You are most likely aware of the fact that microlearning has revolutionized the eLearning environment. But did you know that just like any strategy, business leaders need to cleverly implement the microlearning solution if they want to maximize their returns?
Most of the funds allocated to an organization’s learning and development process go to waste. This is either because the training programs are irrelevant to the employees’ needs and demands or because the program has not been properly implemented. Microlearning solutions are designed to tackle all these problems. In the article below, we will find out everything that leaders should know about microlearning and the three best use cases of microlearning that will help them implement the solution in their organization.
What is Microlearning?
Long-format content has many shortcomings. When the modules are too extensive, the target audience is either unable to pay equal attention throughout the entire duration of the content or faces information overload because of too much information imparted at once. Microlearning solutions have been introduced to address these problems.
Microlearning is an approach where short and crisp content pieces are introduced to the learner. In this approach, the content is just a few minutes long, making sure all the information is imparted to the viewer before they lose interest. Moreover, in this format, only one concept is usually presented at one time to ensure that the viewer is not overloaded with too much information.
Since the idea of microlearning is to give the viewers time to process the information without boring them with too many irrelevant insights, it is more effective than any type of long-form content.
The Best Use Cases of Microlearning
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Utilizing Microlearning for Skill Development in Remote Employees
Learning a new concept in theory is not enough. One needs to learn the practical implementation as well. You need to find actionable ways through which you can implement what you have learned. Especially if you have a team of employees that work remotely, practical implementation of the knowledge they have learned is very important.
Microlearning helps employees take action on what they have learned in the training program. Suppose you have introduced a training program on “how to create a sense of community among remote workers.” Here, you can start off with an eye-catching statistic that will grab their attention. After this, you can add five ways they can achieve the goal. Now, ask them to reflect on the steps that they want to implement in their team.
Once the microlearning module is over, encourage them to design a plan of action based on the skills that they have just learned in the module. Doing this will give the employees a sense of ownership and accountability to build better connections with their colleagues.
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Microlearning for New Employee’s Company Briefing
Briefing your new employees about the company policies and rules is a time-consuming process. Companies need to look for ways in which they can streamline their hiring process. Fortunately, you can simplify it with the help of microlearning. You can send short modules about the rules followed in your organization and ask them to go through them before you start the onboarding process. Moreover, add some frequently asked questions to your module to ensure that all the doubts that an employee can possibly have are answered in the module. If they have any other additional questions, they can always contact the HR executives to clarify their doubts.
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Microlearning for On-the-Job Support
One of the major problems that organizations face is the irrelevance of on-the-job training that is imparted to the employee. Training must offer practical knowledge to the employees, which will allow them to put the skills that they have learned into practice. Here, microlearning modules become very useful.
For instance, you can make a microlearning module for product information that will help your sales executive find all the key information about the products that your organization deals with in one place. This module has a dual purpose. Firstly, it acts as a go-to resource for your employees, helping them polish their knowledge about the features of the product before they head for an important pitch. Pro tip: You can highlight the important points so that they can grasp them in one go. Secondly, it allows obtaining all the practical knowledge they need to perform their job efficiently.
Expert Tips To Make Microlearning Effective
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Your Microlearning Modules Must Provide Answers
Your employees want their doubts to be clarified through your microlearning module, so always aim to provide them with a crisp and clear answer.
While designing a microlearning module, focus on the following:
- Situation: The problem faced in the workplace.
- Solution: Provide them with the answer to the problems faced.
- Action: Allow the employees to take action to fix the problem.
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Your Microlearning Module Must Be Useful
While designing your microlearning solution, you should examine the performance gap your employees are currently facing. Armed with all this information, you have all the knowledge and evidence you need to craft a useful microlearning module.
With all the information in your hand, you will be able to craft resources that are genuinely useful for your employees.
Instead of providing them with a wide range of information that is related to the topic, focus on providing them with the information that they need to do their job efficiently.
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You Must Space Out the Learning Process
Microlearning’s effectiveness relies on spaced repetition. So, after you have introduced a module to your employees, give them some time to process the information. Spacing out the modules is like giving yourself a break after you have completed a set in the gym.
In the gym, you give your body some rest to recover and perform the next set efficiently. In the case of microlearning, you allow your neutral pathway some rest for better knowledge retention.
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You Must Make the Microlearning Module Interactive
As humans, we are more interested in conversations than in speeches because they give us the opportunity to interact with the speaker. The same goes for microlearning modules. When you add short simulations, quizzes, and polls to your modules, the employees will be constantly engaged in the learning process, making it more useful.
Conclusion
Microlearning modules offer great benefits to your employees. They help them retain knowledge without being overwhelmed by too much information. In addition to that, they make the learning process more effective and provide practical information. The above-mentioned use cases of microlearning allow you to use this strategy effectively in different spheres of your organization. But always remember to follow the essential tips to make it more useful.