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In this blog, we'll discuss the merits and values of microlearning in L&D, and how to use it to its fullest potential - without just shortening your courses.
Microlearning describes learning that is delivered in small units. Ideal for convenient training sessions that take place within the flow of work, microlearning provides answers quicker than traditional training videos and courses.
Another benefit of microlearning is that it allows your learners to access specific pieces of content with ease. If they need to remind themselves how to do something, they don't have to sit and fast forward through a 45-minute video to get to the required information; they can simply find and reference the relevant unit. This mimics how we learn and share ideas in life, and in today's "Attention Economy", it's the perfect solution to engage your learners.
Everyone loves a good TED talk. They’re free, interesting and (most of the time) well delivered. Between the official conferences and independent TEDx events, there are more than 100,000 talks out there, so you’re likely to find one on any subject you can think of. It will come as no surprise, then, that TED talks are a go-to resource when we’re researching the next microlearning module at Thrive.
Not only is TED a readily-available access point for industry and subject experts, TED’s methods align with our own in one very important way: concision. This value led them to restrict talks to 18 minutes; a value which actually inspired us in our commitment to every microlearning module being under ten minutes or less. Okay TED, your free advert stops here.
My background is in bespoke learning, where content usually reigns supreme. An elearning solution can (and often will) be made longer, more text-heavy and less interactive if it means all the content gets included. This might sound like a bad thing, but that’s not always the case. After all, clients have content they need to deliver, and they’re paying to get exactly the solution they want.
Joining Thrive was a bit of a culture shock in many ways. With an off the shelf focus, the new environment of a startup, and (more specific to my role) the target of trimming down elearning content to ten minute microlearning, it was a fresh challenge. But, the more I work to this brief, the less it feels like a restriction and more like a blessing (for both me and our end users.)
Let’s take a nuanced, current topic like information security. During the research phase of this microlearning module, I found myself down the deepest of internet rabbit holes, learning in copious detail how hackers use software to decode our passwords. It was my job to become a temporary Subject Matter Expert (SME.) And SME's love their content.
In a world without time limits, that elearning module would be about 45 minutes long. But, without a bespoke client, our focus shifts to the person we know will always interact with our solutions: the learners. Will any of them appreciate cybersecurity as much as I do? Computer says no. Can we teach them what they really need to know in an engaging ten minutes? Affirmative.
How do we do it?
Well, I can’t reveal all of our trade secrets, but here’s one for each stage of the elearning design process.
Lots of topics (especially soft skills subjects) are pretty light on right or wrong answers, so there are lots of solutions out there for fixing the same problem. I’ve worked on projects like this where the client’s solution has been to offer their learners the pick of the bunch: present them with 3-5 methods and they can choose what works best for them.
At Thrive we think differently. Thorough research will often reveal a method or two that several good sources endorse. With our ten-minute time limit in mind we want our message to be consistent, and avoid confusing learners with conflicting advice. It’s like Confucius might say: ‘Learner with one method always know how; learner with two methods never sure.’
At Thrive, the script ain’t over til it’s over. Though every project has a single learning design lead, every member of the team has an investment in every module. So, right up to sign-off, we’re all working to make a script as interesting, practical and relevant to our learners as possible. This ability to commit as a team to every module is something I hope to maintain as Thrive continues to grow.
Having different perspectives is essential to making our generic off the shelf solutions feel relevant to every learner. On top of individual graphic and learning design reviews, the whole content team gets together to go through finished modules as one big, many-headed learner.
Everyone has a different level of familiarity with the course, so everyone’s input is unique. We discuss the module in detail and if we think the learning experience could be improved at all, we make the changes there and then. It takes time, but it really is worth it to help our microlearning modules be the best they can be.
By creating short, practically-focused modules, we give our learners the freedom to learn in their own way, in the real world, where the content contextually makes the most sense. And it’s not just the learners who benefit: our modules may be small in size, but this isn’t a limitation. Frankly, it gives us the freedom to experiment. We’re always pushing the limits of our in-house authoring tool Lucid, refusing to settle into the ‘content in templates’ mindset.
As attention spans get shorter, education movements like TED have stayed relevant - not by reducing their content, but by concentrating it. Like us, they’re all about removing the fluff and focusing on what really matters. And that’s Thrive all over: if a learner will only remember ten minutes of learning anyway, then let’s make it the best ten minutes of their day.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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In this blog, we'll discuss the merits and values of microlearning in L&D, and how to use it to its fullest potential - without just shortening your courses.
Microlearning describes learning that is delivered in small units. Ideal for convenient training sessions that take place within the flow of work, microlearning provides answers quicker than traditional training videos and courses.
Another benefit of microlearning is that it allows your learners to access specific pieces of content with ease. If they need to remind themselves how to do something, they don't have to sit and fast forward through a 45-minute video to get to the required information; they can simply find and reference the relevant unit. This mimics how we learn and share ideas in life, and in today's "Attention Economy", it's the perfect solution to engage your learners.
Everyone loves a good TED talk. They’re free, interesting and (most of the time) well delivered. Between the official conferences and independent TEDx events, there are more than 100,000 talks out there, so you’re likely to find one on any subject you can think of. It will come as no surprise, then, that TED talks are a go-to resource when we’re researching the next microlearning module at Thrive.
Not only is TED a readily-available access point for industry and subject experts, TED’s methods align with our own in one very important way: concision. This value led them to restrict talks to 18 minutes; a value which actually inspired us in our commitment to every microlearning module being under ten minutes or less. Okay TED, your free advert stops here.
My background is in bespoke learning, where content usually reigns supreme. An elearning solution can (and often will) be made longer, more text-heavy and less interactive if it means all the content gets included. This might sound like a bad thing, but that’s not always the case. After all, clients have content they need to deliver, and they’re paying to get exactly the solution they want.
Joining Thrive was a bit of a culture shock in many ways. With an off the shelf focus, the new environment of a startup, and (more specific to my role) the target of trimming down elearning content to ten minute microlearning, it was a fresh challenge. But, the more I work to this brief, the less it feels like a restriction and more like a blessing (for both me and our end users.)
Let’s take a nuanced, current topic like information security. During the research phase of this microlearning module, I found myself down the deepest of internet rabbit holes, learning in copious detail how hackers use software to decode our passwords. It was my job to become a temporary Subject Matter Expert (SME.) And SME's love their content.
In a world without time limits, that elearning module would be about 45 minutes long. But, without a bespoke client, our focus shifts to the person we know will always interact with our solutions: the learners. Will any of them appreciate cybersecurity as much as I do? Computer says no. Can we teach them what they really need to know in an engaging ten minutes? Affirmative.
How do we do it?
Well, I can’t reveal all of our trade secrets, but here’s one for each stage of the elearning design process.
Lots of topics (especially soft skills subjects) are pretty light on right or wrong answers, so there are lots of solutions out there for fixing the same problem. I’ve worked on projects like this where the client’s solution has been to offer their learners the pick of the bunch: present them with 3-5 methods and they can choose what works best for them.
At Thrive we think differently. Thorough research will often reveal a method or two that several good sources endorse. With our ten-minute time limit in mind we want our message to be consistent, and avoid confusing learners with conflicting advice. It’s like Confucius might say: ‘Learner with one method always know how; learner with two methods never sure.’
At Thrive, the script ain’t over til it’s over. Though every project has a single learning design lead, every member of the team has an investment in every module. So, right up to sign-off, we’re all working to make a script as interesting, practical and relevant to our learners as possible. This ability to commit as a team to every module is something I hope to maintain as Thrive continues to grow.
Having different perspectives is essential to making our generic off the shelf solutions feel relevant to every learner. On top of individual graphic and learning design reviews, the whole content team gets together to go through finished modules as one big, many-headed learner.
Everyone has a different level of familiarity with the course, so everyone’s input is unique. We discuss the module in detail and if we think the learning experience could be improved at all, we make the changes there and then. It takes time, but it really is worth it to help our microlearning modules be the best they can be.
By creating short, practically-focused modules, we give our learners the freedom to learn in their own way, in the real world, where the content contextually makes the most sense. And it’s not just the learners who benefit: our modules may be small in size, but this isn’t a limitation. Frankly, it gives us the freedom to experiment. We’re always pushing the limits of our in-house authoring tool Lucid, refusing to settle into the ‘content in templates’ mindset.
As attention spans get shorter, education movements like TED have stayed relevant - not by reducing their content, but by concentrating it. Like us, they’re all about removing the fluff and focusing on what really matters. And that’s Thrive all over: if a learner will only remember ten minutes of learning anyway, then let’s make it the best ten minutes of their day.
Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.
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