Introduction
The term “microlearning” refers to learning content that is broken up into smaller pieces and presented in a more concise manner—providing modern learners with bite-sized modules that help them quickly and at their convenience, achieve their learning objectives. As each module focuses on a single learning objective, learning becomes more focused and targeted.
On the one hand, corralling a disgruntled and unwilling workforce (located in multiple locations) into a single centralized location for classroom training can be a logistic nightmare, not to mention the costs involved. The instructor’s time and availability are also important considerations.
On the other hand, everyone has a different learning capacity, which means that people who are quick learners may lose interest, while slow learners may tune out of traditional formats of learning like classroom lectures or even eLearning. These are only a couple of reasons why you should consider microlearning for employee training.
10 benefits of implementing microlearning for employee training
1. Offers better ROI
Online training is frequently associated with low completion and retention rates. That’s not the case with microlearning. That’s because the modules are short, more focused, and provide only need to know information, right when it’s needed.
More than half of those who participated in a poll said that they would use the learning resources provided by their organization more frequently if the courses were shorter. According to them, not only is it more difficult to retain the information presented in longer training sessions, but attending those sessions also interferes with their normal workday.
2. Provides Lego-like lesson bricks
Because microlearning modules are so small and concise, it is much simpler to update or replace them. As a result, their production costs are much lower than those of more traditional modes of training such as seminars, workshops, classroom sessions, or conferences.
According to the learning specialist Ray Jimenez, Ph.D., the author of the book ‘Three-minute eLearning’, microlearning can cut down on development costs by 50% and enhance the development rate by 300%.
3. May be used as RLOs (reusable learning objects)
These stand-alone microlearning resources can be used independently or incorporated into a larger curriculum of courses, making perfect sense in either configuration. You can create RLOs quickly and easily with the help of microlearning. These easily digestible modules can be reused and repurposed in other contexts.
This helps reduce the time, effort, and overall development costs of the training. You may combine those bite-sized components wherever they fit into other training courses, or use them on their own instead of duplicating efforts.
4. Considers a variety of requirements
One size does not fit all. Not when it comes to employee training. And microlearning provides the flexibility that allows learners to learn according to their unique requirements.
There may be some employees who don’t have much time and would prefer to learn in smaller, manageable portions. Others may have more time on their hands or may choose to learn in longer sessions – possibly “binge-learning”, much like binge-watching television shows or movies. Microlearning accommodates those who can only devote five minutes at a time for training and those who would like to complete their training faster.
5. Helps establish a culture of learning
Because of its appeal, microlearning opens more doors of opportunity for organizations to incorporate learning into their culture.
Microlearning provides personalized benefits to each learner, increasing their motivation to learn. Since there is already a willingness to participate, all that will be required is to provide the necessary resources and allot some time.
An additional benefit is that the content is already organized into concise packages; so, you don’t need a lot of time to prepare the training.
6. Makes information available at the moment of need
Have you ever gone to a new neighbourhood and used Google Maps to locate a local coffee shop there? Or shopped around for that coveted pair of sneakers and compared prices? Or sought the contact information of a politician in your community?
If you’ve answered, “Yes” to any of the above questions, it’s safe to assume that you’ve participated in some just-in-time learning. The same goal can be accomplished through microlearning courses.
Imagine you are a sales representative, and one of your customers has a question about an extremely niche product of your company. You will be able to address the issue more effectively if you have immediate access to a module tailored particularly to that product, as opposed to a training module that is sixty minutes long and covers a whole lot more information than you require.
Learners may access information whenever they need to complete their job tasks, thanks to microlearning, which equips them with the necessary tools. This type of learning is especially helpful for employees who are required to have information at their fingertips – healthcare, retail, and service personnel.
7. Offers highly individualized learning
Remember the time you spent most recently in the time classroom for training. Some concepts were easy for you to understand, while others needed more thought.
That is because classroom sessions are structured to cater to the typical average learner. Although this approach is effective in most cases, it has some drawbacks, including the possibility that learners who grasp concepts quickly may lose interest, while others who are slower fall behind and struggle with the content while the rest of the class goes on to newer topics. This issue is remedied with microlearning, which allows learners to learn at their own pace while studying the material and bypass lessons they have already mastered.
8. Increases information retention
According to Hermann Ebbinghaus’ ‘Forgetting Curve‘, we forget eighty percent of newly learned information within thirty days,. Because of this, traditional ways of learning may have a low return on investment (ROI) for organizations (that invest money) and learners (who invest their time) in them. Microlearning, on the other hand, can be used with conventional training like this to increase the retention of the knowledge that is learned.
Microlearning helps in knowledge retention because:
- Learners can access the material whenever it is needed.
- The modules are smaller and more digestible.
- The modules are meant to be actionable.
9. Facilitates anywhere, anytime learning
Microlearning modules can be taken virtually anywhere. Learners could begin a module on the computer at their place of work, access it on their mobile device while traveling to or from work, and then complete the module on a tablet computer when they get home.
Those with time-constraints, such as new parents and commuters, now have more opportunities for professional development because of its widespread availability.
10. Makes learning more interesting
Each micro-lesson is designed to accomplish a certain learning outcome. And the modules are made more engaging through the use of interactive mediums and instructional techniques, such as videos, interactive stories, and games.
Microlearning also lends itself well to gamification. To add extra excitement to the learning process, learners can receive rewards or points for their “experience.” According to a survey, “workers exposed to gameplay and game mechanics participate at a rate that is 52% more and have average knowledge increases of 27%”.
Final Words
There is a good reason why microlearning has become so popular in training the modern workforce. It presents ideas in an interesting, current, and engaging manner.
It offers various benefits, not just to the organization but also to employees. Employees’ ability to perform better in their existing responsibilities is directly related to their ability to learn new skills. Additionally, it allows them to grow in their career and move into new roles.
Microlearning does not merely improve their performance in their job, it also contributes to their personal growth.
