More info. Less time. Microlearning is everything we love about asynchronous learning with none of the baggage of longer, more cumbersome courses. We recently described how organizations are beginning to “divide learning content into shorter sections and reassemble those sections, in part or in whole, based upon context and need.” But how small do these pieces have to be?
Picture a small carry-on suitcase you’re packing for a weekend getaway. First you add the essentials (clothes and shoes). Then you add some additional items (sundries and gadgets). As departure time approaches, you start tossing in back-ups (more shoes!) and emergency items (snacks!). Inevitably, when it’s time to leave, you’re sitting on top of the suitcase, using the force of your weight to help shut the zippers, because the last thing you want is to be charged for a checked bag. Similarly, many companies want small courses but can’t stop shoveling in the extras that make the course, like the suitcase, uncomfortably full.
Rather than defining microlearning with a specific slide count or duration, define it by the one clear concept that achieves your goal. It could be a behavior, task, or process, but it should be only one, because when you try to accomplish more than one thing at a time, courses get crowded. As you whittle down learning content for a microlearning experience, think about these questions:
What do the learners already know?
Identify the baseline knowledge and eliminate anything that the learners are already aware of or are doing well. Consider recommending prerequisites to ensure that everyone comes to the table with what they need to succeed. If you can’t clearly articulate the existing level of knowledge, use that learning process as its own calibration experience.
Where else can the learners find this information?
Review the existing job tools, courses, and industry resources available to your learners. Ask the learners for their related best practices and tips to finding relevant information. If they are getting this information elsewhere, and it’s accurate, don’t recreate the wheel. Consider adding to the microlearning package a resources section that points learners towards related tools.
How many sub-topics will the course cover?
Um… one. If you find yourself outlining the content into subcategories, objectives, sections, modules, or anything that is not one, it’s too much. Microlearning lends itself to series, so if you have more to cover, you’re not out of luck. Think about the sections you can divide your content into and go from there. Learners will benefit from having a well-defined series of learning experiences.
If your content includes reference material that learners will want to reference again, move it into neat, concise, downloadable, or web-based job aids. Making these materials readily accessible also makes updating them easier. The microlearning becomes a course on application of the job aids rather than one that disseminates the reference material.
Picture that suitcase again. I’m an Instructional Designer: planning is my life. I have a set of reusable, laminated packing lists divided by activity and family member to ensure that I pack exactly what I need – nothing in excess – and leave room to bring home a souvenir. The thought of a heavy, crowded suitcase makes me want to rush through the trip just to get back to business as usual. The beauty of accurately packing your course with one concept is that it equips your learners to execute the course’s objective, avoids overloading them with information that muddies the core message, and leaves room for practice and reflection.
Microlearning should be big enough to make the learning experience a welcome break from the normal workday, but not so big that learners leave confused about the one thing they’re supposed to take away.
