Microlearning: Transforming E-Learning into Knowledge

The evolution of internet and mobile learning have impacted learners’ expectations of accessing relevant information. With the increasing pace of businesses and introduction of new content, more demand is placed on employees to perform better at workplace. Classroom training approach from the bygone days is no more sufficient to cater customized learning needs and improve employee retention level. It is crucial for organizations to develop effective e-learning courses and benefit learners with access to the right content at the right time. There comes the need to adopt microlearning, with an ability to provide just-in-time support to organizations.

Driving Force Behind Microlearning

New-age learners have a hectic schedule and they prefer hassle-free training as well asknowledge rich content. Professional instructors also look for strategies to engage maximum learners, and ensure high retention rate and workplace productivity. In today’s time, everyone is busy and business leaders are attracted towards bite-sized learning because:

• Modern learners are more distracted and they lean for impactful learning opportunities that improve their career growth, without wasting their valuable time. 
• Learning preferences are evolving with time. If learners are given with the choice to opt between a 60-minute training module or ten 5-minute modules, then they would prefer the latter. So, it is important to listen to your target audiences for successful content delivery.
• Chunked information is easy to remember and reinforce learning experience. 

Microlearning is about creating micro content and getting macro results. 

When thinking about the role of microlearning in e-learning courses, there is lot of flexibility. Nuggets of information can be used anywhere, as a standalone piece or as a large piece of training program. When learners progress through the learning lifecycle from readiness to reinforcement, microlearning plays a big role in all these stages.

Readiness: 
It is a phase where organizations try engaging more learners before actual training starts. It’s not about telling learners what they will learn, but also inspiring them to take up courses.


Discovery:

In this phase, microlearning provides bites of content that targets on one objective. As a result, this creates a behavioral change whenever required. E-courses help to empower learners impart their ideas and facilitate future organizational goals.

Reinforcement:

Instructors use micro content to tailor content and review learning, providing reference tools and assessing performance matrix. Without reinforcement, content can be forgotten, but as learners do not want to repeat a lengthy course, so here comes the need of microlearning.

Microlearning is cost-effective because it is reusable. Increasing demand for informal training has a huge impact on how e-courses are delivered. Organizations are looking for ways how training can occur quicker and cheaper, focusing on developing content that can be re-used. Incorporating microlearning as a crucial learning strategy helps employees sustain for long and apply knowledge continually at their workplace.