What Is Microlearning?
Microlearning benefits are many, but what is microlearning itself? There’s no dictionary definition, but microlearning courses share a few common attributes. Naturally, they’re short and only a few minutes long. Likewise, microlearning content focuses narrowly on a given topic and is characterized by learning objectives that target clear workplace results. Lastly, in removing the need to coordinate multiple learners at the same time (as with ILT, VILT or other modalities), completing it depends heavily on the learner being able to access it easily.
Microlearning is the direct application of snack-sized trainings towards a clearly-identified gap in a workplace task, process or operation.
10 Benefits of Microlearning; A Closer Look
1. Boosts Retention
Almost anyone can remember a phone number, a single address, or maybe their license plate, because it doesn’t create cognitive overload. By simple volume, if there’s less to remember, then there’s also less to forget! That much is self-evident. But, there’s more. We know review is key to learning and repetition or sufficiently distanced review sessions of something helps us better retain it. And it’s much easier to repeat something that’s five minutes long and is accessible on your phone. Maybe a learner won’t need to repeat it. But if they do, the solve-the-problem-and-move-on nature of microlearning courses insists that no irrelevant things need to be remembered.
2. Strong Engagement
A key point of adult education is reinforcing why something will benefit the learner in a practical way. This “down payment” by the trainer front loads some motivation. A related point is that–while it sounds elementary–motivation is the shortest distance between a learner and engagement. Microlearning shows evidence of greater engagement and motivation, as cited in the journal Educational Technology Research and Development, which references six published learning experts. The journal concludes the following: “MML [mobile microlearning] can improve learner motivation, engagement, and performance.”
Going the mobile learning path is usually a solid option too: we’re all pretty engaged with our phones nowadays (regardless of an activity’s usefulness.) Why not make it useful?
According to Training Development (TD) Magazine from Sept 2020, Microlearning revs training engagement by 50% and retention by over 20%
3. Enhanced Flexibility
Depending on the size of their family or the generation they’re from, employees have only so much disposable time outside of work. But everyone has five or ten minutes. Being available anytime is negotiable, as life outside of one’s job becomes a more discussed topic in the workplace, but everyone has five minutes. Additionally, the variety of media and formats available to microlearning modules can be adapted to different learning preferences.
4. Ease of Scalability
Every business wants to reuse things where they can. Multiple people using the same thing at the same time gets even better results and that’s possible with microlearning. In contrast to certain traditional training methods, once something is created and mass-produced, the benefits of microlearning-based training start as soon as the PDFs are handed out or the URL is shared.
5. On-demand learning
Providing training microlearning content at the point of need or JIT (just-in-time) means it’s meeting a demand. The low-learner-demand threshold of microlearning corporate training programs means “on your own schedule”; another term for on demand.
6. Personalized Learning
By nature of its narrow focus, microlearning modules can address the individual learner’s specific skills gap or at least a smaller group’s skills gap within a workplace. The personalized approach works best when a variety of microlearning content (also called a learning library) is available to employees. From this, they can select or be assigned only the things that they need or want to take; what’s relevant to them and their workplace needs, personally. Think about it, there’s a reason why “targeted” ads are so popular and why countless websites have cookies and trackers; personalization works.
7. Skill Gap Closing & Problem Solving
Information is constantly growing. 402.74 million terabytes of data are produced every day. And as we learn more, we find more ways to improve the work we do. Many of these new improvements will require new skills or sub-skills. Also, as the growth of information accelerates, we learn about more potential ways to solve problems. At this scale, time-consuming traditional learning methods will be reserved for major needs. Frequent but manageable problems or skills gap needs are where a compact learning process like microlearning can definitely fill in.
8. Learning Culture
When used right, microlearning delivers major dividends for growing a learning culture in the workplace. As DPE’s Chief People Officer noted in HR Grapevine UK, the generally younger workforce employed by DPE (Domino’s Pizza Enterprises) was very smartphone-literate. The perfect alignment of microlearning modules with mobile learning just made sense. And the app they created was a smash hit. There were nine layers of mini-lessons, from onboarding new hires up to developing new franchisee relationships.
9. Cost-Effectiveness
Smaller-sized micronlearning content, just by simple math, has lower development costs. A two-page PDF is fewer labor hours to pay a writer for than drafting a full-length manual. A seven-slide Articulate 360 module takes less time to develop than a full-on learning path.
But here’s a clear-cut example. Two hospital systems on the west coast merged in the 2010s, creating a workforce that numbered over 100,000 people. The plodding nature of annual training was starting to wear on hospital workers. The hospital system worked to create on-demand microlearning modules using mobile learning and saved seven figures per year.
“With the findings [data on a microlearning initiative] in hand, we were able to articulate a return on investment of $4 million in productivity savings each year for each enterprise-wide course.”
– Darci Hall, former Chief Learning Officer, writing in TD Magazine about microlearning initiatives at Providence health systems
10. Perfect for Any Generation
Nearly all people still in the workforce have realized that the learning process no longer ends at college or vocational school graduation, or completing an apprenticeship. Workplace learning is here to stay. But different generations learn differently in general–at least when it comes to workplace KSAs.
Despite those differences, microlearning can fit most any generation of workers with corporate training needs.
- Millennials and Gen Z are, needless to say, very comfortable with digital and mobile learning; interactive features like quizzes or gamification can be an added bonus.
- Gen X (and “Xennials”) can adapt to most anything. Gen X is also the most likely to have above-average time demands of a growing family. On-demand learning works for that.
Boomers like clear feedback, and that’s easy when there’s not a lot to evaluate. Having little to evaluate is the nature of microlearning modules. The get-to-the-point, simplified structure of information that is required for microlearning content is also something they appreciate.
Implementing Microlearning
The modern workplace–for all employees–now includes a constant learning process, whether that’s online training or otherwise. And that’s true regardless of the industry.
Microlearning modules are great for single tasks by themselves. They’re also great as follow-ups and refreshers for traditional training programs–in this case, they are ideal to combat the infamous Ebbinghaus forgetting curve (we start forgetting learned material after 20 minutes!) And Roundtable Learning has the background, the know-how and the hard-won industry awards to prove it; we can help you with any microlearning needs (or other training and business strategy needs) you have.
Roundtable Can Help You with Microlearning and Much More
- An adult learning-instructional design team of experts on-site
- Breadth of training, problem-solving and strategic consulting for dozens of Fortune 1000 companies, ranging from snack sales (Kellanova, formerly Mars, Inc.) to CNC machine operations (Woodward Aviation) to leadership training for investment firm executives (Lincoln Financial)
- Five Brandon Hall workplace training consortium awards in 2024 alone
→ Even if your L&D is top-notch, we’re always interested in helping companies go even higher. We can help you set the new industry standard. Schedule a full 30-minute discovery call with one of our client specialists today
The Takeaway On Benefits of Microlearning
In summary, learners can pivot from microlearning courses to their day-to-day tasks with improved proficiency. By convening practical applications for their new knowledge, employees can accelerate their productivity. From small businesses to massive corporations, microlearning motivates employees to contribute their skills in a meaningful way. It’s a win-win.
Tear-Off Sheet or Key Takeaways
What Is Microlearning? Microlearning is a short training that focuses on a narrow topic to close a specific skills gap.
10 Benefits of Microlearning
- Boosts Retention: Less content is easier to remember, and it is easier to review short modules if needed
- Strong Engagement: Microlearning boosts engagement by 50% and retention by 20%, according to research cited by TD Magazine (Sept 2020 issue)
- Enhanced Flexibility: The short length of the modules makes it easy for employees to find time for training
- Ease of Scalability: Microlearning content can be used easily for many people at once
- On-demand learning: Employees can access microlearning content as needed on their own schedule
- Personalized Learning: The narrow focus of microlearning allows it to address individualized skills gaps
- Skill Gap Closing & Problem Solving: Microlearning is perfect for addressing small skills gaps with definite solutions
- Learning Culture: Microlearning can help grow company–and by extension learning–culture in the workplace, as seen in the success of an microlearning app at Domino’s Pizza Enterprises
- Cost-Effectiveness: Small content size means lower development costs, with Providence health system company saving millions of dollars annually
- Perfect for Any Generation: Microlearning can be adapted to fit the learning needs of any generation
Implementing Microlearning: Microlearning modules are great for single tasks or as refreshers to combat the forgetting curve. Roundtable Learning has the intersecting skills, experience and expertise to help with microlearning and other training solutions.