Types Of Microlearning: Boost Your Learners’ Experience

Recognizing the power of marginal gains has a proven track of bringing results that once seemed unthinkable.

You can apply the same technique to multiple areas in life, learning included.

Research has shown that microlearning can reduce the time needed for training and increase job satisfaction.

With the pace of our lives, our already limited attention span shrinks even more.

But what if we used a learning method that adjusted to our lifestyles and if we could use mobile apps to help us grow rather than waste our time?

Here’s a deep dive into the mosaic with the types of microlearning available to fuel performance and foster ongoing growth within your business.

What Is Microlearning?

Microlearning is an instructional approach based on delivering bite-sized, focused pieces of content—usually via digital media—in an easily digestible way.

Yet, while it may replace traditional e-learning courses, it can also effectively facilitate formal and informal learning.

By default, microlearning is mostly a mobile learning process. It challenges the traditional e-learning format with a very to-the-point structure.

Every small step is concluded with a learning summary and key takeaways.

Before we discuss various types of microlearning, the following key characteristics of this approach will help you understand how to maximize its power.

• Content available on any device. 
  One of the reasons microlearning is so powerful is that it’s easily accessible. The content is usually available on desktops and mobile devices. All you need is internet access and your device. This way, learners can enjoy just-in-time access to their courses. Consequently, the risk they will miss their learning path in time drops dramatically.
• Use of rich media formats. The traditional e-learning format only offers a simplified approach to how learners learn. Microlearning, on the other hand, uses rich media formats that adjust to various learning styles. With its broad range of handy formats, it appeals to learners who understand the visual manner better; at the same time, it has a few options for those who are more audio-oriented.
• Focus on a specific learning outcome. It’s easier to gain mastery over any skill when you have fewer goals to achieve. That’s why microlearning is about explaining concepts dedicated to a particular learning path rather than focusing on multiple topics. Typically, strategies are used to simulate complex scenarios of possible challenges. Then, there’s time for practice sessions, during which learners consolidate their knowledge.

Why Microlearning?

As mentioned above, this flexible approach suits formal and informal learning environments. There are many types of microlearning available, making the choice vast.

Even when using instructor-led training, adding microlearning can only be beneficial. That’s because informal learning can feel like a breather between lengthy modules used in any larger e-learning course.

This way, the learning interaction doesn’t feel like an obligation, but it’s fun. Given that our attention spans need to be longer, maintaining your learners’ interest with interactive quizzes or a personalized learning path is already tough.

With the variety of types of microlearning, you can freely adjust your methods to the desired outcomes.

Microlearning can enrich a traditional e-learning format or lead to a specific learning outcome.

Fit For Formal And Informal Training

Formal Training

Adding microlearning lessons to formal training can enhance learner retention and engagement.

Use a microlearning course for pre-training to introduce your learners to the topic and prepare for formal learning.

After any learning session, interactive quizzes or interactive PDFs come in handy to help them consolidate the new knowledge.

Mobile apps provide just-in-time access. Sometimes, their availability is more comprehensive than mobile devices.

Microlearning also transforms an extensive e-learning course into more focused training, adding incentives like learning interactions. This way, you support your learners’ critical thinking skills.

Supplement formal training

Microlearning, with its very interesting format, can be an excellent way to make traditional learning more enjoyable. By adding bits of informal learning, you diversify the formal training mode.

Blending formal and informal learning modes can prevent your learners from getting bored. Given how limited a human attention span can get, preventing boredom is essential.

Performance support tools (PSTs)

These learning aids offer performance support to your learners so they can reach the outcome faster.

The Types Of Microlearning

Below, you’ll find different types of microlearning divided into several groups. There are numerous options to choose from.

Video-Based Learning

With everything going visual, it’s no wonder that the visual-based approach grabs audiences’ attention the most these days.

Interestingly, many types of video-based microlearning pack great visual appeal and have enormous engaging potential.

Kinetic-text-based animation

Kinetic typography is where animation meets excellent fonts. In microlearning, it makes sense to use it to present statistics, data, etc.

With some voice-over added, this kind of animation might work well when you want to make learners memorize essential but not that interesting facts.

Interactive video-based learning

Interactive videos allow learners to engage with the content rather than passively watch what’s on their screens. Their interactivity enables users to engage in learning interactions, for they click, hover, circle, etc., to make any progress.

Given how short our attention span stands, it makes sense to interrupt the video with interactive infographics your learners have to click, quizzes, PDFs, etc.

Expert Videos And Webinars

Watching an expert video or a webinar can feel like taking part in instructor-led training. Using this form of microlearning is another way of enriching the content of your course.

With tutors who walk your learners through the process correctly, it can feel like something different from animated videos or any other visual-based approach.

Visual Approach

Infographics are great because they are perfect for summarizing top facts or stats. Because of their strong visual appeal, they grab attention and stay with learners longer.

By adding interactive infographics to the learner’s workflow, you’re creating a journey where they can actively obtain new knowledge. Using this solution to summarize key aspects leads to enriching the already very useful formats available.

The same goes for using PDFs or interactive PDFs—the first type of microlearning is one of the simplest. With the latter, you can put data into meaningful info groups, so it isn’t overwhelming.

Modern ebooks can pack great visual appeal and still be useful to those who prefer reading to watching. Still, for those who understand visual manner better, you can add some interactivity.

By adding interactive videos or elements of kinetic text-based animation, you can also attract learners who prefer the visual approach.

Podcasts

Adding podcasts to any informal training makes sense, for users can choose to listen while doing something else, like having their morning run or folding up their laundry.

Integrate audio learning aids into your learner’s work flow in larger e-learning courses to enrich your microlearning lessons.

Game-based microlearning/gamification

Using gamification to improve employees’ skills isn’t anything new. And because it works, it’s logical that adding this to your microlearning strategy is a good idea.

Try interactive quizzes, immersive scenarios, or mini-scenarios where your learners need to practice what they learned. It’s a great form of supplementing formal training.

Interactive parallax-based scrolling

Another way to engage your learners is by using interactivity. Interactive parallax-based scrolling is a technique where, by scrolling, users pick visual elements so they can somehow narrate what happens next.

Giving your learners this sense of agency might increase their engagement.

Complex branching scenarios

Taking the practical approach allows users to taste the hands-on experience. You present them with an event, and they must choose how to deal with it.

World-Building

By engaging your learners in a world-building game, you allow them to create an environment where they can put their skills into practice.

Good Old Texts

Use short documents, essays, articles, and microblogs to supplement training.

And if you don’t have time to produce your own materials, there’s also curated online content.

Think outside the box. The Internet is full of valuable sources, many of which are free to use.

Look for sources that you consider the best in your industry, and share them with your learners so they can use them.

Emailed Newsletters, Email Courses, Text-Message Based Microlearning, And Conversational Chatbots

Use messaging to deliver focused training. The types of microlearning that depend on written communication appeal to learners who appreciate the written text.

Also, use chatbots to engage them in practice sessions. For example, these come in handy when we try to learn languages.

Geofencing

One of the types of microlearning that can be used effectively in corporate training is geofencing. This technology allows messages to be sent to people once they enter a specific location.

It’s a great way to diversify the learning space. While other techniques are handy job aids, this one is perfect for making it more active and fun.

Virtual reality (VR) And Augmented reality (AR)

VR and AR are those types of microlearning that not only support performance but allow for practical training when e-learning courses wouldn’t do.

The key characteristics are that learners can face real-life situations without taking risks. It makes sense with any specific learning outcome where the stakes are people’s safety or life.

Wrapping Up

Microlearning is a powerful and versatile learning approach that caters to modern learners’ needs.

If you’re interested in how these various types of microlearning can work for you, you may also like to learn about the best community engagement ideas for your online community.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Is The Microlearning Method?

This approach is used in formal and informal learning, where content is divided into bite-sized chunks with a specific outcome in mind.

What Is The Format For Microlearning?

Microlearning isn’t restricted to any common format. This allows you to adjust the learning material to your learners’ learning styles and preferences.

What Are Microlearning Modules?

These modules are units that constitute the whole course. They help you stay on track with different parts of your specific learning path.