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Hi team :) I have consolidated and finalised our answers. You can refer to the Word file below. From there, I created an interactive poster using Genial so that our poster will not be wordy but instead the viewers can click on the "info" button on the poster to see detailed information.

Also, I added some more interaction ex. hover over the definition and the keywords will turn into red, and once you click on the definition, it will show the reference, etc.

The link to the poster is also shared in the below post.

Let me know your feedback by Sat 4th Mar, please :) Proofreading and spelling checks will be appreciated. Thank you all.

@Alex, for the answers to Question 4, I have summarised the answer on your behalf based on the links you shared. Feel free to make corrections please.

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Hi all, here is revision 2 of the poster. I have incorporated feedback from Alex and answers from Maria.
Any additional feedback is welcome.
I will submit the poster on the community platform tomorrow Tuesday 7th at 12 noon UK time.
Thanks team!

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Here is the final poster I submitted on 7 March on Cohort community chat. Well done to us. Cheers!

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What Is Microlearning, What It Isn't, And Why You Need It

Microlearning packs a big punch.

It's the more engaging, less time-consuming, and cheaper-to-produce sibling of regular eLearning. While it's not the best solution for every training need, it's a surprisingly effective one for corporate and commercial training.

By the end of this article, you'll know what microlearning is, what its characteristics are, and how to use it in your training. Let's start at the beginning.

Back To Basics: What Is Microlearning?

While there's no official microlearning definition, all microlearning-based training shares one key characteristic: brevity. This could either be small learning units or short-term learning activities.

Microtraining delivers short bursts of content for learners to study at their convenience. Content can take many forms, from text to full-blown interactive multimedia, but should always be short.

Here are some microlearning content examples:

Text (phrases, short paragraphs)

Images (photos, illustrations)

Videos (of the short variety)

Audio (short snippets of speech or music)

Tests and Quizzes

Games (e.g. simple single-screen challenges)

At this point, it is important to mention that not all microlearning apps support every one of these content types. Check with your microlearning vendor to make sure your favorite formats are supported.

Even though bite-sized training has become more and more popular over the last two years, it has a long history, even before computers were a thing. But it really took off when it met the modern smartphone. So much so, that leading microlearning platforms feel like a mix of Twitter and Instagram, but educational.

In this era of busy schedules and short attention spans, microlearning is a near-perfect training model. And it can be used for all kinds of training. A few microlearning examples include employee onboarding, compliance training, and skills training.

What Are The Benefits Of Microlearning?

1. It's Faster To Deliver

Fewer things to write means shorter course delivery times. With microlearning, you can build a course with dozens of units in an hour. This lets you respond faster to changing business goals and new training demands.

2. It's More Affordable

A microlearning course is also much cheaper to produce. It requires fewer resources and needs fewer instructors. You don't even need any special "microlearning tools" to create your content; a regular LMS content editor will do - though, of course, a specialized microlearning-based platform like TalentLMS will make the process much easier.

3. It's Flexible

Microlearning courses can cover any subject that regular eLearning courses can; just in a bite-sized way. You can create courses that give a broad overview of a subject or even create ones for complex topics.

4. Learners Find It More Engaging

Microtraining is the most engaging training delivery method available. The microlearning experience is similar to checking your favorite social app on your smartphone, compared to the "serious study" feel of regular training.

5. It Boosts Knowledge Retention

According to microlearning research, when you study something repeatedly and revisit it when you are close to forgetting it, you retain it much better. Such repeated study fits nicely with microlearning units since they are small, self-contained, and easy to return to.

6. It Gives Learners More Freedom

Regular online training that uses text-heavy courses is not ideal for studying in short stints. Microlearning, on the other hand, lets your learners enjoy casual learning whenever they have some spare time. Plus, since microtraining courses are small, they're also easy to download and take with you when offline.

What Are The Limitations Of Microlearning?

We can't simply call microlearning better or worse than conventional eLearning. It all depends on the subject matter. But in general:

1. It's Not Ideal For Complex Concepts

Microlearning units are great for delivering simple information but are not necessarily the best fit for complex concepts. It's still possible but will require more effort. For example, you'll need to break down the concept into simple parts. That said, a bite-sized course is a great way to give a high-level view of a subject.

2. It's Not Suited For In-Depth Training

If you have a subject that requires in-depth study, microlearning might not be the best approach to take. For example, you can use it to learn conversational German, but not to study German literature. Still, in many cases, and especially in business training, a short self-contained course is exactly what's needed.

Microlearning Best Practices

Compared to traditional courses, a microlearning course is easier to start creating and faster to complete. Of course, you still have to follow a few best practices to get it right:

1. Check Whether It's Right For Your Use Case

If your subject matter is complex, requires in-depth study, or calls for in-person training, microlearning is probably not for you. That said, it might still be a good fit as a supplementary training method.

2. Skim The Fat

Don't just paste chunks of your regular eLearning material into a microlearning unit and call it a day. Write short and focused content that captures the essence of what you're trying to teach.

3. Use Multimedia To Spice Things Up

Text alone will bore your learners. Add relevant multimedia assets such as videos, photos, illustrations, and animations to keep their interest. Choose the multimedia carefully. It should add to your subject, not just make it look "pretty".

4. Turn On Gamification To Boost Engagement

If your microlearning platform supports gamification, add a few elements to your courses. Gamification, the not-so-secret engagement weapon of regular eLearning, is even more engaging if you combine it with a mobile-based microlearning experience.

5. Use Micro-Assessments To Assess Progress

Microlearning goes well with, you got it, micro-assessments. Use mini tests and short quizzes to make sure your learners are progressing with training goals.

Ready To Microlearn?

There you go! Now you know what microlearning is. But what better way to fully understand it than to test it yourself? Experience it, and get a feel of the big possibilities that training in the small offers.

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What Is Microlearning: A Complete Guide For Beginners

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What Is Microlearning? Go beyond the definition and discover its benefits, limitations and the best practices that compose what microlearning really is.

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Coming from Railway Industry where safety is a priority, training design and contents strictly follow Procedures and Work Instructions. While micro-learning is not the best solution for every training need, it's definitely one of the most effective for our training delivery. It’s more engaging, and less time-consuming to keep the staff updated on bite-sized updates on procedures and Work Instruction.
Also, for frontline customer service staff, using micro-learning is the best way to refresh their knowledge of scenarios-based learning on how to assist passengers in different situations. For example, this training can be done in 10 minutes on their mobiles or station laptops before the staff starts their shift.
Accordingly, I am interested to know more about this trend, especially how it works in line with the neuroscience behind learning, information consumption, and attention span of learners.

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FOCUS. It’s a lost art these days. Thanks in part to the rise of social media, quick-scroll news, and even swipe-right dating apps, humans are more distracted than ever, with diminishing attention spans.

In fact, the average human attention span (the time for which a human can focus on non-changing stimulus) is only eight seconds. That’s one full second less than a goldfish.

Still, humans can multitask fairly well because most interactions are quick, from a cursory glance at a few social media updates to hitting a “like” button.

Don’t get us wrong: A short attention span isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That’s because while our attention span has steadily declined over the years, our brain’s capacity to consume and process information has actually increased.

The average office worker checks their email 30 times every hour, and the average mobile phone user checks their smartphone 150 times per day—in addition to reading tweets, watching videos, and hyper-absorbing media.

So how does this phenomenon relate to learning?

All of this hyperactivity has trained us to look for the fastest path to the answers we need. Instead of reading paragraph after paragraph of text or watching lengthy videos, learners are looking for quick bites of information so they can experience, absorb, apply, then move on to the next task.

They are looking for microlearning, which offers learners what they need, when they need it—quickly. Anything longer, and you could get a goldfish-blank stare—what were you talking about again?

In the below guide, we’ll cover a complete introduction to microlearning, including strategy and examples. Or, download our free ebook on microlearning here:

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It’s an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way.

Here’s what microlearning is not: tedious training sessions, monstrous employee manuals, three-day workshops. These outdated teaching tools are quickly becoming replaced by the likes of entertaining micro-content providers such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google.

But microlearning is nothing new. Traditionally, microlearning has been used primarily as part of a more developed blended learning course, combining face-to-face instruction with microlearning for followup and reinforcement. It’s taken on a variety of monikers, including “reusable learning objects,” “minilearning,” “microcourses,” “nanolearning,” and our favorite, “knowledge nuggets.”

Buzzwords and jargon aside, microlearning has long been a concept in search of the right technology. Our ability to search, tag, link and instantly share information has caught up to microlearning’s simple genius: Allow the learner to get information when they want it, and how they want it. Two real-world examples of our newfound appreciation for microlearning can be seen in services like the popular TED-Ed or the language app Duolingo. Both allow learners to direct their own learning by providing quick bursts of highly-concentrated information.

Microlearning Examples

Even if you think you’ve never used microlearning before, you may be surprised.

Here are five some common examples of microlearning almost everyone uses:

1. Microlearning Videos and Talks

Each month, 85 percent of internet users in the United States consume online videos. Videos are typically fast and easy-to-digest, and pairing images with audio increases subject matter recall.

Fast, entertaining and impactful videos can give your subject matter a better chance when compared to written material, and learners can easily share it with their peers, giving it even greater impact.

2. Mircolearning Apps

Whether you use them to stay organized, entertained, or connected, apps essentially create shortcuts for your everyday life. With 204 billion app downloads in 2019, apps are wildly popular and a great way to turn learners’ smartphones and tablets into microlearning machines.

Examples of apps give you micro-lessons to educate include, Word of the Day, Headspace and Duolingo.

3. Games

According to a recent study, gamification increases performance rates by almost 35 percent.

While gamification is itself an eLearning method, games can also be a microlearning tool. Quick, five-minute review games allow learners to recall things they’ve learned, while leaderboards and challenges keep them engaged for short periods of time.

4. Infographics

Infographics deliver information at a glance. By translating data, product information, and even workflows into graphics, learners get the picture quickly.

5. Social Media

For better or worse, about 18 percent of Americans rely solely on social media for political news. Because social media reduces news down to a headline or 160 characters, it’s often the fastest way to convey information. Co-opting social media for microlearning gives you access to a powerful tool that most of your learners already use on a daily basis.

Bite-sized takeaway: Your learners already use microlearning to connect, engage, and stay entertained. You already have the tools; you just need to learn how to apply them.

Why microlearning works

For most corporate training departments, offering access to microlearning modules is the next natural step in workforce training.

A majority of companies have long enjoyed the convenience and lower cost that elearning brings to staff training and development. While traditional interactive blended learning courses are preferred, many forward-thinking companies have developed a nontraditional “flipped classroom” method in which employees are responsible for learning concepts on their own and then practicing or qualifying that knowledge in organized training sessions.

Putting employees in charge of their own learning and delivering it in short bites has measurable benefits. When we understand how attention span works, we see exactly how microlearning can re-engage learners.

This graph shows that in a typical classroom, student attention wanes after the 18-minute mark and remains low until the end of class. The same research has shown that when breaks are introduced into the training at 15-minute intervals, attention rebounds each time, even over the course of a 60-minute class.

Here’s the thing: When you’re just looking for a snack, it doesn’t make sense for someone to force-feed you a Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of day-long seminars and courses that drag on for hours, mini lessons condense the information into more digestible bites.

Microlearning in short spurts and with mental breaks in between (rest breaks or breaks where students are asked to complete a task or activity) is the answer to waning attention spans.

Still not convinced? Information about internet bounce rates also sheds light on our shrinking attention span. One study found that 32 percent of internet users abandon a slow site after one to five seconds, and just a one-second delay meant 11 percent fewer views overall. In short, learners want to find what they need quickly—and have no problem looking elsewhere if information transmission is taking too long.

Microlearning is uniquely qualified to deliver information to a rising generation of hyper-efficient learners.

Bite-sized takeaway: Microlearning taps into the way your learners’ brains work. By allowing learners to control the flow of information, you keep learners engaged and improve later recall.

Your brain on microlearning

Microlearning isn’t just a theory: it’s proven neuroscience. By respecting the neuroscience behind learning, information consumption, and attention span, it’s possible to design an eLearning curriculum that takes various learning preferences into consideration.

The prefrontal cortex—the part of your brain responsible for everything from cognition to decision-making—is flanked by both the hippocampus and the amygdala. Both play integral roles in learning, but they react very specifically in response to microlearning.

The hippocampus is your brain’s message center: it filters through information and makes quick judgements about how important or vital that information actually is. It then sends the vital stuff to long-term memory for storage and later retrieval.

Information is only held within the working memory of the hippocampus for about 20 minutes. If data is not converted to a long-term memory by then, it’s usually discarded by the brain and no longer available for recall or future manipulation. What’s more, the hippocampus is only great at filtering one source of information at a time. Once you add in more sources of information or attempt to multitask, the hippocampus automatically begins collecting only the most vital information from either source, leaving large holes in the data that it collects and stores.

Typical training can not only be both long and boring, taxing the hippocampus’ ability to stay alert, but it practically begs learners to multitask while learning. Scrolling through a phone or checking email while an instructor is talking means the hippocampus leaves gaps in the knowledge that will be stored in long-term memory.

Microlearning does the complete opposite: By breaking learning into smaller pieces, the hippocampus stays alert and focused while receiving information, making it easier for the brain to receive, sort, and store information without losing focus or giving into the temptation to multitask while learning. The result is a condensed, effective version of training that can take half the time but have even more impact than traditional training methods.

For its part, the amygdala is responsible for processing emotion and creating the building blocks for sensory experiences. When working in tandem with the hippocampus, emotional responses processed by the amygdala can actually strengthen neural pathways to improve recall and memory. When a learner has an emotional response to learning, the brain moves the information from working memory to long-term memory for later recall.

Bite-sized takeaway: Microlearning engages the brain to not only pay attention, but to connect the learner to the content emotionally so information is converted from short-term to long-term memory.

Microlearning best practices

Short stories that use humor or animation are a great microlearning tool because they create an emotional response that lights up the brain’s amygdala and tells the hippocampus to pay attention. What’s more, the “short” in short stories can create a positive reaction in learners, who are more than pleased that training doesn’t require hours of time investment. This positive mood can also influence learning and information storage in the brain, further strengthening the link between short bursts of learning and better retention overall.

The span of time between lessons can also help learners convert information to long-term memory. Much like your muscles after a gym session, brains need time to recover in order to strengthen neural pathways and layer old knowledge with new information in your memory.

Studies suggest that a gap of as little as 12 hours (as long as that gap includes a good night’s sleep) can be enough to allow the brain to rest and generate memories. A study published in a 2009 issue of Applied Cognitive Psychology found that participants’ performance improved 90 percent when they spaced out their study sessions, as compared to participants who “crammed” the night before a test. Another study found that when students read texts in short spurts of a few minutes with filler tasks in between, they had better recall a full week later than when compared to students who read entire texts start-to-finish.

Attention, spacing, and even sleep can have a huge impact on the way brains absorb new information and convert it to long term memory. Chopping up information into digestible pieces doesn’t just make learners sit up and pay attention; they actually become more efficient learners in the process.

How long should microlearning last?

Prevailing opinion is that microlearning curriculum should be chopped into 10 to 15 minute pieces—max. That doesn’t have to be a hard and fast rule. The actual time limit for microlearning depends on the instructional designer, SME and teacher. Five 15-minute lessons create a larger retention rate than a 75-minute instructional video. In fact, that 15-minute video or short infographic might create an even deeper impact on learners because you capture their full attention, even if it’s just for a short while.

How small is small enough?

If microlearning is to be visual — think graphics or slides—then the best rule of thumb is to imagine the size of an index card. If you can fit the visual matter onto an index card, it will fit into your microlearning curriculum. Another way to think of it? The size of a smartphone screen. Videos, graphs, social networking and other pictures can be easily shared and viewed via phone, making it a natural tool for mini lessons.

When’s the right time to send microlearning bites?

It’s a good idea to have learners answer discussion questions or take a quick quiz in the middle of an eLearning lesson or training. Sending microlearning quizzes, tips or videos straight to learners’ phones or emails can help them retain some of that new knowledge by immediately putting it to work.

Microlearning is also more effective when it’s done often. By making microlearning part of your learners’ everyday routine, it becomes fully integrated into their schedules. The beauty of mini-lessons are that they can be absorbed anytime, anywhere. By asking that learners check a video as part of their lunch break or other down time, you make better use of their time and maximize your results.

Bite-sized takeaway: Breaking learning into 10 to 15 minute “chunks” and utilizing microlearning as part of a daily learning routine is the key to seeing the best results.

Micro learning; macro results

Learners love microlearning because it saves time and puts them in charge, letting them choose not only what to learn, but when to learn. After all, a busy professional may only have a few minutes to learn, process and apply new info. Like TED-Ed, Khan Academy also offers topical knowledge on the fly. Learners can click on topics that interest them— all without the hand-holding that traditional eLearning entails.

Consider some of these major benefits that thinking smaller could have for your learners:

More traditional learning and training methods aren’t conducive to constant changing and updating. Funneling your lessons into a more digestible medium not only saves time; it’s easy to update learners for learners can score updates via social media, video and interactive content.

Bite-sized takeaway: Microlearning’s unique benefits (think engaged and motivated learners) make it a no-brainer for your training strategy.

Ideas for fast microlearning integration

You don’t need a complete training overhaul to start seeing immediate benefits of microlearning. Start to identify areas where shrinking down your eLearning could make a serious difference today. Here are some ideas to get you started:

A well-planned menu and autoplay features can help ambitious learners stay on task and absorb more than just one 5-minute lesson. Of course, when the time comes to create something more personalized, it’s possible to create an app for flash cards, quizzes, daily quotes and even mini-lessons.

Smartphones allow you to blend microlearning aspects seamlessly with your current training strategy in what’s called “second screen learning.” Traditional lectures, conferences and classes are complemented by learners using smartphones and tablets to answer questions.  While you may end a demonstration at 5 p.m., smartphones allow you to keep up with your students—and your students to keep up with the training—long after you turn off the lights.

By connecting with your learners via social media, you nab them where you’ll find them most frequently—perusing profiles. This is a chance for them to learn from a quick video or tip, but is also an opportunity for the information to be shared on the same platforms, extending your overall reach.

Bite-sized takeaway: Implement microlearning strategies today by queueing up videos and sharing via social media.

Wrapping up

Brains love microlearning, and for good reason: breaking content down based on relevancy, time constraints, and learner autonomy taps into learners’ neuro pathways. Small nuggets of information may seem inconsequential, especially when compared to content-heavy training strategies, but for the brain, bigger isn’t always better.

In addition to lightening the learning load, microlearning provides quick turn-around: as you surf the web, read reports and check in with sites, you’ll undoubtedly happen upon articles, videos and information that you want to share with your learners via Twitter or other social media.

Microlearning might be the smallest tool in your training arsenal, but it might also be one of the most effective.

Looking to implement microlearning into your eLearning strategy? Contact us at ELM Learning to tell us about your project goals!

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Microlearning: The Complete Guide to Strategy, Examples & More

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Learners are looking for microlearning, which offers learners what they need, when they need it—quickly. Discover the best examples and strategies for microlearning in our complete guide.

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When Should You Use Microlearning?

Microlearning isn't a silver bullet. Although a popular method and a strong instructional strategy, it's not always the best solution. We'll begin with some circumstances in which microlearning may be the ideal option. Equally important, we'll then consider some situations in which microlearning may not be the best choice.

Knowing when to and when not to begins with a thorough needs assessment that results in a strategic plan. Who are the learners? What are their needs? What's your organization attempting to accomplish? What are your key metrics? What's the experience and education level of your learners? What's your current culture of learning? How's your learning currently being delivered? Are you attempting to solve a problem? Prevent a problem? Create an opportunity? What will be the tone of the learning (fun, serious, scholarly, conversation, etc)? What technology is available to your learners?

The Solution You Might Be Looking For In 6 Examples

This is an incomplete list of questions, but it's a good place to begin before you commit to microlearning-or any other type of learning. What follows are general guidelines for when microlearning might be just the solution you're looking for.

1. When The Right Information Matters

Technology floods our world with information at our fingertips. Every trivia argument can be instantly resolved. Disagreements over statistics and facts end before they even get started. What a wonderful world! The difficulty is that some of the information available on the internet or even on Wikipedia isn't correct. When a technique or process is mission-critical and precise information matters, share it via microlearning. Controlling information ensures that the right procedures and processes get conveyed.

2. For An Introduction Of Techniques

Microlearning is a great way to teach technical skills related to a very specific process. It does a good job answering the question, "How do I...?" Think of the team member who has little experience in a new role. Rather than overloading a new person with seven days of training and onboarding, figure out what they're going to need to know and when they're going to need to know it. Trying to quickly train to a complex system will likely not lead to sticky learning. Microlearning in a well-planned release might be just the thing.

3. As An Introduction And Reinforcement

When microlearning isn't the appropriate mechanism, in the case of complex thoughts, actions, processes, and projects, it can certainly introduce a larger learning opportunity. Used creatively, microlearning can create dissonance prior to the main learning event by creating a scenario and leaving it unresolved for the moment. Microlearning can also reinforce what's already been taught.

4. When It's Actionable

When the learner needs immediate, specific information, microlearning might be the right solution. The main consideration might not be someone understanding an entire system. For a specific moment, learners may need to know how to replace something, grease something, enter data, or communicate up the chain.

5. For Smartphones And Tablets

When most or all learners have access to Smartphones or tablets, microlearning can be a great choice provided the other parameters apply.

6. When It's Searchable

Learning in small, manageable bites works well only if it's possible to quickly find the information the learner seeks. No one wants to search for a needle in a haystack or, worse yet, in a pile of other needles.

When Should You Avoid Microlearning?

Let's take a look at situations in which microlearning might not be the best choice for learning organizations. The following are guidelines to be considered. They're more akin to rules of thumb than to hard, fast, unbreakable rules.

1. For Complex, Interconnected Concepts

Learning content isn't always simple, stand-alone, and bite-size. Sometimes what's being conveyed is complex, because of what it's challenging, and not easily grasped. Complexity can also be part of the equation when multiple ideas or concepts are tied to one another and the learning objective is to understand how the whole process works rather than the specific functions of individual parts. Gaps in systemic thinking can be serious and create a situation in which someone truly can't see the forest but knows each tree. It's possible to have mastery over a large number of unrelated concepts but miss how they fit and function together. There are even times when knowing in part but not the whole can be dangerous.

In some learning scenarios, learning by piece can frustrate participants. If they can't see how the pieces fit together, they may even disregard learning about the pieces. This has to do with relevance. No one likes to learn facts that have little relevance to them. Learners can end up with a large number of information silos but no true knowledge, wisdom, or insight. It can be like trying to learn a new language by memorizing ten words a day-at some point, you might be able to cobble together a rough translation of a few sentences, but it's unlikely you'd be able to speak the language because you wouldn't know how it all fit together.

2. When Learning Requires Mastery

There are circumstances when learners need to master not only specific parts of a system and how they fit together but also require theoretical knowledge. These circumstances go beyond understanding a single system and require consideration of a series of systems and the science behind them. Some situations require substantial hands-on experience. For example, microlearning might not be the way to learn how to weld. That requires not just an understanding of the elements of the welding process and how they fit together. At some point, the deepest knowledge and expertise comes from standing next to a master welder for a series of days and learning from observation and correction of errors. The safety of others and the fledgling welder depends on the mastery of the process and skill.

Be wary of the thinking that everything can be learned in 3-minute chunks. Some things require more thought, more discussion, more examples, and more dissection. Start with a clarification of the audience, needs, abilities, objectives, and learning material. Use microlearning when it fits and choose other strategies when it doesn't.

If you want to discover more about microlearning, download the eBook How To Bring Microlearning Theory To Practice: Tips For L&D Professionals. Get to discover all the enticing microlearning tips for L&D professionals. Also, join the webinar to discover how microlearning impacted employees' behavior and transformed organizational culture.

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When To Use Microlearning: 6 Microlearning Examples And Learning Modalities To Leverage Your Learning

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Microlearning isn't a silver bullet. Although a popular method and a strong instructional strategy, it's not always the best solution. We'll begin with some circumstances in which microlearning may be the ideal option. Equally important, we'll then consider some situations in which microlearning may not be the best choice.

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OpenStax | Free Textbooks Online with No Catch

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OpenStax offers free college textbooks for all types of students, making education accessible & affordable for everyone. Browse our list of available subjects!

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Microlearning refers to the delivery of small, bite-sized units of learning material typically lasting no more than a few minutes. This approach to learning has gained popularity in recent years due to its effectiveness and practicality. Here are some of the impacts that microlearning has on the education field:

1. Increased Engagement: Microlearning helps to break down complex topics into smaller, more digestible chunks. This approach makes it easier for learners to stay focused and engaged throughout the learning process.

2. Flexibility: Microlearning allows learners to access the material whenever and wherever they want. This flexibility helps to accommodate learners who have busy schedules and limited time for learning.

3. Personalization: Microlearning can be customized to meet the individual needs of learners. This approach allows learners to focus on the areas they need to improve on and skip over topics they already know.

4. Better Retention: Microlearning promotes better retention of information as learners can revisit the material multiple times. The bite-sized nature of microlearning allows learners to review the material more frequently, which reinforces the learning process.

Overall, microlearning is an effective tool that can help learners to acquire new knowledge and skills quickly and efficiently. Its impact on the education field is likely to continue to grow as more educators and learners adopt this approach to learning.

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As someone new to the industry, I am interested in how microlearning is utilized by companies in the onboarding process. How do these companies 'chunk' information in a engaging way that provides value to both the learner and the company?

Additionally, as a language teacher I have witnessed the benefits of microlearning both inside and outside the classroom. This could be through instructor-led sessions or through language learning apps such as Duolingo or Mondly. I find this type of training to be incredibly useful, but also recognize its limitations when learning more in-depth, challenging concepts.

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https://elearningindustry.com/microlearning-for-onboarding-how-use

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Bonus! Download the PDF Microlearning: Powerful Training Tool For Onboarding and learn how to use Microlearning For Onboarding!

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https://www.edapp.com/blog/microlearning-languages/

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Learning a foreign language undoubtedly poses many challenges and obstacles for learners along the way. Instead of attempting to aimlessly grapple with these, steps can be taken to develop effective strategies to counter these issues.
Learning a language can often result in cognitive overload for learners, meaning that they are unable to withhold many pieces of new information at once. Studies conclude that the average human brain can only withhold 3-5 new pieces of information at any given time.

1. How to start learning a language
1. Set language-learning goals
Setting goals when learning a language is essential to measure progress and maintain motivation.
2. Use the language as much as possible, every day
Use the language to think and speak in as much as possible. Microlearning allows for this as micro modules are available to learners at any time, anywhere. The mobility of the training courses provides countless benefits to learners, accommodating them in their learning journey.
3. Practice in real-life
Practicing a language in real-life situation is essential to be able to apply your learning. It can sometimes be difficult to do this, which is where microlearning saves the day. Micromodules provide learners with real-life simulations, making it just as effective as using it in the outside world.
4. Learn about the culture
Learning about the culture of the country of the language's origin can help provide context to what you're learning. This motivates learners and develops a stronger relationship between them and their learning.
5. Collaborate with others learning the same language
Peer learning is particularly useful when learning a foreign language as learners can share their knowledge with others, simultaneously learning from others. This closes any potential gaps in learning as people can share their areas of strength whilst improving their areas of weakness.
6. Know your motivation
It is crucial to commit to learning the language you have decided on. If you understand your motivation and reason for learning the language, you are more likely to stay motivated for a prolonged period of time.
7. Find a partner
When you have a partner to rival against in the mission to m learn a language, you are able to remain competitive and motivated to be the better learner. Having something who you can speak to, where you are both on the same level of competency, assists in further strengthening the relationship you have with learning the language.
8. Talk to yourself
Better than attempting to absorb knowledge off the page and into your long-term memory, talking to yourself is beneficial to develop conversational skills in your desired language. Talking to yourself in a foreign language familiarises yourself with essential skills, words and phrases, to develop fluency and build confidence for the next time you speak with someone.

9. Ensure relevancy
Learning from textbooks can often expose you to phrases which are too formal or are not used in a conversational setting. This is why it is essential to talk to people for the maintenance of a relevant learning process.
10. Enjoy yourself!
When you craft an enjoyable and entertaining way to learn the language, you tend to be able to withstand a longer period of ongoing learning, absorb more information and are more likely to go back to it after a shorter period of rest time. You could write and record songs, write and enact a movie script, or whatever else you can come up with!
11. Let out your inner child
Learning the way children do is most beneficial for adults learning a new language. This is simply through adopting childlike attitudes, whereby self-consciousness is reduced and willingness to make mistakes is boosted. As adults, mistakes become taboo, often resulting in the avoidance of certain unstable situations, such as learning a foreign language. Learn to admit you don't know everything about the new language and you're on your merry way to learning it all!
12. Say goodbye to your comfort zone
Learning a language is impossible without putting yourself in a new and unfamiliar situation. Make the most of this by building up enough courage to order food or perhaps asking for directions. In time, this will expand your comfort zone to cover various areas, useful to you in the long-run. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, as different difficulties will undoubtedly be encountered. There are various components of a foreign language, whether it is grammar or syntax, requiring you to be flexible and agile in your learning.
13. Listen
Language learning is made significantly easier and is much more seamless when you learn to listen before learning to speak. Exposing yourself to accents and other components of the language is essential to fully grasp the learning process. For your next Friday night movie, opt for a movie in a foreign language!
14. Observe others speaking
Foreign languages require much more than just vocal pronunciation, also proving physical pronunciation and intonation to be crucial. Try to situate yourself somewhere that you can watch a native speaker of the language in person. If this is a challenge, watch foreign films and TV.
15. Immerse yourself
Lastly, it's time to jump into the language learning universe and take a maximalist approach; practice every single day, even for just 10 minutes. Think in it, write in it, speak in it and put it into practice. Write emails to yourself in it, listen to music in it and watch TV in it. A great tip is to also begin by reading children's books to develop a foundational understanding of the basics.

2. Why Should You Do It?

Firstly, a Canadian piece of research in the science of language proves that Alzheimer's and dementia are likely to develop later in bilinguals than monolinguals. This is just a small bit of evidence out of myriad like studies that promote learning a foreign language to keep your brain active and healthy.

Secondly, most of the one billion non-native English-speakers around the world would rather speak in their own language if it were a choice. This is why it is useful to be able to speak in foreign languages, to accommodate and put these people at ease. When travelling abroad, it is much more immersive and worthwhile when you are able to communicate with, understand and interact with the situations you are in, no matter where you are in the world.

3. Learning Boosters After Some Time Away

If you have abandoned your study for a bit and need to get back onboard, there are some boosters to achieve exactly this!

Step 1: Train your ears with pronunciation.

Step 2: Revise your vocab using images.

Step 3: Read a story in chosen language to naturally refresh grammar.

Step 4: Refresh study before sleeping.

Step 5: Start speaking!

4. What is the fastest way to learn a language?

Fast-tracking language learning doesn't have to mean endless hours of drilling grammar rules or memorizing textbook phrases that hold little relevance to the real world. The quickest way to build up a vocabulary bank is to chunk down language learning. Chunking vocabulary into commonly used phrases, and rearranging them in different sentence contexts, expedites the retrieval process by bypassing individual word recall and enabling learners to retrieve vocabulary groupings.

Furthermore, as linguistics expert Stephen Krashen points out, when grammatical rules are embedded into chunked vocabulary, we are able to more effectively 'absorb' them, much as a child would unconsciously acquire language.1 If the aim is to reach 80-20 fluency as quickly as possible, vocabulary building should specifically target the most commonly used phrases, with the aim of reaching 1000 words; as polyglot Teddy Nee advises, this means learning the most frequently used verbs, tenses, 6W1H phrases (What, Why, Where, Who, When, Which, How) and pronouns. 2 Add spaced repetition into your language learning mix and you'll be conversing with native speakers in no time!

5. How Microlearning Helps

Microlearning is the most suitable strategy to employ when undertaking the study of a foreign language. If you are not completely familiar with what microlearning is or how it can impact your learning capability, look no further than this article.

Microlearning breaks down complex knowledge into simplified, bite-sized pieces of information for easy digestion, absorption and retention of information. Knowledge is much more likely to be recalled by learners when it is immediately embedded into long term memories, rather than staying temporarily.

6. Best Apps and Tools For Language Learning

There are various apps and organisations on the market existing to assist learners in linguistic development. We have sifted through them to select some of the best.

1. Rosetta Stone: Rosetta Stone assists in the building of conversational skills, enabling learners to thrive in real-world conversations. The app is downloadable on iOS or Android, making it a flexible and agile tool to use.

2. Duolingo: Duolingo is built around a gamification app roach, whereby learners gain points and prizes for lesson completion. Its interactive and responsive interface is appealing to learners and encourages them to see, hear and internalize the information they are exposed to.

3. Memrise: Memrise is a flashcard-style language learning platform, enabling learners to memorise words and phrases. Users can compete against each other to battle to be the best.

4. Babbel: Babbel is also game-like and interactive, allowing users access online and via mobile. It helpfully offers targeted exercises based on the learner's individual needs.

7. Theories on the Origins of Language

There are many stories and vast ideas of how language was established but there is no straight answer. In light of this, we have gathered five of the oldest and most common theories of the origins of language. And yes, they're names are legitimate.
1. The Bow-Wow Theory
This theory revolves around our ancestors beginning to speak by imitating the natural sounds around them. It says that first speech was onomatopoeic, however, the theory has been criticised due to a lack of words being onomatopoeic in the first place, as well as varying from one language to another.
2. The Ding-Dong Theory
This theory was favoured by Plato and Pythagoras, who believed that language arose in response to the surrounding world. In other words, the sounds people made where harmonious with objects in the environment. This has been criticised as there is no innate connection between sound and meaning.
3. The La-La Theory
Otto Jespersen was a Danish linguist who theorised that language developed from sounds associated with song, play and love. However, the theory fails to account for "the gap between the emotional and the rational aspects of speech expression" (Crystal, 2005).
4. The Pooh-Pooh Theory
This theorises that speech began with interjections, for instance, through expressions of pain ("ouch"), surprise ("oh") and other emotions. However, Crystal (2005) further points out that these small noises "bear little relationship to the vowels and consonants found in pathology".
5. The Yo-He-Ho Theory
This theory revolves around the idea that language first evolved from the noises evoked by heavy physical labour. However, it has been criticised for not providing an in-depth explanation of where words come from.

8. The Importance of Memory for Learning a Language

Memory plays a major role in every individual's life. It helps us to remember the skills we have learned, to retrieve stored information, or recall a previous experience. However, the duration of retention depends on the type of memory and what type of information it is.

The most important categories of memory are long-term memory, short-term memory, and working memory. The first two can deteriorate due to old age, or a variety of clinical conditions. When learning a language, effective memory capacity is essential.

9. Memory Process

Memory is a subjective, active, reflective process of our previous experiences in life. They are generally three processes involved in the formation of memory:

Encoding: This is the first process involved in memory formation in the encoding of information. The process of encoding is subjective and selective and involves three factors:

The type of content to be encoded can be impacted by the following factors:

The learner's familiarity with the content.

The degree to which the content is structured and organized.

The size of the content.

The subject of the content.

Environment: These are the conditions under which encoding happens. The impact of these factors on memory is significant during the process of memorization. (Ex: Temperature, humidity, socio-economic conditions, etc). These conditions can either inhibit or stimulate the encoding process.

Subjective: These are the variable factors that affect the process of encoding. The subjective factors include fatigue, motivation, interest, etc. These factors are important and need to be considered while designing a training program.

Storing: This is the second process wherein the encoded information is preserved for future use. In this process, the information is stored, transformed, and reorganized with new reference points.

The effectiveness of this process is measured by the duration of retention and the fidelity of the information stored. Information is stored based on three levels of memory:

Long-term memory: This type of memory helps store and recall information later. After the data is received, it is forwarded to different parts of the brain and sorted by color, smell, etc. Emotions play a major role in the process of recall. Stronger the emotions caused by the memory, easier the recall of the event. Reinforcement of certain activities or knowledge by repeated exposure can strengthen long-term memory.

Short-term memory: This type of memory, also called primary memory, stores information very briefly. These memories last for more than 20-30 seconds and then begin to decay rapidly. The duration of short-term memory can be extended by using rehearsal techniques - by saying something aloud and mentally repeating it.

Working memory: This memory is important to hold and manipulate information mentally over a short span of time. This memory is the "go-between" short-term and long-term memories. Working memory is often confused with rote memory. This type of memory is used not just for standard memorization of information but using it later for a task. This type of memory is limited in duration and capacity. For example, implementing the steps of a recipe without looking at the cookbook. The working memory has several inter-linked components:

Verbal-short term memory: This memory holds information that is expressed as sentences, numbers, and words.

Visual-spatial short-term memory: This memory holds information such as images, pictures, and geographical location of places.

Retrieving: This is the process that involves accessing the stored information. This happens through the process of recall or recognition. The process of recall happens by remembering a fact, object, or event. It involves uncovering of information from memory. On the other hand, recognition is the process of associating an event or object that was previously experienced. It involves searching and retrieving several items from memory and then choosing the correct one from the multiple items retrieved.

10. Impact of Weak Memory on Learning

Problems in working memory can have an impact on learning. This is because the individual will have less space in working memory to organize and integrate new skills or knowledge. The impact of this is that the individual will have difficulties in following directions, organizing thoughts, learning procedures with multiple steps, or processing information.

Issues in long-term memory can cause problems in information recall. The individual may be disorganized, confused, and disoriented when presented with new learning material.

11. How to learn a language with EdApp

A microlearning platform, like EdApp, utilizes a spaced repetition strategy, meaning that information is repeated in intervals, allowing learners to learn without losing the knowledge they are exposed to. It does this by feeding the learner just the right amount of information gradually and reinforces information that the individual is particularly struggling with.

It allows for the personalization of learning, which is particularly important for the instilment of worthwhile learning, essential for the modern learner. Catering to the needs and preferences of learners is essential, especially in the fast-paced, technology-dictated lives we live.

To Sum Up

There are various factors which must be accounted for to achieve the most successful training outcome when learning a new language. We hope to have enlightened you and provided you with options and choices for learners to take on board when embarking on their language learning journey.

To learn more about the tips and tricks to learn a new language, watch this TED talk of polyglot and linguist Matthew Youlden, explaining easy steps to learn a new language and debunking popular myths!

You may also be interested in, https://www.edapp.com/blog/converting-short-term-memory-to-long-term/

Krashen, S. D. (1988). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Prentice-Hall International.References

Hooshmand, D. (15 December 2018). 'Get Fluent Faster with Easier Words.' available online, https://discoverdiscomfort.com/get-fluent-faster-with-easier-words/, retrieved 7 July 2020.

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Learning a foreign language undoubtedly poses many challenges and obstacles for learners along the way. Instead of attempting to aimlessly grapple with these, steps can be taken to develop effective strategies to counter these issues. Learning a language can often result in cognitive overload for learners, meaning that they are unable to withhold many pieces of new information at once.

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Updated

Microlearning is a way of teaching and training employees in ways that take little time but ultimately reach the intended goal.

In this guide, you will learn about microlearning, what makes it effective, and how to implement it successfully in your organization.

Discover:

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is an approach to learning new information in small chunks at a time. Typically, microlearning sessions are under ten minutes and can take as little as one minute to complete.

Microlearning theory
The whole concept of microlearning is based on the Hermann Ebbinghaus forgetting curve.
In the mid-1880s, Hermann Ebbinghaus became the first person to create a scientific approach to study and classify memory and introduce the world to concepts like the learning curve and forgetting curve.

During his studies, he tested subjects on their memory of sets of inconsequential, erroneous sounds and syllables. Throughout these trials, he began assessing the capabilities and function of memory in his subjects.

Ebbinghaus noted that memory does not stay consistent throughout trials. Memory can increase, decrease, and back again many times.

Of course, this also depends on not only the subject matter being learned but also the methods in which it is learned. These methods and studies also correspond to his studies on forgetting, and ultimately his "forgetting curve."

This also led to the discovery of memory ' savings.' Memory saving refers to knowledge once held at the top of the mind, in complete (or at least relatively complete) accuracy, and the retention of the information thereafter.

He found that strictly memorized information can be recalled much more easily after learning it again, even after a significant time without using it.

As the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve demonstrates, people typically lose 80% of the knowledge they learn within a month.

When people learn large amounts of information, they do retain it for a certain amount of time. However, if that information isn't considered 'crucial' to the tasks at hand, the knowledge tends to degrade over time.

The microlearning concept can be used to tackle this issue. Splitting the content into small pieces and recalling different parts of it over time can help improve knowledge retention and productivity.

In Ebbinghaus' memory retention graph, shown below, you can see that when someone first learns something, they retain all of that information. As the days pass, memory retention begins to drop. But as you perpetually review information, you retain more and more of it.

Microlearning can really improve on-the-job training because employees will learn in a short period of time, and without disrupting their daily tasks. It is possible because microlearning works with the brain to prioritize information that may be more relevant to a daily workflow.

Benefits of microlearning

1. Requires less time to consume the content

The #1 reason employees say they are not engaging in workplace learning is because they don't have the time.

The main point behind microlearning is that it's quick. At the very most, it takes about ten minutes.

With all the tasks employees are expected to perform- the less time they have to spend in training, the better. In short, employees still learn extra skills for their jobs, but without taking the time they can't afford to do so.

Microlearning is how you will learn parts of your job in small bits, although with reduced time investments, and additional benefits that employees can utilize on a daily basis.

2. Increases learners' engagement

Even people with great attention spans can struggle to remain engaged in long learning sessions. However, when people know that their learning or training will take only a few moments, it's much easier for them to sit through.

Most people are wired to engage with new information for shorter, rather than longer, periods of time. Microlearning caters to this and keeps employees engaged.

3. Improves knowledge retention

As we mentioned, knowledge is more likely to be retained when we recall it over and over again.

Microlearning facilitates self-directed lifelong learning, as short activities can be easily integrated into everyday activities.

Small learning steps, with small chunks of information, can be used for learning in between and on-demand. In this way microlearning enables individuals to stay up-to-date in today's knowledge society. Small injections of information to review what was learned help to reinforce knowledge, and memory.

Microlearning allows constant training, with the knowledge that is retained over time.

4. Enables learning on the go (mobile learning)

Because microlearning relies on small, bite-sized training sessions, it's easy to make it accessible for any device- not just computers.

Larger training courses can be difficult for employees to keep up with. They may need to pause in the middle of a course. That means they might lose their place, or forget previous information and have to backtrack before resuming the rest of the course.

Microlearning works in synergy with mobile learning so that you can learn on the go. Short, bite-sized lessons make it easy to fit into a busy schedule. Learn (nearly) anywhere, any time.

5. Supports self-paced learning

People all learn differently, and microlearning allows people to find a way of learning that works for them. Rather than having to conform to a rigid, structured course of learning, they can find a flexible solution in microlearning. Employees can learn at their own pace, whether it's a subject they excel in or one they need to take more time to master.

If an employee needs to review a certain piece of information, they don't delay the rest of the learning course. That certain piece of information is the majority or the entirety of the short training course.

6. Enables personalized learning

Traditional training and learning courses can be difficult for employees to get through because they often contain information that isn't specifically relevant to the employee's role.

Microlearning allows you to construct your learning paths with short, informative pieces of learning, which don't incorporate extraneous information.

Also, it makes it easier to rotate and recommend different pieces for different roles - enabling flexible and personalized learning paths.

Each microlearning course has a targeted focus on one specific item. This also ensures that employees don't waste time trying to sift through a large course to find the one or two sections that they actually need to learn.

Challenges of microlearning

1. It takes work and resources to maintain

One of the biggest myths about microlearning is that it is easy to create and maintain learning materials. Unfortunately, it isn't true.

On the employer's side, microlearning programs can take time, resources, and plenty of effort to maintain.

You may already have plenty of courses and training materials at your disposal. And just simply splitting them into smaller segments isn't always effective.

You need to take time to plan out your microlearning modules and make sure they're relevant for the employees using them.

This can also become complicated because you need to ensure that each session makes sense on its own, and can fit into a greater, sequential part of learning (to make sense with courses that come before and after it).

Another point to remember is that you will need to periodically update your microlearning content as technology and business procedures change over time (and sometimes very rapidly).

2. Scaling personalized content

Personalizing millions of pieces of content so that they are relevant to every individual person can be extremely tedious or even impossible.

Because microlearning courses are very short pieces, it means that a full, traditional course could be split into many dozens of microlearning courses.

For the entirety of a company's training materials, that could ultimately result in thousands of different modules or even much more.

Going through all this information, personalizing it, and directing it to the right individuals can be extremely difficult.

Instructional designers need to figure out how to organize that information, and direct it to the individuals it's relevant to.

3. Accessibility problem

If just splitting the large course into short microlearning chunks isn't an easy task, imagine how difficult it is to make it accessible for people with disabilities.

It's still a large task for instructional designers and requires specific knowledge and technologies.

Designers need to make sure that the courses are formatted and optimized according to accessibility standards and best practices.

4. Lack of time to invest

Ultimately, some employees are just in high demand and incredibly short on time, no matter what.

These employees may still have time to research small issues that need to be resolved on their own.

However, it can also be quite a struggle for them to find time throughout their day (no matter how accessible the courses are) to participate in mandated microlearning courses.

If employees struggle to find time to follow a microlearning course, it's also fairly likely that they can't find the extra time to independently research even small tasks that would make their jobs easier.

Microlearning examples

1. Microcopy

Short, targeted, highly contextual messages or hints, to help users learn.
Examples:

Error messages

Contact form explainers

eCommerce hints

2. Microlearning videos

Short, focused videos that are designed to meet a specific learning outcome. Microlearning videos can be designed to be: A standalone nugget that offers a specific learning takeaway. A part of a longer learning path.
Examples:

Explainer videos

Brief & interactive videos

Micro-lectures

Whiteboard animations

Kinetic text-based animations

3. Microlearning apps or mobile apps

Apps that give you micro-lessons, on-the-go
Examples:
4. Micro-challenges and games

Learning that is scored at the end, that can include an award, benefits, badges, notoriety, or other incentives for taking part or achieving a high score.
Examples:

Multiple question quizzes

Polls, flashcards

Question & responses

Simulations

Learner recordings to answer questions

5. Infographics

Infographics (and often iconic, focusing on key points and numerical values) are graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge.
Examples:

Statistical infographics

Informational infographics

Timeline infographics

Process infographics

Geographic infographics

Comparison infographics

Hierarchical infographics

List infographics

6. Social Media

Social media can be used as a micro-blogging exercise, and you can learn nuggets of information from the stream of content you subscribe to. Social media can be used as an activity feed of online communities of practice.

Examples:
140 character snippets of news on social media

Principles and best practices of microlearning

1. Define if it's a good fit

Microlearning can be a great tool, but it's not necessarily suited to every subject matter.

Some tasks are very complex, and can't be squeezed into a segment under ten minutes.

Likewise, there are certain tasks that are nearly impossible to teach from an e-course, textbook, or slideshow. These tasks require in-person or on-the-job training, which is infeasible to complete in such short, condensed segments.

However, it can still be a very good complimentary training approach.

2. Rework or reuse existing courses

You can ease the workload of creating an entirely new microlearning curriculum if you already have training courses and materials in place.

Some parts of your existing training courses can be split into smaller segments 'as-is' and used, as long as they make sense. Or, other parts can be reworked to fit a microlearning structure.

3. Use gamification mechanics

Using gamification mechanics and techniques can turn your microlearning courses into a 'game' per-se.

It gives your employees the same feelings of achievement and satisfaction in completing a goal that they might receive when they complete a level in a game.

This can mean that you award digital badges after they complete a set of microlearning courses on a certain subject, or allow for displays of points and status through the company.

While these 'rewards' are intangible, they do give employees a boost for their accomplishments, and give employees incentive to continue their microlearning. Or you can choose to award monetary bonuses, extra time off, or certificates (such as learner of the month) when employees complete courses.

4. Use short videos and other interactive assets

One of the best things about microlearning is that it boosts engagement. However, you can enhance your microlearning program even further by including attention grabbing elements like videos and quizzes.

The great thing about videos is that it brings our visual and auditory senses together, which of course, grabs greater attention from viewers.

Keep the videos short, as with the rest of your microlearning content. The shorter the video is, the more engaging and memorable it is. Just make sure you include all the relevant information in an appropriate time frame.

5. Don't forget to add recurring content

Do you remember the main concept from the Ebbinghaus studies?

Recalling the studied materials over time will help people retain them for a longer period of time.

At the end of a series of microlearning modules, or at the end of a shorter microlearning segment, include tools for employees to review what they've learned.

This can be a quiz at the end of a series of segments or a slide with bullet points of the main takeaways from the course. Or, you can choose to include references to a previous learning module in those that come afterward. Either way, it's a good idea to refresh employees' memories.

6. Provide access anytime, on any device

Microlearning is so attractive to employees because it doesn't require them to be chained to their desktop at work to complete it.

As such, it's essential that you create microlearning materials that are available on any device, and especially on smartphones and tablets.

Make sure there are no restrictions that prevent employees from being able to access these resources whenever they get the time.

If the only way people can access microlearning courses is on their work desktop computer, it doesn't carry the same benefits.

7. Encourage social and collaborative learning

Social learning and collaborative learning can be some of your biggest allies when you implement a microlearning program in your organization (see the links to the guides for further information).

Both of these methods of learning encourage people to learn and grow their skills from people around them. While social learning focuses more highly on imitation (seeing positive behaviors in others and attempting to replicate them), collaborative learning focuses more on brainstorming with peers, seeing their perspectives, and learning as a result.

Allowing for discussion and even comments on microlearning modules can engage employees, motivate them more, and even alert you to knowledge gaps that need to be filled in.

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What is Microlearning? Examples and Best Practices [2022]

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Updated Microlearning is a way of teaching and training employees in ways that take little time but ultimately reach the intended goal. In this guide, you will learn about microlearning, what makes it effective, and how to implement it successfully in your organization.

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Two fold for my interest
1. potential use for behaviour change at scale in medical non-profit sector - taking what is working in corporate L&D and microlearning. "Behaviour change requires continuous reinforcement" https://elearningindustry.com/changing-behavioral-through-microlearning

2. To produce online courses for education sector - children, young people, parents and teachers - so husband and I can scale his in-person 121 tutoring company. Microlearning is particularly useful for time-poor teachers and parents, and more engaging for students. https://insights.gostudent.org/en/is-microlearning-effective

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How can you ensure behavioral change in your employees? Read this informative article to learn how microlearning might just be the answer!

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Downsides to micro-learning:

1. Not suitable to content that is very complex, requires creative or lateral thinking, or skill development.

2. Can risk topics becoming fragmented or over simplified.

3. Producing rubbish micro-learning is easy. Producing good micro-learning is harder than it looks!

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L&D techniques that microlearning should draw upon:

1. Spaced Repetition: revisiting content at regular spaced intervals to help overcome Ebbinghaus' Forgetting Curve.
https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/whats-the-big-deal-about-microlearning/

2. Retrieval Practice: Actively recalling material helps cement learning. Way better than mindless repetition.

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It's 9am Monday and you've got 237 e-mails to reply to. 5 deadlines to meet. A team of reports that desperately need your 'immediate' attention. And there's one more thing that you can't quite put your finger on...

Oh, dear... There's that 3-day training program this week. Terror strikes. The coffee just doesn't seem strong enough this morning as you scramble to figure out where those extra hours will come from.
Sound familiar?

Away from training, towards learning

The allocation of time as a resource is so important to the success of any team or organisation. As a population, we're unashamedly (and a little proud to be) time-poor, and anything that can save us time is worth adapting to, especially when it comes to learning.

Expectations are changing so rapidly that complexity is skyrocketing. Four generations in the one workplace, some that still respond well to in-class training, and others that can't see a way forward without being glued to a smartphone. These variations can lead to mismatched expectations when coupled with staggered advances in technology that don't quite add up.

The shifts in the business world (or as it's more commonly known, the world) are turning the way training is approached inside out. Being dynamic, adaptable and competitive is crucial, and facilitating a learning journey, rather than just learning 'events' is the way forward.

Learners need to be able to not only understand but apply their knowledge on the job to make the best decisions. The way towards engaged employees is making it as simple as possible to do their best work - by trimming the fluff. And through the use of microlearning? Fluff-be-gone.

What microlearning is (and what it isn't)

Simply put, microlearning is pretty reflective of its namesake - little bits of learning. Chunks of knowledge, delivered at the most crucial points in the learning process.

These chunks of content are lightweight in time spent, but knowledge-heavy in their impact on memory and retention. The impact is most reliant on the delivery of the learning, and the research suggests that delivery is best served fresh each day, or at least a few times a week in order to ground new content in the learner's long-term memory.

Microlearning shouldn't, however, be assumed to be simply taking one lesson or module and breaking it up. That's not quite the point.

Sure, I'd probably go as far as saying that you might remember a little more from a 60 minute video if you watched 10 minutes of it at a time. Except much like cutting a cake into 50 tiny pieces and thinking it's going to be better for you, you've still eaten a whole cake. (and no, I'm not speaking from experience...)

Deliciousness aside, that doesn't quite make sense when we're trying to save our employees time, does it?

It is, however, an easy way of going about creating microlearning modules. But the easy way out isn't the path we should take. A little difficulty is good, as without challenge, progress takes a lot longer than it needs to. The central idea to creating microlearning material is figuring out what concepts the learners need to know and will be able to apply , and using those as the basis.

I want you to think about something you are well versed in, a subject matter expert on, or just something you're good at.
Now think about how difficult it would be to try and explain all of that information to someone in, say, ten minutes? But if you could manage to do it - imagine how powerful that could be? The most important parts of your knowledge, taught to someone else in a way that's easy to consume and apply when they need it.

Distilling key concepts and using them to guide where the learning should focus on creates a system that's snappy, relevant and practical.

Seeing as we're on the topic, I'd better distill some points...

A little guide to make little learning work best:

Make it stick

As much as may can be a bit of skepticism surrounding the 'next big thing', when combined with learning techniques based on proven neuroscience (link), the benefits are certainly not micro in impact. Techniques that a microlearning system should be built on include:

Spaced Repetition. As the name suggests, this technique involves repeating information at specific intervals to strengthen knowledge retention (this is based on a curve we chatted about here)

Retrieval Practice. Having to actively recall information after learning is tricky - but so effective in cementing knowledge. This method trumps traditional methods like cramming, writing and re-writing and thoughtless repetition.

Make it accessible

No matter the format or content, if the material isn't accessible for the learner, they're not going to want to use it. Soon, the days of 500 page employee 'handbooks', clunky LMS and death by powerpoint will have vanished, and for good reason! Taking advantage of the range of software available on every device (that we hate to love) can allow the learning journey to be developed.

Make it social

A major upside of face-to-face learning is the social nature of the learning. Learners can talk, critique and discuss the content and make connections with the knowledge that they may not have learnt individually. We know that collaboration is key, but where some e-learning can fall short is a lack of communication between learners. Using a platform that's built on feedback and social elements can make learning considerably more meaningful and relevant.

Make it personal

Learning can go a few different ways:

It can be so easy that the learner becomes disengaged, or they might already know the content

It can be too difficult, and the learner might feel discouraged and their confidence level may drop. Or,

If the stars align, it could be just challenging enough to push the learner to their limits

Each person is different, with different approaches to learning that they find best. That's why personalising the experience can provide the most value to every learner. Using benchmarks to gauge knowledge levels, and continually providing feedback is a simple way to compare and modify learning paths.

Another exciting avenue is the use of adaptive learning, or machine learning. It might not sound as exciting as self-driving cars (thanks, Uber), but it uses the same sort of technology! Using machine learning means the program can evaluate inputs from the learner to identify patterns and inform algorithms that make decisions. So essentially the type of question and the response a learner gives can determine what sort of questions they are given next, and as they continually learn, so does the computer. Clever, right?

Make it worth it

The big question for any new program or initiative will often ask: 'Where will we see a return?' and often, this question is a tricky one to answer. Learning is so personal, and a lot of the time the way it's measured is quite subjective too.

Without the ability to measure learning by the numbers, it's hard to determine if it's working, especially on a larger scale. A platform that uses microlearning can better identify gaps as they arise and keep track of the learner's performance and improvements against business objectives.
Where does microlearning fit in with your company's learning?
No matter what type of learning your organisation is using right now, having a good look into where the use of microlearning could be effective is worthwhile.

It's also good to note that while it's an awesome way of getting important information to stick fast, some skills and knowledge that require considerable depth may not be conducive to such snappy learning. One (small) size won't fit all, and that's okay!
So, where to from here?
The learning game is starting to improve in leaps and bounds in early, higher and corporate education spaces. And through realising the benefits of using solid technology backed by proven learning techniques, your organisation can really ramp up its learning (and we may just do a bit of that around here, if you want to check it out!)

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What's the big deal about microlearning? | The Yarno Blog

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It's 9am Monday and you've got 237 e-mails to reply to. 5 deadlines to meet. A team of reports that desperately need your 'immediate' attention. And there's one more thing that you can't quite put your finger on... Oh, dear... There's that 3-day training program this week. Terror strikes.

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Pros to micro-learning

1. Great for delivering just-in-time learning

2. Great for regular behavioural nudges

3. Augment bigger courses - to reinforce or strengthen learning.
https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/3-drawbacks-microlearning-need-to-consider/

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Microlearning.
The biggest (smallest?) buzzword to come out of the L&D industry in the past couple of years.

If you're not up to speed, microlearning is pretty reflective of its namesake- little bits of learning.
These chunks of content are lightweight in time spent, but knowledge-heavy in their impact on memory and retention. Microlearning shouldn't, however, be assumed to be simply taking one lesson or module and breaking it up.

The central idea of creating microlearning material is defining what concepts the learners need to know and will be able to apply.

Unfortunately, like any other shiny new thing, it's easy to jump straight into adopting microlearning and attempt to apply it to all the company's learning needs.

There are inevitably a few cases where microlearning isn't the one-stop solution, and below I've outlined few of these (with strategies to bridge the gap!):

1. It's not suitable for complex problems or skill development
Bite-sized learning modules realistically aren't the best choice for complicated tasks, skills, or processes that call for a specific structure or particularly, physical practice. Microlearning experiences are "micro" because they allow for quick, effective reinforcement of knowledge and concepts. This means they're not ideally suited for deeply involved subject matter that requires heavy creative or lateral thinking.

That's not to say the method strictly isn't applicable! A few ways to incorporate microlearning into a larger course or syllabus:

Before the course , to gauge current knowledge levels

Throughout the course , to take advantage of spaced practice

After the course , to reinforce and strengthen learning over time.

2. Sometimes material becomes fragmented
It's important to consider that learning experiences that use microlearning should be holistic and comprehensive. Covering only one aspect of the topic or not giving enough attention to others can make the broader topic seem fragmented or disjointed. Ideally, each activity within the learning experience should be connected in some way, yet still provides learners with the key information they need to know. Our strategy is that before our customers even think about writing questions we work to define clear, actionable learning objectives that each topic's questions can be centered around. Allowing learners to see the big picture is key to make sure they've got a well-rounded knowledge of the topics.

3. Creating great content takes time and effort
This sounds like a no-brainer. However, it's easy to fall into the trap of "It's only a few (short videos, multiple choice questions, explanations) it'll be an easy job". Truth is, effective microlearning content is the hardest to create. Distilling information into need-to-know chunks that are actually useful is truly an art form. We're sticklers for good content at Yarno, as we know that quality learning content is the key to helping our customers and their employees succeed not only with the software, but improve at their jobs too. Good content in = great results out!

So what IS microlearning good for?!

Here's a super useful checklist (of sorts) from Will Thalheimer of five utilisation cases of microlearning:
Course Replacement

Provides training content and learning support, often as a replacement for classroom training or long-form elearning.

Course Augmentation

Provides after-course or within-course streams of short learning interactions to reinforce, strengthen, or deepen learning.

Retrieval Support

Provides retrieval practice, spaced repetitions, and reminding to ensure knowledge and skills can be remembered when needed.

Just-In-Time (Moment-of-Need) Learning

Provides information when learners need it to perform a task they are working on.

Behavioral Prompts

Provides action nudges, task assignments, or performance support to directly prompt and support behavior.

So as that next big course or training program on the horizon draws nearer, it'll pay to keep microlearning as one of many tools in your L&D quiver to get the best results out of your training.

If you're after some more info, we've chatted about microlearning a few times here:

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3 drawbacks of microlearning you need to consider

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Microlearning. The biggest (smallest?) buzzword to come out of the L&D industry in the past couple of years. If you're not up to speed, microlearning is pretty reflective of its namesake- little bits of learning. These chunks of content are lightweight in time spent, but knowledge-heavy in their impact on memory and retention.

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Examples:
Not just short videos.
Quizzes and games
short scrolling pages
daily email tips

Some examples in action
https://www.elucidat.com/blog/microlearning-examples/

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With so many jumping on microlearning's bandwagon, is it the big L&D heist many experts argue - or is promise lurking? As always, it comes down to execution. We've shared 6 top microlearning examples and best practice tips to help you hit the mark.

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is a way of providing short, focused pieces of content to an audience, ideally where and when they need it. It's not a new idea, and its effectiveness has been debated within the learning and development industry. Bite sized courses don't necessarily equal good learning or improved performance, as we've argued before. However, in the right context and done with the overall experience in mind, it can be highly effective.

Why consider microlearning?

In a world where people are checking their smartphones 9 times an hour, and competition for attention is now extra fierce, it's no wonder that shorter digital learning content is becoming more popular.

Zoom fatigue in the wake of lockdown has also meant that average learning session times have decreased from 20 to just over 4 minutes, on average.

Modern workplace learners want to access elearning courses on mobile devices, on the move and in stolen pockets of time - on trains, over breakfast, before meetings. If you want to gain traction for your content, you should consider how to target those tiny windows of opportunity.

However, it's key that microlearning isn't used as a vehicle to deliver lots of content randomly. That would misuse the small amounts of time modern learners have and disable the learning from sticking.

An introduction to Microlearning Theory

Microlearning theory is based on a concept by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus and his trials on human memory. Ebbinghaus pioneered the 'forgetting curve' which illustrates how much information the brain can retain over time, and how quickly people typically forget new knowledge they have acquired. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, people only retain 21% of what they learn within a month.

Microlearning provides a solution to this by adopting a 'little and often' approach. Learners are much more likely to retain information if it's broken up into digestible pieces that they can revisit on a regular basis.

Benefits of microlearning

Could microlearning be an effective approach to help you reach your L&D objectives? Here are just some of the key benefits:

As the name suggests, microlearning focuses on small snippets of information. These bitesize training modules are quick and easy to consume, meaning your employees can still learn alongside their other day to day tasks, without disruption.

The concise nature of microlearning means that learners can fit it around their busy schedules and complete modules on the go. It's also well-suited to mobile or tablet devices, enabling employees to pick it up at a time that suits them, from wherever they are.

Microlearning enables learners to adopt a fluid learning schedule by choosing which topics they want to tackle when and setting their own pace. Offering learners this flexibility can help to keep them engaged and support different learning preferences.

It can be challenging to keep learners engaged for long periods of time, especially for topics such as compliance and soft skills. Keeping the content concise and giving learners the freedom to choose which topic to focus on can help to keep them engaged and focused.

It is easier to digest resulting in higher knowledge retention

Microlearning follows memory retention best practices by offering small blocks of learning that can be revisited regularly to engrain new knowledge. Delivering training in small segments also allows for the learner to focus on one idea or concept at a time, instead of having to try to absorb a lot of information at once.

Challenges of microlearning

While there are numerous benefits of microlearning, it doesn't come without its challenges, most of which can be addressed with the right LMS or authoring tool.

Unlike more traditional elearning formats where content is split into 20 or 30 minute sessions, microlearning content may only be 5 minutes long which means you'll need more content to cover all topics. You may have more to organize and maintain within your LMS which can be time-consuming.

Ensuring design and branding consistency across all content

It can be difficult to keep the look and feel of your microlearning content coherent, especially if you're creating it at scale with input from multiple team members. Opt for an authoring tool that allows you to create customizable templates and change logos or images across multiple content assets in just one click.

Achieving the right level of detail

Striking the balance between making your content short and engaging whilst also detailed and informative can be challenging. When building your content, be sure to enlist the help of your Subject Matter Experts who will be able to ensure the content is impactful and includes all the key information the learner needs on each microlearning topic.

Here are some ways to deliver microlearning, smartly.

6 microlearning examples and tips to go with them

Microlearning comes in all shapes and sizes. Some example formats and techniques you could consider include:
1. Quizzes and games
Test your learners' knowledge with short and snappy quizzes that allow them to gain instant feedback and have fun along the way!
2. Microlearning videos
Easily one of the most engaging formats, microlearning videos can break down larger, more complex topics into interactive modules for learners to follow.

3. Action-led microlearning

This microlearning example encourages learners to be reflective and actively engage with the content by putting their own plan together for developing their skills instead of passively absorbing information.
4. Short scrolling pages
A one-stop scrolling page allows users to access all the information they need on a topic in one, easy-to-follow format. This makes it simple for learners to extract the key highlights of a topic and understand the order of linear processes.
5. Microlearning masterclasses
Combine short segments on theory with speedy demo videos and expert tips to create a comprehensive masterclass menu that learners can work through in small increments .
6. Practical on-the-job learning
This type of microlearning focuses solely on practical, action-based content that users need to focus on their job more effectively. No theory, no time-wasted, just useful, relevant training available on the go.

Take a look at some of these examples in practice below.
Some of the microlearning examples here have been produced using Learning Accelerator templates. This feature helps you create high-quality engaging content 4 Some of these elearning examples can be gifted into your Elucidat account (or free trial) so you can see how they're made and use them as a starting point for your own content! x faster! It's available to all Elucidat customers (and free trial users).
1. A menu of focused topics - learning design masterclasses

Our masterclass microlearning menu. Bottled up with tips, advice and inspirational demos from our network of experienced learning consultants.
Why it works:
This microlearning example pulls together a collection of related topics to help the audience access help as and when they need it.
Sign up to our learning design masterclass for free!

The bite sized topics are clear and distinct, with each one focusing on achieving a specific design outcome for authors using Elucidat. This means no time is wasted searching for the right information

Each Masterclass is a snappy 2-3 minutes long, so getting a refresher of key information doesn't need to feel like an arduous task

Every topic includes 20 seconds of theory, 3-4 in-depth demos, a "how to" and some expert tips - a model that's reused consistently across the whole digital learning suite so users aren't having to learn how to navigate something new each time

2. Microlearning for skill development

When employees are developing their skills, theory isn't enough. To improve, learners need to reflect on their current skill level, understand the practical steps they need to action, and commit to practicing on the job - and that's where interactive microlearning can help.

This example on how to manage remote teams shows how microlearning principles can support this process of skill development.
Why it works:

After kicking off with an attention-grabbing statistic about remote teams, 5 top tips are presented on dedicated pages. This consistent design approach helps to deliver content in short bursts, while keeping a focus on practical steps

Crucially, learners don't just read the tips; they are encouraged to reflect on which ones they want to implement in their teams

At the end of the elearning, each learner creates their own action plan, committing to put their new knowledge into action

This helps employees take ownership of how they develop their skills, particularly where there's not just one 'right way' of doing things

This example was created using one of our Learning Accelerator templates - meaning you can use this template yourself to quickly build your skill development training! This template is free and available to all Elucidat customers (and users).

Learning Accelerator template| See this example

3. On-the-job support

Learning shouldn't be separated from the day job. Short, snappy performance support resources designed to be used "on the job" make elearning practical. They often go down well with learners, as they're designed to be succinct and useful above all else.

This example of a product knowledge resource illustrates how a well-designed, responsive digital resource can put practical performance support literally in the palm of a salesperson's hand.
Why it works:

It's pared right back to only the practical content the user needs to do their job

Images and formatting help to highlight key information at a glance

It offers true on-the-job reference support, as well as just-in-case learning

There's a clear structure, so it's easy to dip in and out at the point of need

It works seamlessly across devices (crucial for real-time performance support)

Giftable | See this example

4. Scrolling 'what, why, how' page

Keep process-based microlearning practical with a focus on what learners need to do, why they need to do it and how to go about it.

This microlearning example about how to wash your hands offers a one-stop-shop resource to upskill learners.

When you're training on a simple and practical process, a short scrolling page that focuses on what, why and how cuts straight to the core information

The scrolling design is perfect for explaining a linear process for the first time as it shows the whole process on one page

The content is broken down into clear visual sections and headings. Each section only takes around 1 minute to interact with, making it manageable and easy to digest

It's also simple for learners to skim when they need a quick refresher later

Why it works:
Giftable | See this example

5. Use of multimedia and microlearning menus

A menu that houses short microlearning topics around a given skill area is another example of providing quick, essential tips that users can turn into action. This interactive helps people build skills in multimedia design for learning.

Produced in collaboration with Nice Media, this microlearning example enables users to sample audio and video content, followed with a single page of concise tips and tricks.

The menu gives the user control over their learning path

Use of multimedia to provide concrete examples for each section brings the topic to life and makes it much more engaging and useful

The navigation menu makes it easy to jump back to the beginning or skip to different sections, rather than forcing users to click through all of the microlearning content

Why it works:
6. Quick onboarding for practical tasks
See this example
New starters have a lot to take in those first few days in their role, but you can ease the learning curve by providing quick, focussed overviews.

Single scrolling pages like those used in this onboarding microlearning example are great for upskilling learners on key tasks quickly.

Practical tasks are broken down into clear, simple steps, making it easy for new staff to get up to speed in a short amount of time

Video demonstrations and checklists provide further support

In-page navigation makes it simple for learners to complete each section of the page

The scrolling design makes it easy to refer back to the content on mobile devices

Learning Accelerator template| See this example
Why it works:
Expert tips to get your microlearning strategy to deliver

1. Be the answer

If there's one lesson to take away from why Google is so popular (and obviously there's a lot more than this!), it's because it answers your questions.

We could call this the three S approach:

In a corporate training context, it can be tempting to take a whole course on; for example, conducting performance reviews and breaking it into bite-sized chunks to make it "micro." But this can still miss the mark. A manager about to conduct a performance review will have specific needs, such as being unsure when to deliver constructive feedback or how to deal with a certain challenge in the conversation. A performance review is a scenario that will be different for everyone, every time, so the digital learning needs to reflect that.

Run a survey to ask your audience what they need help with, and see the results in your analytics dashboard. Then, design for microlearning content for those needs. See how this can be done in practice in this elearning example.

Nick Shackleton-Jones, who rails against the microlearning hype, explains how taking a Q&A approach helps shape resources that are useful and short - read his thoughts here.

2. Be useful

Armed with evidence of what your audience actually needs - as well as some evidence of specific performance gaps that need to be closed - you are now in a good position to create short focused resources that are genuinely useful.

Ignore the plethora of content you might have up your sleeve, and instead focus on designing resources that provide the answers to those questions you've uncovered. Work in specific solutions to the problems your audience is likely to come up against.

Concentrate on the media that can best deliver the help that's needed. Use videos of experts answering specific questions, PDF downloads, infographics, digital guides, interactive diagnostics and more. Curation is king here - the microlearning examples above all do this really well.

3. Be holistic

We don't tend to practice skills or behaviors in a siloed way, but instead, deal with what's in front of us.

A huge benefit of going micro with your digital learning is that you can enable individual learners to build up competency and skills in incremental steps with spaced repetition - keep them coming back to your product for more! This is something we talk about in this related microlearning article.

If you're brave, you'll not only go micro, but do it holistically. Consider being topic agnostic and designing a microlearning strategy that focuses on enabling individuals to work toward personal improvement goals. For example, goals to perform as better team members, self-leaders, collaborators, motivators, creators, leaders of others and more can each share the same resources - as well as some that are particular to that area. Users can be empowered to use the resources and experiences on offer to reach an overarching goal, with a little guidance.

Check out the way curious.com approaches its microlearning topics.

While not all learning is workplace related, chances are you'll inspire more people to use your content if there's an obvious personal development goal (i.e., Do I put a hazard sign up over the spill in the kitchen because of my health and safety training, or because I care about others?).

Re-think your categories and tag multiple resources so they can sit under multiple "holistic" umbrellas. The added benefit to designing holistically? Your microlearning strategy can help you identify and build business leaders for the future.

3 hurdles to overcome before embarking on microlearning

Cutting down your content still comes with some obstacles you need to acknowledge and overcome.

1. Shine through - Given the amount of digital and workplace tasks and noise thrown at people, microlearning has to be really good to engage an audience at all.

2. Actually help - You're being paid to improve performance. Working up "content" does not equate to effective learning experiences, or useful performance improvement resources.

3. Personalize - One person's useful resource is another's white noise.

Final thoughts

Congratulations for making it to the end of this article. Your attention span made it! (Plus, the whole attention span spin isn't necessarily true - and neither is the myth about goldfish memory!).

Don't be scared to go deeper - microlearning isn't always the right approach. A lot of learning needs dedicated time to build up and stick. Here are some tips on how to really deliver with microlearning.

The key to any successful digital learning project is to hone in on the goals and create solutions that work for those and the audience(s). If you're not sure on the best approach for your elearning project, download our project planning template. Or see this useful guide to elearning best practice, including microlearning!

And, if you're looking to compare authoring tools don't forget to check out our best elearning software review blog.

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The best microlearning examples to inspire you for 2022

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With so many jumping on microlearning's bandwagon, is it the big L&D heist many experts argue - or is promise lurking? As always, it comes down to execution. We've shared 6 top microlearning examples and best practice tips to help you hit the mark.

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Microlearning is great to allow intermediate//advanced learners to navigate their way around a topic and self-direct their learning (but would overwhelm a beginner).

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Non-profit sector:
1. For usual on-boarding training used in corporate L&D for large charities.
2. To enhance volunteer training.
3. To support effective behaviour change ie healthy lifestyle change for medical charities.
4. To provide training healthcare professionals and allied health professionals on specific topics.

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Education sector

1. Support parents with key information to empower them ie quick maths refresher, explaining what to expect in Yr 6 etc
2. Deliver engaging material for students at scale.
3. Provide teaching staff useful content in more engaging formats, in more time efficient way.

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DLI group 19 task 1 finalised answers v1

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2. Regular behavioral nudges

3. Augmentation to bigger courses to reinforce

Master Skills in Bite-Size: The Power of micro learning

"Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It's an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way."

Source:

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

definition

So, we wonder how Microlearning c an be particularly useful for..

1. Danger of fragmented learning

2. Accessibility challenge

3. Resources consumption to maintain and update

4. Difficulty in producing a good quality one

5. Unsuitability for complex subjects

impact on L&D

Let's hear from our experienced educators!

Source:

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

Microlearning apps or mobile apps

Micro-challenges and games

1. Offer just-in-time learning by providing information precisely when learners need it to carry out a task.

2. Regularly provide behavioral nudges that offer action prompts, task assignments, or performance support to directly encourage and assist in desired behavior.

3. Use microlearning as a way to augment bigger courses by offering short learning interactions after or during the course to reinforce, strengthen, or deepen learning.

4. Microlearning reduces time consumption since it takes no longer than ten minutes, enabling employees to learn new skills without taking too much time away from their tasks.

5. Microlearning promotes learners' engagement by catering to their preference for shorter periods of learning and enabling them to focus more easily on the new information being presented.

Sources:

https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/3-drawbacks-microlearning-need-to-consider/

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits
Cons:

1. Fragmentation and oversimplification are risks that need to be considered while designing microlearning experiences. Each activity should be connected to the broader topic, and learners must be provided with a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter. Creating clear and actionable learning objectives can help achieve this goal.

2. Designing accessible microlearning content can be challenging and requires specific knowledge and technologies to format and optimize courses according to accessibility standards and best practices.

3. Microlearning requires maintenance and updates over time, as technology and business procedures evolve and change rapidly. This necessitates continued investment in resources and effort to ensure the effectiveness of the learning content.

4. Creating effective microlearning content is challenging and requires an artful approach to distilling information into useful and need-to-know chunks. High-quality content is essential for achieving positive learning outcomes.

5. Microlearning modules may not be the best option for complex or skill-based content that requires a structured approach or physical practice, as they are designed for quick and effective reinforcement of knowledge and may not cater to the need for creative or lateral thinking.

Sources:

https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/3-drawbacks-microlearning-need-to-consider/

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

So, we wonder how Microlearning can be particularly useful for:

Human attention span of a mere eight seconds on average

Overwhelming information during new joiner onboarding training

Behavior change at scale in the organisation ex. medical non-profit sector

Tme-poor teachers and parents

Let's dive in to find out the answers!
Flexibility: Microlearning allows learners to access the material whenever and wherever they want. This flexibility helps to accommodate learners who have busy schedules and limited time for learning and can eliminate the restriction caused by CIVID restrictions, for example. Retention: Microlearning promotes better retention of information as learners can revisit the material multiple times. The bite-sized and spaced repetition nature of microlearning allows retrieval practice more frequently, which reinforces the learning process. Personalisation: Microlearning can be customized to meet the individual needs of learners. This approach allows learners to focus on the areas they need to improve on and skip over topics they already know. How could Eve apply microlearning into her own practice?
"Non-profit sector to use Microlearning:

1. To deliver usual on-boarding training used in corporate L&D for large charities.

2. To enhance volunteer training.

3. To support effective behaviour change ie healthy lifestyle change for medical charities.

4. To provide training healthcare professionals and allied health professionals on specific topics."

"Education sector to use Microlearning:

1. To support parents with key information to empower them ie quick maths refresher, explaining what to expect in Yr 6, etc.

2. To deliver engaging material for students at scale.

3. To provide teaching staff useful content in more engaging formats, in more time efficient way."

Eve, a curious and creative educator and marketing professional
How could Alex apply microlearning into his own practice?
"To use Microlearning for onboarding-style courses to train existing employees on new compliance policies, rebranding, new systems, or role transitions."

"To use Microlearning for the study of a foreign language as Microlearning breaks down complex knowledge into simplified, bite-sized pieces of information throughout a period of time."

Alex, an energetic EAL Teacher and Instructional Design er
How could Gwen apply microlearning into her own practice?
"To use Microlearning when "The Right Information Matters", for example, train driver training that is when a technique or process is mission-critical to ensure that the right procedures and processes get conveyed."

"To use Microlearning when introducing "How To and/ or Techniques." Microlearning is a great way to teach technical skills, for example, how to operate ticket-selling machine training. It does an excellent job of answering the question, "How do I...?"
Gwen, a young-at-heart experienced Learning Experience Designer and Training Consultant from the Railway industry.
1. Microcopy

These are concise, focused, and contextualized messages or hints aimed at aiding users in learning.

Error messages

Contact form explanations

eCommerce hints.

4. Microlearning apps or mobile apps

These are mobile applications that offer quick and concise lessons that can be accessed on-the-go.

2. Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information, data, or knowledge that are often iconic and emphasize key points and numerical values.

Statistical infographics

Informational infographics

Timeline infographics

Process infographics

Geographic infographics

Comparison infographics

Hierarchical infographics

List infographics

5. Micro-challenges and games

Scorable learning is a type of learning that is evaluated at the end, which may involve receiving an award, benefits, badges, recognition, or other incentives for participating or achieving a high score.

Multiple question quizzes

Polls, flashcards

Question & responses

Simulations

Learner recordings to answer questions

3. Microlearning videos

Microlearning videos are concise and targeted videos that aim to achieve a specific learning objective. They can serve as standalone learning resources that provide a specific takeaway, or as a part of a longer learning journey.

Explainer videos

Brief & interactive videos

Micro-lectures

Whiteboard animations

Kinetic text-based animations

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Micro learning poster_DLI Group 19 Assignment1 V.1

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2. Regular behavioral nudges 3. Augmentation to bigger courses to reinforce Master Skills in Bite-Size: The Power of micro learning "Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It's an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way."

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I was interested in investigating microlearning because:
- I think it is an efficacious way of engaging staff (and/or students) in an organisation in material that would otherwise be lost or not engaged with.
- I saw first hand, as a teacher, the impact of 'interleaving' practice of more than one topic at a time and microlearning facilitates this well. There is some additional information on interleaving content/practice of skills in the following article:
https://elmlearning.com/blog/psychology-of-microlearning/

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The Psychology of Microlearning: Why It Works

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Microlearning is a learning method backed up by psychological and neurological studies. Learn why it works.

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I currently work in the secondary education sector so I'll detail how I will apply microlearning as an English teacher/pastoral lead. Students tend to want revision content that is short and snappy, that will 'fill their brains' quickly and without a lot of effort on their part. Microlearning is a great alternative/companion to 'blocked' extensive learning that can feel daunting and laborious, or that people may just not have enough time for.
I am going to use microlearning strategies to:
- Recap content (short quizzes on novels, infographics, flow charts on how to respond to exam questions)
-  Support other staff members on restorative justice practices (videos, infographics, flow charts).

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2. Regular behavioral nudges

3. Augmentation to bigger courses to reinforce

Master Skills in Bite-Size: The Power of microlearning

"Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It's an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way."

Source:

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

definition

So, we wonder how Microlearning c an be particularly useful for theses challenges:

1. Danger of fragmented learning

2. Accessibility challenge

3. Resources consumption to maintain and update

4. Difficulty in producing a good quality one

5. Unsuitability for complex subjects

impact on L&D

Let's hear from our experienced educators!

Source:

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

Microlearning apps or mobile apps

Micro-challenges and games

1. Offer just-in-time learning by providing information precisely when learners need it to carry out a task.

2. Regularly provide behavioral nudges that offer action prompts, task assignments, or performance support to directly encourage and assist in desired behavior.

3. Use microlearning as a way to augment bigger courses by offering short learning interactions after or during the course to reinforce, strengthen, or deepen learning.

4. Microlearning reduces time consumption since it takes no longer than ten minutes, enabling employees to learn new skills without taking too much time away from their tasks.

5. Microlearning promotes learners' engagement by catering to their preference for shorter periods of learning and enabling them to focus more easily on the new information being presented.

Sources:

https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/3-drawbacks-microlearning-need-to-consider/

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits
Cons:

1. Fragmentation and oversimplification are risks that need to be considered while designing microlearning experiences. Each activity should be connected to the broader topic, and learners must be provided with a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter. Creating clear and actionable learning objectives can help achieve this goal.

2. Designing accessible microlearning content can be challenging and requires specific knowledge and technologies to format and optimize courses according to accessibility standards and best practices.

3. Microlearning requires maintenance and updates over time, as technology and business procedures evolve and change rapidly. This necessitates continued investment in resources and effort to ensure the effectiveness of the learning content.

4. Creating effective microlearning content is challenging and requires an artful approach to distilling information into useful and need-to-know chunks. High-quality content is essential for achieving positive learning outcomes.

5. Microlearning modules may not be the best option for complex or skill-based content that requires a structured approach or physical practice, as they are designed for quick and effective reinforcement of knowledge and may not cater to the need for creative or lateral thinking.

Sources:

https://www.yarno.com.au/blog/3-drawbacks-microlearning-need-to-consider/

https://www.valamis.com/hub/microlearning#benefits

Human attention span of a mere eight seconds on average

Overwhelming information during new joiner onboarding training

Behavior change at scale in the organisation ex. medical non-profit sector

Time-poor teachers and parents

Interleaving topics

Let's dive in to find out the answers!
Flexibility: Microlearning allows learners to access the material whenever and wherever they want. This flexibility helps to accommodate learners who have busy schedules and limited time for learning and can eliminate the restriction caused by COVID restrictions, for example. Retention: Microlearning promotes better retention of information as learners can revisit the material multiple times. The bite-sized and spaced repetition nature of microlearning allows retrieval practice more frequently, which reinforces the learning process. Personalisation: Microlearning can be customized to meet the individual needs of learners. This approach allows learners to focus on the areas they need to improve on and skip over topics they already know. How could Eve apply microlearning into her own practice?
"Non-profit sector to use Microlearning:

1. To deliver usual on-boarding training used in corporate L&D for large charities.

2. To enhance volunteer training.

3. To support effective behaviour change ie healthy lifestyle change for medical charities.

4. To provide training healthcare professionals and allied health professionals on specific topics."

"Education sector to use Microlearning:

1. To support parents with key information to empower them ie quick maths refresher, explaining what to expect in Yr 6, etc.

2. To deliver engaging material for students at scale.

3. To provide teaching staff useful content in more engaging formats, in more time efficient way."

Eve, a curious and creative educator and marketing professional
How could Alex apply microlearning into his own practice?
"To use Microlearning for onboarding-style courses to train existing employees on new compliance policies, rebranding, new systems, or role transitions."

"To use Microlearning for the study of a foreign language as Microlearning breaks down complex knowledge into simplified, bite-sized pieces of information throughout a period of time."
Alex, an energetic EAL teacher in a multi-national language school How could Gwen apply microlearning into her own practice?
"To use Microlearning when "The Right Information Matters" to ensure that the right procedures and processes get conveyed. For example, train driver training content that a technique or process is mission-critical.

"To use Microlearning when introducing "How To and/ or Techniques." Microlearning is a great way to teach technical skills, for example, how to operate ticket-selling machine training. It does an excellent job of answering the question, "How do I...?"
Gwen, a young-at-heart experienced Training Consultant from the Railway industry.
1. Microcopy

These are concise, focused, and contextualized messages or hints aimed at aiding users in learning.

Error messages

Contact form explanations

eCommerce hints.

4. Microlearning apps or mobile apps

These are mobile applications that offer quick and concise lessons that can be accessed on-the-go.

2. Infographics

Infographics are visual representations of information, data, or knowledge that are often iconic and emphasize key points and numerical values.

Statistical infographics

Informational infographics

Timeline infographics

Process infographics

Geographic infographics

Comparison infographics

Hierarchical infographics

List infographics

5. Micro-challenges and games

Scorable learning is a type of learning that is evaluated at the end, which may involve receiving an award, benefits, badges, recognition, or other incentives for participating or achieving a high score.

Multiple question quizzes

Polls, flashcards

Question & responses

Simulations

Learner recordings to answer questions

3. Microlearning videos

Microlearning videos are concise and targeted videos that aim to achieve a specific learning objective. They can serve as standalone learning resources that provide a specific takeaway, or as a part of a longer learning journey.

Explainer videos

Brief & interactive videos

Micro-lectures

Whiteboard animations

Kinetic text-based animations
How could Maria apply microlearning into her own practice?
I am going to use microlearning strategies in the secondary education sector to:
- Recap content (short quizzes on novels, infographics, flow charts on how to respond to exam questions)
- Support other staff members on restorative justice practices (videos, infographics, flow charts)
Maria, a dedicated English teacher/ pastoral lead

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V.2 Micro learning poster_DLI Group 19 Assignment1

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2. Regular behavioral nudges 3. Augmentation to bigger courses to reinforce Master Skills in Bite-Size: The Power of microlearning "Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It's an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way."

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Micro learning poster_DLI Group 19 Assignment1 Final

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2. Regular behavioral nudges 3. Augmentation to bigger courses to reinforce Master Skills in Bite-Size: The Power of microlearning "Microlearning is digestible and hyper-relevant bites of information delivered at the exact right moment. It's an eLearning strategy that enables learners to digest bite-sized pieces of information in an engaging and interactive way."