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Microlearning is the way to silence complaining colleagues when they talk about a new stupid training. Negativity about online learning often occurs because e-learnings are too long or have no variety. Or because people feel they need to learn things they already know. Are you an HR professional and does this sound familiar? Then it's high time to consider how to make learning more fun.
In our view, offering short learning interventions is a good way to motivate your colleagues. Not because a short lesson only shortens' suffering ', but because it is a powerful way of transferring knowledge. It inspires someone instead of boring someone. For this reason, microlearning is perfect during the onboarding new employees.
Funny fact: microlearnings are sometimes learning snacks mentioned. So compare them to a healthy snack! It is a moment of enjoyment that gives energy and is also good for you!
What exactly is microlearning?
Microlearning (or micro-learning) is a short learning intervention for a short learning activity.
You might want to read more about: what is e-learning first?
It is, as it were, a mini e-learning. It is used to repeat important knowledge and to make knowledge accessible and sustainable. A good application for this is performance support. This means that employees receive exactly the right information they need to perform optimally. Like during the onboarding of your new colleagues!
Want to know more about a successful onboarding process? So read: Insertion program example (bol.com & AWL).
In addition, it works well to offer content that ensures that knowledge remains permanently in the memory. This is also known as perpetuating knowledge. In addition, microlearning also books while practicing with behavioral change good results. In the latter two, microlearning is used in combination with macro learning moments, such as classroom training courses or e-learning.
Microlearning are quick to find if you are looking for them and you can complete them in about 3 minutes. Microlearning is about gaining knowledge in extremely small, manageable pieces of content, also known as micro lessons. The fact that microlearnings are short and powerful is seen as one of the biggest advantages. However, that does not mean that you can also assemble them in the blink of an eye. No, you need to think carefully about the design of your learning path. After all, you have to ask yourself whether microlearning is an appropriate learning solution and what type of content suits the target group. Only then can you develop your microlearning in 6 steps.
Good news, from now on you can click on the button the Onboarding Checklist download.
This document contains a number of crucial points that are part of a new colleague's induction period. This way, you won't forget anything and you can get started right away!
Step 1: Determine the purpose of your microlearning
Give meaning to your microlearning. You do this in the first instance by determining its purpose. Here you answer the question why you need to learn. Please note that the goal is SMART, so that you can evaluate whether the microlearning has delivered what you expected even after completing the learning process.
This is an important first step and you really should not skip it. After all, evaluating your microlearning is important to improve your training courses in the future.
Step 2: Determine the target group
With a persona, you get clear who your target group is and what they want or don't want. Once you have this clear, you can microlearning content better meet these specific needs. Logically, you address a young person quite differently than a 60-year-old senior. Don't you take this into account? That often means that you completely miss the mark with your short learning intervention.
In this case, learning is just like marketing. You have to make sure you deliver the right message to the right target group. A nice tool is to create a learning persona - a kind of buyer persona, but for your student. There are many templates of buyer personas on the internet that you can easily copy.
Step 3: Create a learning journey
With a learning journey you decide what are the steps that need to be taken to learn something. After all, learning takes place in steps, or rather: in micro steps! You are not a pilot after reading one article, but you are taking a lot of steps to become a pilot. By tailoring the learning journey to the persona, you get to the table where the big and small challenges in learning lie.
Learning interventions could provide the solution to the challenges found. Then decide whether the learning intervention can be reduced to one learning goal.
If this is possible, you know that you can shape the learning intervention with microlearning. After all, for one learning goal, it's best to have a brief learning intervention use.
Step 4: Determine the microlearning content
Microlearnings are short chunks (chunks) of knowledge and can consist of various forms. A few examples:
Knowing what your persona is looking for means you're making a good choice for the right type of content. Just like a snack, you need to find out which learning snack your students like. You also don't give a banana to someone who prefers a protein bar, right? ;-) There is a good chance that someone will leave the banana behind...
When making a series about a topic, it's smart to choose multiple types of content. This way, you not only experience variety during the development process yourself, but also gives the student variety while learning. It's always more fun to be offered different types of content.
Also read in this blog about blended learning and how important it is to offer variety to your students!
It is often the case that each student has a certain preference. For example, some people prefer to listen to a podcast, while others more easily absorb knowledge by reading a piece of text. Something for everyone - that's the art.
Step 5: Create the microlearning
If you know what type of content you want to pour the knowledge into, you can start the development process. What this process looks like depends on the learning intervention chosen. Is it a video? Then you will create a storyboard and/or scripts.
When it comes to podcasts, you can start writing texts. Is it an infographic? Then you will look for the appropriate visual elements that can contribute to conveying your message.
In this phase, too, you pay close attention to what the persona wants and what suits him or her. The infographic must appeal to the target group, so it is important that you design it attractively. For example, it is often easier to grab the attention of a somewhat older target group if the visual elements have a formal look.
Once you have created the microlearning, it is important that the student is also informed about this. This means that you should consider marketing the microlearning (s).
Do you already have a fixed group of students who you want to complete your microlearning? Put them in an LMS! You can put an unlimited amount of content here. Pluvo is often used, for example, to share microlearnings ;-)
Did you know that many HR professionals use Pluvo for onboarding new employees? Within a few clicks, you can set up the onboarding of new employees in your own academy!
Step 6: Evaluate your microlearning
A good learning journey also means that you, as a creator, evaluate how your target group is going through the learning journey. So ask for feedback regularly and adjust where necessary. We wish you the best of luck in creating microlearnings. If you need help or want to practice with these steps, you can go to Let's Learn! follow the masterclass or let you do microlearnings.
How to measure the learning outcomes of your e-learning!
Written by Helma van den Berg, microlearning expert Let's Learn!
If you've become interested in making micro-learning, you've come to the right place. Take contact contact us, or discover the options on our website. We can also always show you some microlearning examples, for some inspiration ;-)
Want to get started with microlearning right away? Then create a free Pluvo account!
As an educational expert specialising in online learning, I have been writing blogs for Pluvo for 5 years. My focus is on powerful learning solutions for organisations. Universal Design for Learning and inclusive learning are my passion; I believe that education should be accessible and fun for everyone.
I've been combining my 35 years of HR experience with copywriting for over 15 years. And even then, I learn new things over and over again. That's what makes writing blogs for Pluvo so incredibly interesting!
