This story is a guest contribution from Cornerstone Learning Suite, supporting compliance and employee-driven development with a configurable learning management system, curated content subscriptions, and collaborative learning options.
“Here he comes to save the day!” If you’re of a certain age, you might recognize this jingle about the tiny cartoon superhero, Mighty Mouse. Mighty Mouse, though small, was able to put villains much larger than himself in their place, reminding the world that mini doesn’t mean weak, or ineffective.
The concept of microlearning has been around for several years, and in a similar fashion to Mighty Mouse, it’s demonstrated its ability to succeed in surprising ways. Microlearning, or the delivery of learning content in small, digestible chunks, has emerged as a powerful tool for organizations of all sizes to enhance employee development and drive business results.
Microlearning is especially effective in today's fast-paced digital age, where traditional methods of learning are no longer sufficient for the ever-evolving demands of the workplace. Small servings of content can be a powerful tool for employees who are increasingly overwhelmed by information overload or who have limited time for training.
The Rise of Microlearning
The popularity of microlearning has surged in recent years, largely due to the influence of younger generations who are accustomed to consuming short-form content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These digital natives have come to expect information to be delivered in bite-sized pieces, and they are more likely to engage with and retain content that is presented in this format. As a matter of fact, there is so much demand, that platforms are actively pressuring content creators and influencers to provide “shorts” as an alternative to their typically longer content.
The Benefits of Microlearning
Microlearning offers numerous benefits for both employees and organizations. For employees, it provides a flexible and convenient way to learn new skills and knowledge in a rhythm that feels comfortable and welcome. Microlearning modules can be easily accessed on mobile devices, allowing employees to learn at their own pace and on their own time. This flexibility can be particularly valuable for busy professionals who struggle to find time for traditional training sessions and who may resent having traditional methods imposed on them.
For organizations, microlearning can be a cost-effective and efficient way to deliver training. By breaking down complex topics into smaller, more manageable units, organizations can reduce the time and resources required for training delivery. Additionally, microlearning can have a greater impact by improving employee retention and engagement, as employees are more likely to apply what they learn when it is presented in a digestible and relevant format.
Key Elements of Effective Microlearning
To maximize the impact of microlearning, it is essential to create content that is:
- Concise: Microlearning modules should be brief and to the point, typically lasting no more than 5-10 minutes.
- Relevant: The content should be directly relevant to the learner's job or role.
- Engaging: Microlearning modules should be visually appealing and interactive to keep learners engaged.
- Modular: Content should be broken down into small, self-contained units that can be learned independently.
Integrating Microlearning into Your L&D Strategy
Microlearning can be integrated into your learning and development (L&D) strategy in a variety of ways, and it’s a great opportunity to be thoughtful in addressing some important goals.
1. Target Key Skills and Knowledge Gaps
As part of your L&D Strategy, you may be in the process of conducting a needs analysis to identify critical skills. A natural quick response is to prioritize tailored microlearning modules for skills or knowledge areas that have the greatest impact on business performance. This can be done without necessarily rewriting the whole script of learning goals.
2. Enhance existing content
One way to reenergize existing compliance courses is to break them down into smaller modules. Most learning management system (LMS) tools have the capability to create curriculums that can tie together the smaller modules, so learners have greater flexibility in how to consume the content. The advantage for your organization is that you can add some other helpful micro courses to fill in niches and vary the experience, while still maintaining compliance on the completion of the content.
3. Encourage learning in the flow of work
Providing options for employees to access digestible content immediately, as needed, while they are working can be transformational. It could mean access to instruction manuals, how-to guides, or content created by your subject matter experts that will help them accomplish a task that is new or unknown. This approach has the added benefit of helping employees feel empowered and motivated.
4. Learning in their pockets
Because of its concise nature, microlearning content tends to be mobile friendly, which can unlock on-the-go training opportunities. In many cases, using mobile devices like phones and tablets can provide the flexibility that helps employees complete their trainings without being tied to a corporate computer.
5. Foster a culture of continuous learning
Creating a culture of continuous learning first requires the support and encouragement of leadership. Beyond that, it involves creating the right opportunities, like personalized learning paths based on employee skills, roles, and career aspirations. A platform that uses AI to facilitate these types of learning paths could be a powerful tool in building an impactful continuous learning culture.
Measuring the Impact of Microlearning
To assess the effectiveness of your microlearning initiatives, it is important to track these key metrics:
- Completion rate: How many employees are completing your microlearning modules? How do microlearning completions compare with your long-form content completions?
- Engagement: How long do employees spend on microlearning modules? Is there a noticeable trend in consuming related content in addition to required courses?
- Knowledge retention: How well do employees retain the information learned through microlearning? Is there a measurable impact on performance?
Business impact: How does microlearning contribute to improved employee success and business outcomes?
Embracing Microlearning
Microlearning is a powerful tool that can help organizations enhance employee development and drive business results. By incorporating microlearning into your L&D strategy, you can provide employees with a flexible, engaging, and effective way to learn new skills and knowledge. As the workforce continues to evolve, microlearning will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of learning and development. And who knows, maybe one day it’ll have its own jingle, too.
