The importance of microlearning in e-learning

With emerging technologies and changing trends, employee training and upskilling programs have become a must. Microlearning is one of the best ways to do this due to its simplicity, adaptability and relevance.

Here are some reasons you should adopt microlearning while designing e-learning courses:

It is adaptable for a wide variety of devices

Microlearning is great for those who want to learn on the go. It is usually easily accessible on a variety of platforms, such as laptops, tablets or mobile phones, which helps people learn at their own pace. This also benefits those who are travelling, as they might not always have a stable wi-fi connection.

It can be used at different stages of the learner cycle

One of the biggest benefits of microlearning is that it’s so adaptable. While micro content can be used to create new learning material, it can also be used to supplement older courses at different stages. For example, an initial assessment can be done to assess how much learners already know about the material taught to them, and this can supplement the assessment done after course completion to determine how much they have actually learnt. Similarly, additional references and reading materials can also be added as part of existing courses to further their understanding of the subject.

Helps learner engagement

Shorter forms of content are generally more engaging and interactive. For example, let’s say a student is watching a 40-minute video on a certain subject, post which they have to complete an assignment. The problem with this approach is that it forces them to just consume content for a long amount of time without testing them on it, possibly causing a loss of interest and reduced understanding of the topic.

On the other hand, having ten videos of four minutes each (and an assessment after each) will keep the learner motivated, energised and engaged – thus helping their overall learning.

Improves retention

Learning in small, bite-sized chunks gives learners time to understand what is taught to them and reduces learner fatigue. When modules are divided into smaller parts, with each topic having its own material and assessments, they can understand the precise information that they are meant to learn.

Microlearning also helps retention in learners with short attention spans. With shorter modules, these students can come back to the lesson anytime without having to start over, like in a traditional learning plan.

It is inexpensive and simple

One of the biggest advantages of microlearning is that while microlearning can do a lot to revive your e-learning efforts, you might actually not have to put much effort into it. Microlearning is incredibly effective, even with repurposed content. This means that you can take older, larger pieces of content such as webinars, research papers, manuals, and presentations and rework them into shorter video clips or even infographics.

Microlearning modules are also easier to modify and correct. Instead of taking down an entire block of your course if something needs to be changed, you can quickly modify a small part without any major interruption to your learners.

Microlearning helps employees further their training, helping them in their current roles as well as preparing them for future ones. They can also be used in conjunction with other learning trends that are currently trending. How do you plan on using these to drive your employees’ professional growth?