5 Reasons Why You Should Say Yes to Microlearning

Have you experienced taking a small bite of your favorite dish and there is a burst of flavors? Well, small bites do pack a big punch. We have a similar small power-packed bite in the learning & development world. Its Microlearning!

Microlearning has proved over time that big things come in small packages. Microlearning is delivering content in small bites where each module focuses on a single learning objective. If you are a training manager and struggling to decide between saying yes to microlearning or not, let me take the burden off you. Let me give you a few reasons to make microlearning your learning partner.

Reasons to Say Yes to Microlearning

1. Quick And Inexpensive Development of Learning Modules

Microlearning units are kept succinct and hence they take considerably less cost and time to develop. In this fast-paced and ever-changing learning environment, it is advantageous. It is possible to train many employees in a short period. When it comes to keeping up with evolving business trends and demand, microlearning is particularly beneficial and comes in handy in case of a time crunch.
Because microlearning courses are concise, fewer resources are required to develop them. Developing a microlearning course can cut down the cost by approximately 50% and increases development speed by approximately 300%. Because of modern rapid authoring tools, downloaded multimedia, and templates, the microlearning course development cost comes down significantly.

Explore all about microlearning – what it is and what it is not.

2. Provides Opportunity to go Mobile

A few years ago, no one would have thought of accessing training modules on their mobile phones. Training mostly was in the conventional brick-and-mortar setup. But not anymore!

All this flexibility is now available for learners. One of the reasons is microlearning. Microlearning courses offer ease of customization and can be personalized according to a wide variety of learners’ needs. Microlearning offers freedom and flexibility to employees who are otherwise busy with tight work schedules. Microlearning formats like animations, GIFs, infographics, mobile apps, etc. make learning accessible anytime and on any device. Microlearning modules can be used in various ways, they can be combined to create a curriculum or can be used as standalone courses. As microlearning courses are multi-device compatible and can also be downloaded for offline use. Most microlearning courses are designed with a mobile-first approach providing learners freedom and flexibility to take training at their own pace.

3. Reduces Information Overload and Leads to Better Retention

According to the ‘spacing effect’ theory by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, learners remember and retain at better rates when they revise information within short-spaced periods. Microlearning modules are short and it is easy for employees to revisit them in their time of need. Microlearning courses are designed to deliver learning in small chunks. Also, because they are bite-sized and the focus is on the need-to-know information instead of nice-to-know information, they eliminate the overload of information for learners.

For instance, if you are to train learners on 10 different topics, and each topic takes somewhere between 5-7 minutes to complete, one lengthy course that will cover all the topics might not be a solution as it will leave learners overwhelmed. Instead, each topic can be covered in separate microlearning modules to reduce cognitive load and boost retention.

4. Effective Engagement and Instant Application of Knowledge

The ultimate objective of any training is to achieve business goals and better learning outcomes. Effective training will help employees perform better to deliver results, improving overall productivity. It works like a chain reaction. Better engagement leads to better application of knowledge which in turn leads to effective training and enhanced productivity.

Short learning nuggets can have a long-lasting impact. Sometimes hours spend on learning are less effective than a few minutes of effective learning. Creating microlearning courses does not mean taking the training content and dividing it into smaller learning modules. Microlearning courses can be made even more effective with the help of gamification, scenario-based learning, interactive learning bites, etc.

Learning is best when applied and also when learners face challenges. When there is a challenge, modern learners are curious to find a solution, and the first thing that they reach for is their mobile phones. One of the greatest advantages of microlearning is that learners can apply new knowledge and skills almost immediately. Since microlearning resources are handy they can be used at the time of need. Instead of reaching out to instructors and peers, learners have all the required information at their fingertips, thanks to microlearning.

5. Easy to Update and Translate

Microlearning courses being compact are easy to develop and update, they can also be tailored according to individual learning needs. They work best when employees need to be trained frequently. Also, since the modules are short, you can update them quickly to match the current trends without much time and effort.

Organizations are going global and recruiting people from all over the world. While dealing with a different language, culture, and location, the one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Translating content with microlearning is much easier than traditional methods of learning. For instance, if you are creating a microlearning module for learners in US or UK, it might not be of relevance to learners in China. Translating lengthy courses will be a difficult task, but with microlearning, it would be much easier to tweak the content according to learners’ needs.

It’s a Wrap!

Microlearning might be bite-sized learning modules, but they offer a punch. In the world of learning and development, it can be considered a learning giant. Microlearning is an ideal training strategy that is effective before, during, and even after the training. the power and promise offered by microlearning are buzzing in the whole learning and development industry. Ready to make microlearning your partner in corporate training? Are you trying to figure out where microlearning fits in your learning strategy? Grab our eBook to get started with microlearning and achieve your organizational goals. Incorporate ‘Micro’ Learning For ‘Macro’ Performance. Download the eBook now!