Microlearning Benefits for Your Company
Personalization and Autonomy
Just-in-time Learning
Effective and Varied Learning
Advantageous for Trainers
How to Overcome the Potential Pitfalls of Microlearning
While microlearning instruction offers distinct advantages, relying too heavily on this strategy may introduce pitfalls. Because micro modules lend to many small training pieces, it’s easy to develop training that leaves learners feeling like they are missing the big picture or that creates an inconsistent experience across training assets. Best practices that will help avoid these pitfalls include:
- Build connections between the various microlearning assets
- Build connections between microlearning assets and deep-dive training assets
- Define clear standards that create consistent branding to guide microlearning development
- Strategically use keywords, images, and principles across microlearning assets
- Identify related training at the end of a microlearning asset
By creating connections between your training assets, establishing clear standards for both look and feel and user experience, and using metadata to help learners find related training resources, you’ll create a cohesive, consistent experience that helps learners understand the bigger picture.
What Kind of Content Will You Include in the Training?
- Complying with new requirements and procedures
- Completing projects with accelerated timelines
- Creating engaged employees
- Addressing the growing skills gaps
- Preventing high turnover and rise of workforce mobility
What Technology Will You Use to Make Your Training Available?
Not all learning management systems manage microlearning well. The effectiveness of your training program depends in part on ease of access. If a learner can’t quickly find what they’re looking for and consume it right when they need it, it’s less likely that they’ll put the effort in to access and use short training pieces.So, your learning management system should be easily searchable and provide excellent tagging so that learners can find what they need. And, if possible, having the capacity to share microlearning assets through social networking capabilities will increase the use and success of microlearning assets.
Who Are Your Learners?
When choosing a training strategy, it’s important to start with your learners’ needs and contexts in mind. While microlearning can be a highly effective strategy across all generations, younger learners or learners who are more technologically savvy may be more comfortable using microlearning assets than those who use digital devices less frequently. Further, web-based microlearning depends on learners having web-enabled devices readily available while they work, since this training works best when consumed in an on-the-job setting.
