Top 5 Benefits of Microlearning (and how it can help your business)

What is microlearning?

Microlearning is a new approach to eLearning which offers bite-sized modules that comprehensively explore the learning topic in a compact and engaging format. With content often made available on mobiles and tablets, the content can be accessed whenever and whenever, allowing the user to achieve their learning goals. 

What are the benefits of Microlearning?

1. More Efficient

With microlearning content prized for being easily and readily accessible, it’s been proven to be more efficient than the traditional, click-next-to-continue courses as learners can dive in and out of the learning resources, taking each at their own pace. The more compact focused and targeted approach means the content feels more relevant to the individual and they are not swamped with too much unnecessary or irrelevant information which significantly improves retention levels.

2. More Engaging

According to reports, employees would make more use of their organization’s learning tools if courses were shorter as they find lengthy courses not only disrupt their daily work schedule but makes the information significantly harder to digest. It’s no secret that microlearning content is engaging, often video-led, and highly visual, boosting the chances of maintaining learner engagement from start to finish.

3. Needs-based learning and development

It may sound obvious, but we need knowledge when it’s relevant, not on the prescribed day of a classroom-based learning scheduled 6 months from now. The hyper-targeted nature of microlearning content makes it ideal for self-directed learning, meaning that individuals can recognise a skillset deficiency within themselves and address this quickly and efficiently. This can range from a wide range of technical knowledge right through to soft skills.

The combination of low-cost solutions and rapid development times means organisations are adopting microlearning as an integral part of their learning strategies, as it provides the Learning & Development professional with the agility required to meet learner needs at pace.

4. Learn On The Go & Flexibility

Today’s technology means that course content can be accessed wherever and whenever we find convenient through Game eLearning. This can make the microlearning approach ideal for people looking to make their travel times more productive, or simply making the most of short pockets of time to learn throughout the day, even if it’s just while we wait for the kettle to boil. With mobile apps for gamified learning, we can even engage and have fun with remote colleagues and share our learning experiences.

Beyond making the most of timeslots that can be plugged with learning opportunities, browser-based learning also allows us to dictate the physical environment in which we learn. When content can be accessed through your workstation, tablet or phone there’s no need to be desk-bound while we learn.

5. Improved Return on Investment (ROI)

Listening to both prospects and customers, three substantial problems impacting learner engagement are; learners not having or making enough time for training, a one size fits all policy which doesn’t work across the board, and eLearning being dull and feeling irrelevant to a learner’s role. These engagement challenges can have a serious impact on ROI, but with an effective microlearning strategy, can be successfully overcome.

When compared to other forms of media, video-based microlearning shows higher recall and retention rates, which leads to a better ROI as the skills and information acquired are actively retained and demonstrable in the workplace. Breaking down the content into small digestible chunks that can be assessed anywhere, at any time, keeps the attention of the learner and subsequent retention of the information learned.

In summary, microlearning has many benefits for organizations that want to revolutionize their learning culture with short, sharp, just-in-time learning that encourages curiosity and enhances learner engagement from the top-down.

Time to take your staff learning and development to the next level? 

• • The Access learning libraryincludes 1000+ courses, with topics ranging from; highly-specialist governance, risk and compliance, health and safety, cyber awareness, legal compliance and professional development (as well as the capacity to produce custom eLearning content).

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Our courses can be accessed online, in the innovative bite-sized modules to engage your employees and help learning stick!

The Access learning library includes 1000+ courses, with topics ranging from; highly-specialist governance, risk and compliance, health and safety, cyber awareness, legal compliance and professional development (as well as the capacity to produce custom eLearning content).

Many of our courses can be accessed online and in the necessary bite-sized chunks described above.