Microlearning - is it enough?
The demand for accessible and effective learning methods is greater than ever. Microlearning and bite-sized content continue to provide a promising solution, but is it enough? It’s flexible in its offering as we are no longer confined to hours of training sessions or exhaustive videos; instead, we are embracing a learning landscape defined by brevity, flexibility, and impact, however, if the content offered is irrelevant or out of date, we can't help but ask “what’s the point?”
Microlearning creates an alternative from traditional long-format learning materials to smaller, concentrated units of knowledge, which in itself is an amazing way of learning. Instead of enduring extended programs, learners now have access to succinct, focused modules that they can consume at their own pace. But the issue we seem to be seeing often at the moment is whether the content being offered is even worth the small amount of time it takes to consume the media. So what can we do to make sure that we’re not just offering bite-size, flexible learning but an offering that is relevant and impactful?
The flexibility offered by microlearning and bite-sized content is powerful and the same principle needs to be applied to the actual content itself. It’s no good buying an LMS system that has thousands upon thousands of units if the content in the unit itself isn’t relevant to the person, business or even the society in which we find ourselves now. Without going on about the pandemic, we all have to face the fact that business (and society) as a whole looks completely different to pre-2020, and therefore a lot of the learning offering acquired before then could be out of date by now. Update your learning content just as quickly as people are consuming it. Don’t just set and forget, be agile and grow with the needs of your employees. This is so much easier than you think.
The best way to ensure your microlearning offering isn’t missing the mark is by creating tailored content made specifically for your business. Like with most services, a tailored solution is going to make more of an impact than an off-the-shelf offering. For example, we’ve seen finance for non finance learning material that’s not even in the same currency as the country in which the employee is viewing the unit. Not only does this mean the information is most likely useless, but it can send a negative message to your team as well, telling them that their development isn’t a priority and therefore resulting in the employee not engaging either. After all, if your team doesn’t think their organisation is invested in their development, why should they care either?
So don’t be afraid to think outside the box and invest in tailored content, keep it simple, less is more, and let’s always keep coming back to little and often, curated content.
In a world where time is a precious commodity, microlearning and bite-sized content offer a practical and effective solution to our learning needs but all of this is irrelevant if the content isn't tailored or curated in a way that works for your business. You cannot be certain your microlearning offering will have the impact it needs to unless you also embrace the fundamental principles of learning itself, ensuring it’s tailored, relevant and part of a blended learning approach. An adaptable, engaging, and personalised approach makes it a valuable tool for learners across diverse fields, so take these principles and provide an offering that's tailored and curated specifically for your business and your people. By embracing these methods, we can streamline the learning process, enhance retention, and foster a lifelong commitment to development and growth. In the ever-evolving landscape of development, microlearning and bite-sized content continue to be champions of progress, providing a bridge to a more informed and skilled future, but only if you put in the work to keep it relevant.