Corporate employees are constantly in need of new skills or information to perform better. But, at the same time, the amount of free time people have has decreased with modern life. As a result, the effectiveness of lengthy training sessions has declined. Long sessions have gradually grown more time-consuming, unnecessary, and counterproductive.
Microlearning for employee training is emerging as a practical alternative as traditional approaches lose their effectiveness and attention spans get shorter.
It is a rapid and convenient way of learning that gives your valuable employees access to information whenever and wherever they need it. With microlearning, employees are capable of completing a particular learning objective in a short amount of time.
In this article, we will explore the top eight ways to make microlearning more interesting and engaging for employees.
What is Microlearning?
Microlearning is all about taking your online courses in manageable, snackable chunks so that you are able to understand them in a short amount of time.
It is a term that people use to describe a variety of learning methods. All, however, have the following qualities to varying degrees:
- Microlearning is done in brief sessions.
- Personal sessions only demand minimal effort.
- The subjects are straightforward or narrow.
To engage and motivate learners to dig deeper, microlearning makes use of rich media available on a range of platforms. Microlearning enables the learner to apply what they learn right away and goes beyond simply breaking up a bigger eLearning course into smaller chunks.
How Does Microlearning Function?
In contrast to the concept of “long courses,” microlearning is a rather radical shift. Organizations often see microlearning as a collection of training tools that their employees can access whenever and wherever they need to.
Microlearning is created in accordance with an employee’s actual learning cycles, so it goes beyond shorter courses. Employees can continue to use those sources when they are needed, rather than forgetting the majority of the material after a lengthier course.
For each module, the trainee is often given between three and six minutes to complete an important assignment, such as:
- Seeing a quick tutorial video and responding to a problem.
- Playing a video game that teaches a specific skill online.
- Reviewing an executive summary and responding to a brief set of inquiries.
- Looking at an infographic and responding to a few quick questions.
- Making use of online flashcards to study for a test.
- Virtually taking part in a game within a scenario.
The majority of the time, microlearning courses are used when a gap in knowledge emerges, but they may also be included in an employee’s long or short-term goals.
Let’s take a look at different forms of microlearning training methods that can be used to keep the audience engaged.
Infographics
The main lessons from a protracted training session can be succinctly summarized using infographics, which offer quick access to information. When a worker is prepared to learn more, interactive infographics can be linked to additional resources, extending the training. This kind of microlearning can be applied throughout the onboarding process to swiftly acquaint new hires with company procedures and rules.
Static Resources
Although static resources are one of the most popular forms of microlearning, they may not be as visually appealing as some of the other varieties. Consider brief descriptions that go further than an infographic in PDFs and eBooks that may be read on various devices.
Due to their lengthy reading times, eBooks may not seem to meet the objectives of microlearning tools, but they can serve as a handy reference for employees when they need them. Similar to infographics, PDFs and eBooks can be used to give your employees access to more detailed information.
Complex Branching Scenarios
Think about a simulator that functions like a book of choices. As an employee makes decisions, this dynamic microlearning technology reacts to them and changes the scenario.
Consider using this as a training tool for the customer care team, with the interactive tool playing the role of a consumer and voicing concerns or registering complaints. Alternatively, you can consider using it as a dynamic simulation of an emergency room. Such microlearning provides several opportunities for problem resolution in various contexts.
Animated Videos
Like for children, an animation may help adults understand complex concepts as well. If animation has a significant visual advantage, it can aid in the breakdown of abstract concepts into manageable chunks.
Additionally, animation provides a range of styles (character, corporate setting, realistic situation, etc.) that are acceptable for different corporate cultures. It is, therefore, conventionally suitable for all learners.
Podcasting and Webcasting
When it comes to microlearning, podcasts may be a fantastically effective tool, especially if your employees spend a lot of time traveling.
The length of podcasts can vary from brief to long, and they can be either direct and to the point or theoretically oriented. Comparably, webcasts offer a more visual approach and, if they are viewed in real life, can permit viewer questions that are then resolved in real-time.
Gamification
Who ruled that training had to be dull? Gamification is a form of microlearning whereby employees engage in games to learn concepts. In the games, there may be competitive spirit, level advancement, badges, and other features that you can leverage in your training sessions. This makes training a mix of fun and educational.
Geofencing
Consider a situation when your workers arrive at a job site and require immediate knowledge about modifications to building rules or regulations. The information is available to them when they need it most, thanks to geofencing, which automatically delivers an update to their device.
Interactive Scrolling with Parallax
The parallax effect, which is frequently used on web pages, is used in yet another unique way of microlearning. It uses the same technique to simulate a learner’s ability to “scroll through” a learning route.
The learning path can be supplemented with interactions and tests. Questions, interactive quizzes, and information pop up to gauge the learner’s understanding as their avatar scrolls through an online setting. Like a maze or a game of creating a virtual world, this type of microlearning is very captivating for learners who have limited attention spans.
Conclusion
The information in this article aims to help you when creating your upcoming training programs by providing you with important tips about different forms of microlearning.
With so many types of microlearning available, designing a customized training program for your workers has never been simpler. Employers who adopt microlearning are aware that they are offering cost-effective, productive, and effective learning solutions to their employees.
