According to A study by BPIFrance, 83% of small and medium-sized businesses have difficulty recruiting external skills, and 62% of them have difficulty developing them internally, mainly due to a lack of time. Thanks to its great flexibility, the microlearning can contribute to bridging, at least in part, the gap between organizational needs and training effectiveness.
But what specific benefits does microlearning offer employees and businesses? How can it be effectively implemented in a training strategy? Explore the answers to these critical questions with us in this article!
What is microlearning?
History and definition
Microlearning, or micro-learning, which emerged as one of the main e-learning trends in 2017, continues to shape online training methods.
This teaching method consists of Divide information into smaller units or in learning capsules lasting only a few minutes to facilitate the absorption and retention of knowledge.
The objective of micro-learning
Inspired by initiatives like The Khan Academy platform, microlearning has revolutionized the way education is delivered by simplifying and accelerating learning.
This technique helps maintaining learners' attention by focusing each session on a unique learning objective. This method is particularly effective in environments where distractions are common. Microlearning allows learners to manage their learning time in a more flexible way and thus adapts to varied schedules. An ideal approach to train your teams remotely!
How to implement a microlearning strategy in your business?
Step 1: identifying educational goals
To effectively implement microlearning, it is essential to Define educational goals Clear.
These goals can be determined by analyzing the company's overall strategy, conducting interviews with employees, and evaluating the results of previous training.
This process ensures that microlearning modules are relevant and aligned with the needs of the organization. Setting specific goals also helps to measure the effectiveness of training after deployment. And it provides a starting point for possible adjustments or continuous improvements.
Step 2: choosing a suitable e-learning content creation tool
Choosing the right learning management system (LMS) is critical. An effective LMS should offer adapted functionalities to the specific needs of microlearning:
- Easy to update content
- Monitoring learners' progress
- Content granularity
- Variety of formats (videos, texts, quizzes, etc.)
Choosing the right LMS can also make it easier to distribute personalized content at scale. It is therefore a choice not to be taken lightly in order to reach all groups of learners (and meet their specific needs).
Step 3: creating engaging content
You have defined your goals, you have chosen your LMS. Make way for the creation of microlearning content! Creating engaging content is fundamental in microlearning. You need to capture learners' attention and teach them something in just a few minutes.
To do this, do not hesitate to adopt modern educational technologies : Gamification, mobile learning... They allow, through play or accessibility, to quickly engage learning teams.
Peer to peer learning and content adaptation to each learner also enrich the experience. Diversify formats (videos, infographics, quizzes) and engage learners through visually appealing and interactive content.
Step 4: planning learning sequences
The structuring of microlearning modules should be consistent and systematic. Each module, (we talk about “grain”), must cover a key concept and be integrated into a training course global and allow for the gradual construction of knowledge.
Organizing learning sequences in a logical and structured way helps learners build on previously acquired knowledge. The objective? Strengthen global understanding and long-term retention.
Some examples of the use of microlearning
Microlearning is particularly effective for various types of training :
- Onboarding : welcome and integrate your new talents thanks to capsules on the culture of the company, its operation and its new mission.
- Product training : present the characteristics of your new products/services to your teams.
- Safety training : raise awareness about security or cyber security to reduce the risk in your business.
- Training in new tools : ensure a quick understanding of your new technologies (your new LMS for your HR teams for example!)
- Process training : too many processes? Clarify all this with a sequence of modules lasting a few minutes.
The limits and challenges of microlearning
Limitation to simple concepts
Microlearning is often better suited to simple and concise concepts, which can limit its use for complex subjects or deep.
This approach may sometimes prove to be insufficient to deal with issues that require a thorough understanding or the mastery of advanced skills. You must therefore choose the subjects adapted to this learning method and use microlearning as a complement to more “traditional” training courses.
Learner engagement and motivation
The success of microlearning depends largely on motivation and Learner engagement. To remedy this, it is essential to design modules that are not only informative but also engaging and motivating.
The establishment of reward systems, achievement badges And of ranking tables can boost learner engagement and foster a healthy competitive environment.
Fragmented learning risks
Microlearning can cut information excessively, making it difficult to perceive the links between modules. This division can lead to a superficial understanding of the subject and prevent learners from developing the big picture.
To prevent this, you can integrate summaries or summary sessions that connect the various learning segments and thus offer a coherent and consolidated overview.
Complexity of content preparation
Creating content for microlearning can be complex and time-consuming, because it requires the distillation of vast concepts into small, digestible fragments. Each content should be designed in such a way as to be autonomous while being part of a larger educational framework. Course designers must carefully plan and organize content to ensure that it conveys essential information without overloading or neglecting critical aspects of the subject matter.
