Microlearning: What Is It & What Are Its Benefits?

Education is undergoing massive transformation at all levels. Long-held learning best practices are being disrupted by new studies and methodologies. Traditional e-Learning is likewise being phased out by organizations. Instead, they are opting for a cutting-edge development method known as Microlearning.

Today, learners' centricity is more crucial than ever, and producing an engaging and effective educational experience demands a well-thought-out approach and appropriate content. This is where microlearning comes in.

The concept of microlearning has a long history that dates back several decades. But it has only recently begun to experience its heyday since the development of the smartphone era.

This article takes you through the basics of microlearning and explains some of its benefits in detail. Keep reading to find out.

Let's Define Microlearning

Microlearning is defined as learning through small chunks of information that cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Modern learners benefit from small and quick e-learning modules as they can swiftly attain their personal learning outcomes or specific learning objective at their own pace and time.

The content is concentrated on a particular learning objective and is provided in a brief modular format, usually between 5 and 10 minutes. The content modules can take many different forms. Standard text, infographics, videos, and audio are the possible formats, as are interactive media such as quizzes, tests, and games.

Benefits of Microlearning

1. Time Convenience

Microlearning is appealing to students because it is convenient. Not every busy professional has the time to sit down and complete an entire online course and certification exam in a few hours. If, on the other hand, the course consists mostly of microlearning content modules, the learner may read, watch, and interact with the material in smaller chunks of time, increasing the likelihood of retention without sacrificing their personal schedules.

2. Better Retention of Knowledge

The human brain can assimilate three digits more easily than 11 numbers. One of the advantages of microlearning is that it ensures learning modules are filled with important information only. This increases learner retention significantly.

Walmart was able to greatly enhance employee knowledge retention of safety standards after implementing a microlearning program which resulted in a 54% reduction in recordable safety mishaps.

3. Improved Participation 

With microlearning, employees have access to the information they need in a timely and convenient manner. As a result, individuals can fix issues, overcome challenges, and expand their expertise. This leads to increased motivation and engagement. Organizations can also benefit from using a learning management system like Thinkific for increasing learners' participation and engagement.

4. Adaptable to mobile devices

Microlearning is often mobile-first, making it a great alternative for the 70% of employees who seek just-in-time solutions to work-related issues.

BH Media, which owns and manages 119 newspapers in the United States, received a nearly unanimous positive response from its employees after establishing a unified microlearning-based training for its sales professionals. The content was valuable and instantly applicable in their daily work for 98% of participants.

5. Cost-effective

Employers can easily justify the expense of creating a microlearning course. As these modules are short and powerful, they are often quick to create.

Microlearning courses, according to learning specialist Ray Jimenez, may be generated in 300 percent less time and for half the cost of typical eLearning courses. When you focus on one goal rather than weaving together numerous complicated topics in a longer presentation, the time it takes to create fresh content is significantly reduced. 

6. Increased return on investment

Microlearning is more cost-effective than traditional training and it has higher involvement and retention rates. As a result, the skills and information acquired are actively preserved and demonstrable in the workplace, resulting in a higher ROI.

Organizations who want to revolutionize their learning culture with brief, crisp, just-in-time learning that fosters interest and enhances learner engagement from the top-down might profit from microlearning. It gives a new option for course makers at all levels to satisfy the needs of the modern learner. It can also be used as a foundation for establishing a learning culture in your company.