Microlearning emerged as a popular trend in 2018 and as we step into 2019, microlearning continues to evolve as a better learning strategy.
So what can one expect in 2019 about microlearning? Let’s explore the top microlearning trends for 2019.
What is microlearning? A quick refresher
For the benefit of my readers a quick refresher on what microlearning encompasses. Microlearning in simple terms is about breaking down of the lengthy learning content to smaller learning units with individual and definite learning objectives.
Some of the common forms of microlearning are:
Podcast
E-learning games
Short Videos
Short/ micro e-learning scenarios
Interactive Infographics
Micro case lets
User generated content
Interactive Pdfs and more…
1. Microlearning will flourish across industries with ‘’mobile” and “deskless” workers
As per the 2018 Axonify report, microlearning has universal appeal across virtually every industry and the largest concentration of adoption exists in three key segments: Retail, BFSI and Manufacturing & logistics ,where the majority of the learners are not on the desk but are on the field, or at the production floor etc.
This shows an increasing trend for the industries having a ‘mobile and deskless workforce’ to adopt microlearning. Below I have included the Pie chart that shows the spread of microlearning over the different industries.
source:https://axonify.com
2. Microlearning to Micro moments
What are micro moments?
Google describes micro-moments as “intent-rich moments when a person turns to a device to act on a need.”
Micro moments can happen anytime, anywhere. In those moments, consumers expect brands to address their needs with real-time relevance.
While micro-moments was focused for the marketers and advertisers, it has relevance in the domain of workplace learning too i.e the L&D must be at the forefront of these micro-moments with the relevant content in hand when the learners need it the most. This is an extension to the just in time and on-demand learning where the learners are now habituated to access the learning content when required or on demand and prefers a flexible learning schedule.
Microlearning when done correctly enable and encourages micro-moments i.e we need to be providing easy-to-access, ready-to-consume and quick-to-implement micro moments when the learner needs them rather than have them scheduled into their training calendar, thus promoting the on-demand learning.
Gone are the days when all employees will sit for hours attending classroom training. Today, people learn on the go and in a non-linear fashion, in short bursts (when they can find the time) and across a variety of devices. Hence to win the micro-moments in learning, I encourage the organisation to talk to the employees/learners to understand their common questions, their approaches for gathering information, and how they learn from one another as it can help to create impactful micro-learning courses that meet their needs and demands.
3.Microlearning and Gamification
There is no doubt that e-learning gamification is a powerful learning strategy to engage the audience and bring interactivity. E-learning gamification is a critical element of the microlearning formula when done right, i.e e-learning gamification, when combined with microlearning, is a lethally potent combination to engage the learners and ensure that they achieve the learning objectives. It can help the organisations to achieve the following:
•Encourage the use of micro-learning through calls to action
•Provide much-needed recognition for micro-learning by rewarding the learners.
Here are some popular ways of using microlearning and gamification
•Design the microlearning experience with a gamified learning path. Like every micro-learning unit can have different levels, challenges and task to achieve etc.
•Include gamified micro learning assessments as formal learning tools or as performance support tools.
4.Adaptive Microlearning
The modern day learner wants the learning to be tailored and personalized for them. According to the study report published by Bersin by Deloitte, 70% of people will look elsewhere after 5-10 seconds if the content isn’t personalized.
Hence from the one size fits all approach, microlearning will see a quantum shift towards personalized learning approach for each individual, based on the factors like job role, responsibilities and knowledge levels etc as the future learners or the modern workforce will consume learning content that matches their personal needs, learning speeds, and most importantly, their learning paths.
With the rapid developments in technology like machine learning and artificial intelligence, etc the organisation will see the further influence of it to analyse, understand and predict the learning behavior and pattern of the learners and identify the knowledge gap and can ensure that it’s filled by offering and recommending microlearning training materials to fill the knowledge gap.
5.Imparting product knowledge with microlearning
With microlearning used as a learning strategy for various corporate training topics, what are the most common applications and subjects companies are training their people on. According to the Axonify report of 2018, product knowledge emerged in the top position where the organisation used microlearning initiatives to train the learners. With every company in the business to sell their products and services, I expect 2019 to see the continuation of the same trend of using microlearning initiatives more on product knowledge.
Here are the top five microlearning trends identified for 2019. Feel free to share your recommendations and suggestions using the comment box below
