Microlearning: Top Examples and Best Practices for 2024

Microlearning delivers short, focused learning in bite-sized chunks to match our modern attention spans, 2-10 minutes. It helps learners retain information and stay engaged without overwhelming them. Here, we'll cover top examples, a few best practices, and key benefits to help you integrate microlearning into your 2024 training programs so you get maximum learning efficiency and effectiveness. Let's go!

Key Points

• Microlearning is short, focused content that breaks down information into chunks to help with learning and retention.
• The benefits of training sessions based on micro-content include better knowledge retention, increased engagement and productivity, and the flexibility to access content on demand, especially on mobile.
• The challenges of microlearning include managing content, relevance, and engagement, personalization for each learner, and strategic planning and execution.

What is Microlearning?

Microlearning modules deliver content in short, focused chunks to give a complete learning experience in bite-sized segments, 2-10 minutes. This aligns with the modern learner's attention span of around 90 seconds—much less than what we expect in traditional e-learning courses. Traditional courses are long and overwhelming. Microlearning addresses this by focusing on immediate, key knowledge through one or two objectives at a time.

The power of microlearning is based on the science of how we learn and retain information effectively. Ebbinghaus's Forgetting Curve theory states that people lose newly learned information without periodic review.

Microlearning addresses this head-on with its delivery approach using short bursts to keep the brain engaged and able to organize and assimilate new information – which means several benefits for the learner.

• Instant access to knowledge
• Better job performance
• Increased productivity
• Longer retention

Incorporating these techniques into your design can benefit individuals who are better prepared for application post-training.

Mobile has made microlearning more prominent, as mobile devices allow access to content through apps anytime, anywhere. These apps integrate professional development into daily routines—for example, through bite-sized videos, easily consumable infographics, or dynamic quizzes—so users stay engaged and retain the skills over time.

Microlearning Benefits

Better knowledge retention

Microlearning retains knowledge by focusing on one aspect of a topic. Due to microlearning modules' short and digestible nature, learners can remember 80% of their learning. These bite-sized learning units fit into busy schedules and let learners progress at their own pace, so they stay engaged. They also reinforce best practices for retaining information.

Engage through microlearning course

Microlearning engages learners and significantly increases productivity. Since each module is short, completion rates are higher among learners. For example, companies that have incorporated gamification into their microlearning strategy see a 60% increase in engagement and a 50% increase in productivity. Microlearning also aligns with the current trend of short and focused sessions for workplace training or ongoing professional development.

Control the pace of learning

Flexibility is another strength of microlearning. Users can access content when needed through mobile devices—a big plus for those who want training resources available anywhere, anytime. This accessibility balances during the learning process and allows immediate post-learning application, solidifying new skills in real-life scenarios. Each user can consume microlearning courses at their own pace so that you can deliver training to different user segments. Hence, microlearning in the organization will minimize the knowledge gap between experienced and new employees.

Microlearning Challenges

Microlearning courses have many benefits, but they also have its challenges. Here are some:

• Keeping large amounts of content engaging and organized to avoid information overload.
• Converting large amounts of data into bite-sized microlearning modules requires expertise and time.
• Breaking down a full-length course into multiple micro-learning segments adds more complexity to managing the content.

There's a myth that creating and maintaining microlearning content is easy. It requires a lot of time, resources, and strategic planning. Each component in a microlearning module must be:

• Relevant to the workforce using them
• Short and focused on specific learning objectives
• Interactive to engage learners
• Flexible across multiple platforms

When teaching complex skills or face-to-face training, these short bursts of content may not address them, often requiring more detailed study guides and practical application.

Personalization is another challenge in this mode of learning. Aligning specific content to individual needs can be difficult, especially for larger organizations. Trying to do this at scale may seem impossible or too hard, resulting in big knowledge gaps if content is not adapted efficiently for individual learner needs. So precise blueprint design and strategic roll-out are key to overcoming these challenges and fully leveraging microlearning.

Microlearning Tactics

To microlearn effectively, focus each module on one skill or concept. This will keep the content brief and specific to avoid cognitive overload and keep learners engaged. Two—to five-minute bite-sized learning modules are perfect for busy schedules and knowledge retention.

Diversity in the content is key to keeping learners' attention high and avoiding burnout. To create a varied learning experience, you can use:

• microlearning videos
• interactive quizzes
• infographics
• interactive games
• short presentations
• or create a microlearning course with different interactive modules and various content types.

It's good to intersperse short learning content modules with different formats to make the learning journey exciting. Including interactive elements like quizzes, polls, and simulations does more than just engage. It encourages active participation, which reinforces learning. Spaced repetition by scheduling intervals between modules helps the brain process information more efficiently. For example, mixing short videos with short quizzes focused on specific skills can help reinforce learning on complex topics.

One key to microlearn is mobile. As many now use their smartphones or tablets to access training materials, microlearning on mobile can make them more useful and effective. It becomes a powerful tool in workplace learning by focusing on specific objectives towards those goals.

Microlearning in Action

Many organizations worldwide use microlearning courses, proving their flexibility and impact. Companies like Uber, Marriott, and Grubhub have implemented microlearning for their workforce training. They use various mediums, such as short video tutorials, interactive digital flipbooks, and informative tooltips, to deliver focused learning content.

Let's explore the practical applications of microlearning in scenarios such as employee onboarding, continuous staff learning, and mandatory training.

Onboarding New Hires with Microlearning Modules

Onboarding new hires can be daunting, but microlearning modules can make it much easier. By breaking down practical tasks into simple steps, new hires can quickly get up to speed with their role. A one-page digital onboarding experience can deliver the essential information fast and make the transition smoother for new staff.

Short explainer videos are great in this context; they can break down complex tasks into simple steps. Gamified onboarding modules make the experience exciting. This increases knowledge retention and makes learning fun. Role-play simulations and interactive feedback can give new hires a feel for their job responsibilities, especially in customer service roles.

Continuous Learning and Skill Development

Continuous learning and skill development are key to personal and professional growth. Microlearning is a great way to support this. They will:

• Reflect on their current skills
• Learn the steps to improve skills
• Apply new learning to real-life scenarios
• Strengthen skills
• Boost performance

By incorporating microlearning into their daily routine, individuals can learn new skills, use job aids, refine skills through targeted training, and perform tasks better.

Continuous learning programs should regularly introduce new ways to upskill employees and improve job performance. A stream of new ideas with opportunities will help progress. To keep learners engaged and moving forward, you might use behavior or context-triggered notifications with action plans within microlearning modules, where users can set goals and track milestones toward them.

Microlearning is designed for the busy workforce. It structures a course around bite-sized learning moments that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. These short, intense study sessions fit into daily routines so learning can be done over time.

The flexibility of these learning methods allows participants to fit learning into their daily activities without interruption. It acknowledges the packed schedules but provides ways to keep learners engaged in their busy lives.

Compliance Training

Ensuring employees are trained and compliant with regulations is crucial, and microlearning can make this process smoother. By using microlearning modules for compliance training, you can deliver essential information without overwhelming employees with new regulations.

Adding visual menus to these microlearning modules can bring many benefits.

• They break down processes into single steps for better clarity and understanding.
• This increases knowledge retention among employees.
• It prepares staff better to comply with regulations.
• It reduces non-compliance and its consequences.

Microlearning on Mobile Devices

In today's fast-paced world, using mobile for microlearning is the natural way to go! Mobile learning caters to individual learners by delivering training content that can be accessed during their daily grind and integrates with their busy lives. By 2025, the market for mobile learning is projected to reach $77.4 billion, which shows how widely accepted it is.

Tailoring Microlearning Modules for Mobile Changes a Lot!

• Trainees can do their courses while commuting or during short breaks.
• Knowledge retention increases by 45% over traditional learning methods when using mobile learning.
• Instant feedback on these platforms allows students to self-improve through the immediate application of advice received.

There are many benefits to mobile learning.

• For institutions that need to update and add to content frequently, it's cost-effective.
• It increases learner engagement by three times because these bite-sized lessons are on smartphones and tablets.
• It caters to each individual's needs and collective learning because students can share insights through social media and group tools.

Measuring Microlearning Success

Microlearning modules need to be measured to ensure they meet the objectives of the training programs. Tracking learners' engagement through metrics such as completion rates and quiz scores can help refine microlearning content for better results. Retention rate is a key indicator of how well learners retain knowledge over time.

Quiz scores can give you an idea of how well participants understand and have applied the topics in the modules. Seeing learners apply what they learned in real life gives you a better perspective on whether microlearning translates to actual application. By linking participation in these learning segments to key performance indicators (KPIs), you can measure their impact on productivity and overall job performance.

Asking for survey feedback allows participants to rate the course content and suggest improvements. Feedback from supervisors and colleagues is also valuable in measuring improvement in work quality after microlearning has been applied. Asking customer feedback can tell you if there's an increase in efficiency and customer service among employees who deal with customers after they complete microlearning.

Creating Engaging Microlearning Content

To create engaging micro-content, you need to know what the learners already know and what they need to learn. Each module should have one clear learning outcome to make development easier and ensure the content is relevant. This type of content should be concise and focused, usually 2-7 minutes, to engage learners without cognitive overload.

If you work as an HR professional, creating microlearning content should involve working with multiple departments to get content for training sessions. Start by identifying key topics that need to be reinforced and create clear learning paths so learners can build on their knowledge. Use a microlearning tool to manage vast information and give employees bite-sized learning. This has many benefits, such as fitting training into a busy schedule and reinforcing knowledge through regular training. Unlike traditional eLearning, microlearning gives employees the flexibility and support they need to succeed.

Focusing on conversational flow makes content more digestible and relatable for users. Use real-life examples so learners can connect new knowledge to their experiences and retain more. Add visuals or interactive elements like videos and quizzes to keep learners engaged and retain more.

Add gamification elements like scoring, leaderboards, or progress levels to encourage frequent use of the content. These game-like features add fun to the user interaction during the learning process. Using these, you get microlearning resources that teach, entertain, and inspire learners to various learning outcomes.

Summary

Microlearning is a way to learn and develop in our fast-paced, tech-driven world. It provides short, bite-sized learning modules that fit the short attention span of today's learners and retain more knowledge. This post has covered many benefits of microlearning, including increased learner engagement, adaptability, and productivity.

Using strategies like focusing on individual learning objectives or goals, different content formats, and optimizing for mobile devices, you can create powerful learning experiences. Microlearning is practical across many scenarios, from onboarding new employees to ongoing skills development, interactive diagnostics, and expert training. You can give learners access to learning content anywhere, anytime through mobile, and that amplifies the impact of your learning program.

According to workplace learning trends, microlearning will be big in employee development. Growth culture is key – microlearning is the journey to take talent development in your team to new levels.

FAQs

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is bite-sized content in 2-10 minute chunks. It's for today's learners and based on the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve.

What are the benefits of microlearning?

Microlearning benefits include knowledge retention, learner engagement, flexible learning to meet individual needs, self-paced learning, and productivity.

What are the challenges of microlearning?

Microlearning presents challenges such as handling large content, simplifying complex content, ensuring consistency across modules, and making it relevant to the modern learner.

To deploy microlearning, you must plan carefully and consider these aspects to get the desired results.

How do I create engaging microlearning content?

To create microlearning content, you must know your learners well and have clear learning objectives. Use examples that resonate with them, including interactive elements and gamification.

Then, you will have microlearning content that's both efficient and engaging.

How do I get managers to create microlearning content?

Get managers to create microlearning content by showing them its efficiency and measurable impact on team performance. Show them how bite-sized lessons can fit into their employees' busy schedules, save their time, and increase knowledge retention. Then, involve them in the content creation process so they can share their expertise and see the benefits firsthand.

How do I measure microlearning?

Microlearning can be measured by tracking engagement metrics, information retention rates, assessment scores, skills application in real-life scenarios, and feedback from the learners and their managers.

These will give you a full picture of how it affects knowledge and job performance. By looking at engagement metrics like completion rates and time spent on each module, you can see how much the learners are interested and committed to the training. Retention rates measured through follow-up quizzes and assessments will show how much is absorbed and remembered over time. Assessment scores will show where learners are strong or weak so you can focus on improving the training.

Measuring skills application in real-life scenarios will show the practical impact of microlearning on job performance and any efficiency, accuracy, and overall productivity gains. Getting feedback from learners and their managers will give you a qualitative view, personal experiences, satisfaction levels, and suggestions for improvement.

Combining these quantitative and qualitative data points will give you a full picture of microlearning and help you make informed decisions. Good luck with your new learning approach!

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