Companies are now focussing on microlearning to provide the best training to employees. But there can be problems in creating such kind of learning also. Microlearning is a structured approach and it’s not about just decomposing the elearning into several modules. 

Microlearning may not just consist of videos but it can include PPT presentations, games, and puzzles. You can follow lessons with games that can maintain the interest of the learners. All this creation of modules requires experience and proper analysis. 

Problems with microlearning: 

• No flow in the videos:

Microlearning requires creating a proper flow before you can create the short videos. If the microlearning videos are not connected, it can cause problems for the learner. They may have trouble understanding one video after the other. This way, the learners can get confused and may fail to apply whatever they have learned in practical scenarios. 

• Cognitive overload: 

Although microlearning aims to present limited information to the users, it can cause problems when they have to see too many videos. It can not cause problems in retaining information but also make sure that learners leave the course in between. Therefore, this issue can be avoided when the learners have to watch only a limited number of videos which eliminates any cognitive burden. 

• Lack of assessments: 

Microlearning includes a fixed number of short-duration modules that may skip simulations and infographics. The learners might not get enough practice through such videos because no games are there. There is a lack of quizzes and assessments in such videos.

Also, unlike a long-term course that involves having discussions with fellow learners, microlearning lacks this element. The learners might not have time to talk to each other not leading to a better understanding.

The following tips can ensure that microlearning is created properly for the users: 

Tips for successful microlearning implementation:

• Proper Analysis:

Just because microlearning consists of smaller modules, it does not mean that it should exclude critical information.

It can cause problems for the learners. The subject matter experts should provide guidelines to instructional designers about how such videos must be created. They only know what’s to be included so that the relevant information is passed on. If microlearning doesn’t cover the skills gap in the workforce, then it’s not worth the purpose. The subject matter experts can help discover the learning needs of the workforce through a needs analysis. 

Therefore, microlearning is not a suitable approach when a deeper understanding of the problem is needed. For example, simulations are needed in many learning scenarios when the workers need better retention. Skipping on them can cause issues, hence microlearning may not be the best possible approach every time. 

• Timely delivery: 

The microlearning video should not be sent to the learner too late or too early because he could have forgotten what he watched last. In fact, the delivery of videos should be scheduled in such a strategy in the form of drip feed delivery or spaced learning.

Spaced learning which involves sending content to learners after intervals is useful because the same videos are sent to learners and there’s no confusion. When the learners are on the same playing field, they will have the same approach toward work.

Drip feed delivery is used in spaced learning that involves how many days will elapse before a new microlearning module is sent to the learners. 

In the drip feed approach, it’s decided when the content will be delivered to the audience. Hence, an elearning company can help in building the perfect drip feed of the microlearning strategy of the company. This ensures that the learners have enough curiosity to watch the latest video. This ensures better audience engagement with the videos.

Automation can be used for this purpose so that the videos reach the learners at the appropriate moment. 

The learners can be sent emails so that they can watch the latest video through the company’s video platform. Also, blog posts on the LMS can be used where the latest post consists of the lesson. The learners can be notified through the WhatsApp chatgroup about the same. 

• Right design 

The design also requires an apt focus in microlearning. In the case of design, you have to ensure that the videos should consist of a checklist or a lookup table for the learners to recall the previous information. An experienced elearning company can help with such decisions. Whether a simulation is required or a decision tree is also a complex problem in microlearning because their duration is less. 

In the end: 

If microlearning has to be implemented properly, it has to take care of issues such as the learner’s needs and the decomposition of content based on its intricacy.