music)
Tests and Quizzes
Games (e.g., simple single-screen challenges)
Microlearning is an ideal training method for busy schedules and short attention spans. You can do all kinds of training with it. Examples of microlearning include compliance training, skill development, and onboarding new employees.
Benefits Of Microlearning
1. Requires Less Time
More than 50% of the 385 participants in a study conducted by Software Advice and published in The LMS Features that Promote Employee Engagement IndustryView said they would utilize their company’s learning resources more if the courses were shorter. On the other hand, some contend that longer courses are easier to comprehend and interfere with their daily work. So, here microlearning courses come into play.
2. Cost Effective
Learning expert, Ray Jimenez emphasizes that microlearning lowers creation costs by cutting the time required to generate eLearning content by 300%. As a result, you’ll need fewer resources and fewer instructors.
3. More Engaging
According to Hubspot, microlearning boosts online training completion rates and engagement by four times. The most interesting technique of training delivery is micro training. The microlearning experience is like checking your favorite social app on your smartphone.
4. Improves Memory Retention
As per RPS research, microlearning enhances focus and long-term retention by up to 80%. You keep information much better when you study something and go over it as you are about to forget it.
5. Increases Learners’ Freedom
Frequent online training with text-heavy courses is not recommended for studying for brief periods. Also, because micro-training courses are brief, it is simple to download and take them with you when you are offline.
6. «Moment of Need» Learning
That’s a turnaround! For educational contexts, that’s a speedy turnaround! You can avoid stumbling blocks using efficient «moment of need» instruction. The best practices for not overburdening are in line with this.
Microlearning Best Practices
1. Recognize Your Audience
Microlearning does not always match all learners exactly. If you produce content this way, you will only address a small group of students. Therefore, it is important to know the pain points of each target audience to ensure the content benefits it.
2. Mix Up The Learning Styles
Create many learning options to get the most out of your microlearning content. Create content using a variety of formats and components, including text, audio, video, and infographics.
3. Make It Brief
Ensure your content is brief enough to keep students under time constraints interested. Use microlearning chunks between 2 to 5 minutes long to get the average learner’s attention. Develop microlearning resources with concise, in-depth content that encapsulates a topic.
4. Verify Frequently
Verify that the learner has absorbed the microlearning module to ensure it achieves its objectives and returns on investment. You can accomplish this by using tests and quizzes to check the learning.
5. Make It Entertaining
According to cognitive psychology, interesting knowledge easily performs better. Dry subjects become more interesting by using humor and lightheartedness. It makes learning more fun and encourages repetition.
You must foster a friendly, cooperative learning environment, making the subjects more pleasant. In addition, it keeps students interested in the content, which makes it simpler for them to keep it.
6. Track Progress
Tracking learning progress is crucial for employees and employers, though for different reasons. First, employees feel more accomplished, which fuels their desire to learn more in the future.
The Science Behind The Effectiveness Of Microlearning
Each person’s learning process is unique and challenging. Researchers identified the variables that impact our ability to learn. They include behaviorism, constructivism, cognitivism, and experientialism in psychology. How do they apply to microlearning?
Behaviorism
According to the psychological theory of behaviorism, interactions with the environment through conditioning impact your behavior. For example, it can help you either repeat or ignore a particular behavior.
Constructivism
According to constructivism, knowledge is created by students rather than absorbed. It states that prior knowledge is critical to your learning process. Use open-ended questions and collaborative thinking in microlearning to encourage constructivism.
Cognitivism
According to cognitive psychology, we get knowledge through a systematic and symbolic process. Your mental processes, such as memory, thinking, reflection, knowledge, problem-solving, and motivation, result in learning. The two most prevalent learning modalities are lectures and reading.
Experiential Education
Only from their experiences do people learn. Therefore, you may provide experiences from which a learner will select based on their level of cognitive capacity. For example, you can develop a micro module to inspire creativity during brainstorming.
Final Thoughts
In this non-micro guide to microlearning, we’ve covered a lot of ground. Would you rather take a micro-course to understand better what we mean? Then be sure to have a look at EDUardo simulation, a tool designed by a Europe-based company.
The structure of EDUardo modules allows learners to process the simulations and its knowledge base items as a microlearning experience. Microlearning has helped thousands of course creators and participants.
There are many approaches to improving your course, and microlearning makes short iterations simple for better course outcomes.
