Microlearning

Microlearning

Microlearning?

Microlearning is a growing area of education. It’s been accelerated by the growth of mobile devices and the pandemic where people have been interested in expanding their learning interests but don’t have the time to commit to a formal course that may require several weeks or months.

So what exactly is microlearning? In general, it’s something that involves three elements: (1) available as on-demand learning, (2) targeted around a specific learning outcome, and (3) requiring relatively little time to complete.

As short bursts of learning, microlearning is well-positioned to accommodate people’s busy, on-the-go lives. Its modular and concentrated format makes it well-suited to mobile devices. As a mobile-friendly experience, it’s easy to spend some time learning a new concept or skill while you’re waiting in line at the grocery store or doctor’s office. Interestingly, a recent study of a microlearning journalism class delivered via mobile devices showed positive learning growth among students (Lee et al., 2021). Similarly, educators such as Peggy Semingson are creating micro-podcasts as a form of microlearning. 

Ready to jump in and do some micro-learning of your own? Well, check out our courses. These can be completed as little as two hours and you can earn a digital badge upon successful completion.

Cites

Bersin, J., & Zao-Sanders, M. (2019, February 19). Making Learning a Part of Everyday Work. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/02/making-learning-a-part-of-everyday-work
Kapp, K. M., & Defelice, R. A. (2019). Microlearning: Short and Sweet. Association for Talent Development.
Lee, Y.-M., Jahnke, I., & Austin, L. (2021). Mobile Microlearning Design and Effects on Learning Efficacy and Learner Experience. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(2), 885–915. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09931-w

If you’d like assistance with this or anything related to instructional design don’t hesitate to contact us at learning_design@davidsondavie.edu!