Microlearning Videos to Learn, Retain, and Reinforce

In an age where people live on the edge, there is practically no time for them to stop and attend lengthy training programs. However, to stay up-to-date and upskill, training is essential. How can training be delivered, considering the shrinking attention spans of learners and the lack of time? Microlearning comes to the rescue like a superhero. As they are designed to be consumed in short bursts, they are more effective to deliver training for people who are always on the go.

Adding to the microlearning bandwagon is short bursts of video nuggets. They are ideal for those who prefer watching than reading content. This solution is perfect for learners on the move, who depend on their mobile devices for their quick learning needs. The influence of microlearning videos is well established. It is proven that the current generation prefers learning by watching videos, by the fact that YouTube is the second highest search service accessed over the Internet, after Google.

Interactive Video format flips the passivity to learning activity with ease. With the option to pause the video at specific points and having interactions that give learners a personalized experience, videos are a hit. These standalone videos are not more than five minutes each, with mini learning activities. When it is in short bursts, learners are engaged throughout, with little chance of losing interest in learning.

In this blog, let’s look at how micro videos can help Learn, Retain and Reinforce learning.

Learn

Videos are highly effective for learning. The inherent visual appeal of videos adds more to learning. The best thing about micro videos are that they address one primary objective per video. Keep in mind that the target audience are largely just-in-time or time-crunched learners. Microlearning videos are increasingly widespread. While it is the duration of the videos that is making it popular, you have to consider the content that makes them more easily consumed by learners to retain their interest.

When a micro video is developed, the title explains the objective of the video, up-front. This helps learners stay focused on the subject, excluding irrelevant details. However, it is not as easy as it seems. Chunking content is extremely important and proper chunking is the key. Not all online learning mediums are self-paced, but video-based learning is indeed self-paced.

With video-based learning, learners are at ease to access it as many times as they wish to and pause it to suit their requirements. Another noteworthy feature is that, depending on the buyer persona, nature of the content and the duration, videos can be developed in different formats. Formats such as animated, real, or whiteboard animations are commonly used. In the digital generation, videos are available at their fingertips and learners can watch anytime, anywhere.

Retain

If you have to convey information to your learners and have limited time, videos are the best bet. Knowledge retention is five times higher through appealing visuals rather than just reams of paper. For instance, would you rather prefer watching Netflix or reading a bulky boring manual? Research has proved that videos are more appealing to learners. Moreover, visuals are processed and transmitted to the brain quicker than other forms of delivery.

Learners have control on what they wish to watch and can integrate the same into their workflows and processes. If you want your learners to retain and apply what they have learned, you should consider applying alternative learning styles that are interesting and engaging. Learners in general can recognize images and visuals, which helps them associate it with the concepts they learn. Videos are easily accessible and provide information at the time of need, which further helps in knowledge retention. The short duration and easy accessibility on multiple devices make videos a preferred choice. This is especially important as learners drift to more comfortable ways of consuming information.

Reinforce

In Psychology, the term ‘Forgetting Curve’ lays emphasizes on the shrinking spans of attention of the brain. In learning, this seems to be a major drawback as learners can’t retain information for long. On an average, learners can retain about 50% of what they have learned for about a day. Most of the information is lost after two days. This is where reinforcement videos come into play. The best way is to create short nuggets of information in the form of videos, to help learners. They act as just-in-time support, to help learners recollect information.

With these short microlearning videos, the forgetting curve is reversed and the cognitive overload is reduced. You can also improve the retention rate of your learners by spacing out the information delivered to them, and repeating the same, instead of bombarding them with more and more information. Another way to reinforce learning is to add videos of former training programs, which capture important information. Real-life context and scenarios will help learners relate to the information in a better way, providing an overview of the subject being learned or taught.

While it is true that the human attention span is declining, and nothing much can be done about that, there are many ways to reverse this situation. The chief solution is Microlearning Videos. They support learners in the time of need and help them recollect the information required.