10 Tips and Best Practices for Designing Microlearning Modules

Today, our attention spans are shorter than a goldfish’s memory. Who has time for hour-long lectures or dense training manuals? Welcome to the world of microlearning – where knowledge meets convenience and learning fits seamlessly into your busy lifestyle. 

Imagine you’re waiting for your morning coffee, scrolling through your phone, when you stumble upon a 3-minute video that teaches you a new language hack. Later, during your lunch break, you tackle a quick quiz reinforcing your understanding of a complex topic at work. A short, interactive module just before bed helps you master the new software you want to learn.

In a world where smartphones and on-the-go living dominate, traditional learning methods often feel outdated. But microlearning? It’s a game-changer, a highly effective eLearning approach that caters to short attention spans and delivers improved outcomes on demand.  

Another significant aspect of microlearning is that every chunk of content reflects the significance of practice and feedback. While adopting best practices when designing microlearning modules, these elements ensure that learning is impactful. Also, the ability to access and review micro content at spaced intervals ensure higher knowledge retention. 

Why is Microlearning Gaining Popularity?

The rise of social media platforms like Twitter and Snapchat led to a shift in how content is created and consumed, with a focus on brevity and effectiveness. This change has been embraced by millennials and Gen Zs, who grew up in a fast-paced technological environment, unlike older generations who valued the ability to concentrate for extended periods. 

In 2024, microlearning’s ability to provide engaging and practical information in short bursts will be crucial in attracting and retaining learners

10 Tips and Best Practices for Creating Effective Microlearning Modules

1. Focus on one concept per module.

Each module should focus on one concept and aim to make a lasting impact on the learner’s behaviour. By selecting one concept per module and explaining it effectively, you can avoid overwhelming the learner with excessive information.

2. Keep it lean

When it comes to microlearning, less is always more. In microlearning, prioritize essential information and avoid including unnecessary content or images that do not benefit the learner.

3. Consider an appropriate duration

While some studies indicate that microlearning segments can extend up to 18 minutes, others conclude that videos of six minutes or less may result in a better experience for learners.

4. Prioritize and design with context in mind

When designing microlearning modules, it is essential to prioritize and consider thecontext in which the information will be used. Learning is more effective when individuals can connect new information with their real-life work scenarios and experiences.

5. Start with Questions

Assume that you are developing a microlearning course on workplace safety laws. A simple question like, “What would you do if you stumbled upon a potential safety hazard in your work area?” can spark genuine curiosity among employees and get them thinking about their current practices rather than beginning with a long-winded explanation of the rules.

6. Embrace the Power of Storytelling

It’s not just children’s books that use storytelling. Microlearning is an effective tool for boosting knowledge retention, relatability of material, and learner engagement. Include important ideas and abilities in the story. Don’t impose knowledge on students; allow them to discover and apply it as the story progresses.

7. On-demand learning

One of the main reasons bite-sized learning modules are effective is that learners can access relevant information anytime- in the office, at home, or even on the go. 

8. Incorporate short and interactive assets

Including visually appealing elements in your microlearning modules, such as quizzes, games, and videos, help enhance training effectiveness. Videos are especially effective as they engage both the visual and auditory senses and create an engaging learning environment. Keeping the videos brief, captivating, and easy to remember in microlearning is important.

9. Make Videos in Vertical Format.

Modules on LMS are mobile-friendly, catering to 59.9% of smartphone users who prefer a vertical orientation unique to smartphones when learning rather than horizontal screens. Millennials and Generation Z are nine times more likely to finish vertical videos.

10. Incorporate some fun with gamification.

Carefully use gamification to make learning more fun and inspiring. Gaming elements such as badges, scores, and leaderboards motivate learners to complete training on time.  

To Summarise

By incorporating these strategies, you can create a more engaging and personalized eLearning experience that promotes active participation and knowledge retention.

Microlearning is here to stay. It’s not just a passing trend but a significant shift in the learning and development landscape.

Going by its current trend, microlearning is predicted to become increasingly integrated into educational practices in 2024, reflecting the evolving needs of both employees and businesses.