Microlearning Benefits: 3 Examples of Microlearning

Microlearning generally refers to any kind of learning management system (LMS), curriculum, or program reliant on educating people in bite-size chunks of information. These courses use multimedia—like brief podcast clips, succinct infographics, quick videos—and short quizzes instead of extensive reading and study.

Prominent in both academic and corporate learning, this approach helps people grasp a wide array of concepts faster than they might have by using more traditional methods of learning acquisition.

Microlearning works well because it allows learners to set their own pace and gamify their learning. People acquire new knowledge faster when they have an achievable and specific learning objective in mind.

Through short, interactive learning content, people can quickly ascertain and then consistently revisit the essentials about any given topic they need to study. This is part of why so many microlearning platforms utilize spaced repetition in their instructional design. After introducing a learner to a concept, they steadily return to and extrapolate upon it to anchor in a greater understanding.

Learning in short bursts can prove effective for all sorts of people. Here are just three core benefits of microlearning:

1. 1. Greater freedom: A microlearning strategy hinges around what the learner needs at any given time, rather than forcing them to acquire more information than they need to all at once. This leads to far greater freedom than more traditional approaches allow. Spacing out studying according to your own schedule is especially easy given how many of these sorts of programs utilize mobile learning software, too. In other words, you can pull out your phone and take in new information or revisit older concepts whenever you feel it’s necessary.
2. 2. Increased hold on attention spans: If you have a short attention span, microlearning can still hold your attention in bursts. These effective learning activities take people’s propensity toward distraction into account. By providing only short lessons and quizzes—as well as relying on gamification—microlearning platforms foster an environment of both short-term attention and long-term knowledge retention, too.
3. 3. Smaller time investment: Microlearning courses are less time-consuming to complete for their participants. For those authoring and creating microlearning initiatives, focusing on educating people in short bursts also reduces the amount of time for developing a course in the first place. This is especially useful in a job training environment—if a workforce must get up to speed on a new process or technology fast, companies can quickly address that point of need through a microlearning course.

Microlearning helps people acquire a wide breadth of knowledge, but additional, more traditional forms of study might be necessary to acquire a depth of knowledge.

Microlearning courses are very effective, but traditional e-learning courses and more old-school forms of study have benefits, too. While small pieces of content might help you acquire concepts, it’s worthwhile to supplement them with deeper exploration if you need to understand a subject thoroughly.

Microlearning crops up in various environments for a panoply of purposes. Consider these three examples of where you might see microlearning:

1. 1. Exam preparation: No matter the subject matter, microlearning platforms can also get you ready for longer-form exams. In a sense, studying with homemade flashcards is a primitive form of microlearning. Use today’s technology to make your learning experience more efficient and prepare yourself to learn a lot of information in a short span of time.
2. 2. Job training: For workplace learning, educating a staff in short bursts is practical and essential. Onboarding and compliance training sessions must be relatively short by necessity—it’s important to complete job training in a short time frame after hiring for both the employee and the employer. This is why many businesses use micro-courses and other succinct job aids and assessments to quickly get people up to speed.
3. 3. Language learning: You might already have a microlearning language app without even knowing it. Language learners can use microlearning modules to gain a simplistic but valuable degree of fluency in a short period. By utilizing spaced repetition alongside short lessons and quizzes, people can establish a workflow to better understand both the vocabulary and grammar of a new language.

All you need is a MasterClass Annual Membership and our exclusive video lessons from the likes of Elaine Welteroth (the former editor in chief of Teen Vogue and host of CBS’ The Talk), Issa Rae (the powerhouse multihyphenate behind HBO’s Insecure), Robin Arzón (the lawyer-turned-head instructor of Peloton), and other luminaries who have have embraced the twists and turns on the path to professional success. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to lean into your strengths, follow your heart, and build the career of your dreams.