Are you someone who finds TikTok educational? Do you find yourself watching lessons on YouTube about 'Ontario Bird Species'? Microlearning happens all around us and if you're not using it at your company - here's why you should consider it!
What is Microlearning?
Microlearning is the delivery of knowledge in small, nugget-sized bites. It's an ideal way to provide quick lessons in a way that's convenient for your team and easier to retain than traditional training methods.
The definition of 'micro' is small - and that fully encompasses microlearning! Small amounts of information shared in quick bursts. There is no limit on what is considered 'micro' and it will look different for each team. However, here at Spiffy, we're fully prepared to help you find your company sweet-spot so you can ensure your teams' knowledge retention and compliance is the highest it's ever been.
What are the Benefits of Microlearning?
It is no secret that researchers have found that knowledge in short bursts is easier (and more fun) to consume and comprehend. Focused, organized batches of information help team members fully understand key takeaways and recall information in their moment of need.
Additionally, having training material readily available in their time of need (such as when making recommendations to a customer) will help blend the act of learning in with the regular flow of work duties.
With Millenial and Generation Z learners making up the 'tech natives' of today's workforce, choosing an education method that speaks to their current way of life is very important. With Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and MORE, this age group of employees is very familiar with short bursts of content. One of the top priorities of people looking for jobs in this age bracket is flexibility. The ability to train on their own time so that they're in the best possible mindset to retain knowledge, dog-friendly workspaces, flexible working hours, casual work attire... these are all things that speak to these 'tech natives' of our workforce.
What are the Main Principles of Microlearning?
Four basics to microlearning are:
1. Deliver information in small segments
2. Less is more
3. Engaging the learner
4. Improving knowledge retention
Microlearning can be used to teach just about anything to your team. Below is a chart that demonstrates how microlearning can be diversified to fit with your current training needs:
Examples of Microlearning you see Everyday
- Short educational videos (like those seen on Ted-Ed, Khan Academy, YouTube)
- Video tutorials and how-to's (like those seen on IGTV, TikTok, etc.)
- Language learning platforms such as DuoLingo
Microlearning is a common form of personal education because typically if we lose interest in something, we stop paying attention. Teachings are bite-sized, and you usually do not even realize you're 'microlearning' before it's over!
It's an effective, engaging, and appealing form of education in this new-age workforce. In today's fast-paced culture, allowing employees to complete their training at a time that best fits into their busy schedules is beneficial for all parties involved.
Microlearning is here to stay - are you interested in seeing what microlearning would look like for your team? Send us an email at info@withspiffy.com to learn more about how you can get your team set up today!