Microlearning
(MY-crow LUR-neen)
LIQUID
What is Microlearning?
Microlearning is short, self-directed learning segments that can serve as standalone resources or as part of a larger learning program.Other Common Names
Other common names for lesson plan include:
- Learning bursts
Key Properties
The properties of the element microlearning include:
- short bursts of content
- narrowly focused
- available in the moment of need
Resources From The Train Like a Champion Blog
- Why Are We Still Talking About Microlearning?
- GIFs as a Training Tool: You can provide your learners small lessons through easy to make GIFs.
- Virtual learning through text, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger: It doesn’t get much more “micro” than doing your training on through text messaging.
Short Bursts of wisdom from What's Your Formula by Brian Washburn
- "Some people will ask, “Well, how long can something be and still be considered microlearning?” The truth is that there is no hard and fast rule—there isn’t an International Federation of Microlearning that can officially accredit microlearning content based on its duration. As its name implies, it’s intended to be micro, so if you put together a 10-minute resource—be it a job aid, video, or e-learning course—and choose to call it microlearning, it may not be as “micro” as some people expect."
- "I don’t know of any effective training programs designed to help someone master a skill that consists 100 percent of microlearning bursts. Many people find standalone microlearning content to be extremely convenient and useful as an informal just-in-time job aid or refresher. Other learning teams integrate short microlearning bursts with other more formal learning approaches, such as an instructor-led or e-learning course."
- "Begin with the end in mind. As cliché as it may sound, microlearning initiatives can be much more powerful when they’re intentionally designed as part of an overall training program. You probably can’t teach a complete, complex process or concept solely using short video clips and job aids. However, if you leave a complex process or concept to a one-off training experience, people may not always recall everything they need to do when they need to actually do it. Designing a robust plan before you begin to develop your learning program will lead to the best results."
Elements likely to form a bond with microlearning
Learning Boosts
Microlearning through post-training learning boosts can be an important strategy to aid retention and keep content front-of-mind for your learners.
Video
Tutorials, screencasts, animations, or recordings of thought leaders sharing their perspectives may be all an employee needs to quickly learn a concept or shortcut or be reminded of something they once had learned.
Rapid Authoring
Tools like Adobe Captivate or Articulate Storyline are often used for developing full-blown e-learning modules, but they also can (and should) be used to create small nuggets of information that don’t need to be extensive or tracked in an LMS. They just need to be available to employees on-demand.
Rapid AuthoringCollaborative
File Sharing
Microlearning doesn’t need to take a lot of time or effort to develop. Making job aids, policy summaries, diagrams, flow charts, or other tools and documentation easily accessible through a central repository like Sharepoint, OneDrive, or Google Drive can go a long way to quickly getting key information into employees’ hands.
Instructional Design
Just because it’s intended to be short doesn’t mean you should abandon key principles of instructional design. Identifying core needs, creating something that is engaging for people to learn from, and being intentional about how, when, and where it should be delivered are all essential considerations.
Games
Introducing or refreshing people’s memories using a gameshow- or trivia-inspired theme can make short bursts of information more engaging and interesting. Creating a series of microlearning pieces that align with a theme or story (like you can find in many board games or role-playing games) can offer a common thread to an extended series of short bursts of content.
Other Sources of Information on Microlearning
Books on Microlearning
