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What Is Microlearning?

Microlearning is more than simply bite-sized training assets. It’s focused and offers just the right amount of information necessary to help a learner achieve a specific, actionable performance objective. Where other forms of training often happen outside of learners’ day-to-day contexts, or are longer, making it more difficult to apply knowledge to specific on-the-job objectives. Microlearning techniques enable learners to select and use assets most applicable to their current needs on whatever device is most handy, making the training even more relevant to their work. This learner-driven nature increases engagement, improves training and job efficiency, and builds learner interest in seeking out additional training opportunities.

Microlearning Benefits for Your Company

Personalization and Autonomy

When each training asset is tagged to create strong metadata, learners can easily find what they need to complete real, job-related tasks. This fosters learner autonomy, driving greater learner interest and motivation. As learners are able to personalize their training experience, they are more likely to apply knowledge on the job and seek out future training.

Just-in-time Learning

Microlearning strategies support employees accessing information when they need it most. Because assets are compact, learners are more likely to invest the time needed to use them in an on-the-job context. Furthermore, assets developed to be compatible with a wide variety of devices allow learners to use them when and where it’s most helpful. As a result, learners gain new knowledge just in time to meet their immediate needs.

Effective and Varied Learning

Microlearning lends itself to a variety of different modalities, which creates effective, richly varied training experiences for learners. Because these assets are compact and focused on specific objectives, they can be easily matched to the modality (games, videos, infographics, eLearning, etc.) best suited to the content. Using the best modality for specific content creates more effective training. This effectiveness and the variety of the training experiences increase learner engagement.

Advantageous for Trainers

There are several key advantages for trainers and learning and development departments. Given their small size, microlearning assets can be easier and more affordable to produce and to maintain. Further they are easily used for a variety of purposes: as components of larger training initiatives, as performance support, as communication tools, and more.

How to Overcome the Potential Pitfalls of Microlearning

While microlearning instruction offers distinct advantages, relying too heavily on this strategy may introduce pitfalls. Because micro modules lend to many small training pieces, it’s easy to develop training that leaves learners feeling like they are missing the big picture or that creates an inconsistent experience across training assets. Best practices that will help avoid these pitfalls include:

  • Build connections between the various microlearning assets
  • Build connections between microlearning assets and deep-dive training assets
  • Define clear standards that create consistent branding to guide microlearning development
  • Strategically use keywords, images, and principles across microlearning assets
  • Identify related training at the end of a microlearning asset

By creating connections between your training assets, establishing clear standards for both look and feel and user experience, and using metadata to help learners find related training resources, you’ll create a cohesive, consistent experience that helps learners understand the bigger picture.

What Kind of Content Will You Include in the Training?

  • Complying with new requirements and procedures
  • Completing projects with accelerated timelines
  • Creating engaged employees
  • Addressing the growing skills gaps
  • Preventing high turnover and rise of workforce mobility

What Technology Will You Use to Make Your Training Available?

Not all learning management systems manage microlearning well. The effectiveness of your training program depends in part on ease of access. If a learner can’t quickly find what they’re looking for and consume it right when they need it, it’s less likely that they’ll put the effort in to access and use short training pieces.So, your learning management system should be easily searchable and provide excellent tagging so that learners can find what they need. And, if possible, having the capacity to share microlearning assets through social networking capabilities will increase the use and success of microlearning assets.

Who Are Your Learners?

When choosing a training strategy, it’s important to start with your learners’ needs and contexts in mind. While microlearning can be a highly effective strategy across all generations, younger learners or learners who are more technologically savvy may be more comfortable using microlearning assets than those who use digital devices less frequently.  Further, web-based microlearning depends on learners having web-enabled devices readily available while they work, since this training works best when consumed in an on-the-job setting.