What is Microlearning? What are its Advantages and Disadvantages?
Have you ever wondered why microlearning is a new trend in corporate training and development? In this article, let's take a look at the reasons together.
Did you know that people's attention span is only 8 seconds? In today's global workforce, millennials are becoming dominant. In addition to having a short attention span, millennials want easy access to information. They usually access information from their mobile phones and in their spare time. Training strategies need to meet the needs of the target audience. So how can you achieve this? With microlearning! It is not surprising that microlearning is a new trend in the corporate training world.
What is Microlearning?
Microlearning is small-sized training material provided to achieve a specific training goal. As the name suggests, microlearning delivers content in small amounts that can be quickly consumed by end-users. The main idea behind this methodology is to electronically convey the details of a specific topic in a short time. Different methods such as video, audio, guides, how-to-do guides, short text summaries, demos, gamification, and infographics are used to present this type of information to users.
What are the Advantages?
Saves Time
Microlearning modules, as the name suggests, are presented in the form of short and fast digital learning content. Thanks to these short modules, your training takes place in the flow of your employees' work/life habits. Microlearning saves time. Your employees can consume microlearning content even during their breaks, so microlearning is one of the most preferred training strategies.
Increases Engagement
The main purpose of microlearning modules is to be short and focus on a single learning goal. Microlearning content is delivered in various engaging formats such as videos, animations, and infographics. By using the microlearning method, you can make your content extremely attractive and ensure that users focus on training. Since microlearning modules are short, the content presented in this format has high completion rates. In addition, users can complete training in a single session, which gives them a sense of accomplishment and motivates them to learn more.
Increases Retention
Microlearning modules easily attract users' attention and allow them to pay attention throughout the module. Short trainings and modules are easy to remember, thus increasing retention. Microlearning modules can also be used to refresh users' knowledge. Users can return to these mini modules from time to time and increase their retention rates.
Provides Easy Accessibility
Microlearning modules are mobile-friendly. In this way, users can access the modules from their mobile devices whenever and wherever they want. They can complete a module in a short time during their free time, while traveling, or while waiting for a meeting.
Provides Flexibility
Microlearning modules are extremely flexible. They can be provided in various learning formats such as videos, animations, GIFs, and quizzes. Microlearning offers you the opportunity to create interesting content and provide better experiences to users.
What are the Disadvantages?
Although microlearning is more beneficial than traditional training methods, there are still some points that need to be improved. Let's take a look at some common challenges that may arise when you adopt microlearning in the workplace:
- Self-Directed Learning is a Difficult Process:
Companies and training experts often have unrealistic expectations of employees when implementing learning management systems (LMS). Learning management systems usually require employees to actively search for information whenever they want. Although this seems like an ideal learning situation, the idea that employees will spend their free time learning something on their own is not very realistic. - Trainings Irrelevant to Real Business Scenarios Should Not Be Offered:
Microlearning provides small snippets of information. This approach, which sounds great in theory, can do more harm than good if not implemented correctly. The timing of the information given to users is often wrong and irrelevant. People need a guide when they feel they cannot complete the task given to them, but in the microlearning approach, employees are limited to the information given to them. Therefore, the best solution would be to present the information that can be given with microlearning to the employees as a guide when they need it most. - They Are Not Effective Without Context: We mentioned earlier how easy it is to grasp the information provided by microlearning. However, if the information provided in the videos is not related to the job being done, the videos are ordinary for employees.
