Learning small amounts of information is among the best ways to develop a strong foundation in a subject. Have you ever heard of microlearning? Microlearning consists of small learning units and short-term learning activities which enhance learning and performance through short pieces of content. What makes microlearning attractive is that it’s easily assessable and is usually available when the learner needs them. One quick way to know if microlearning is effective is by assessing how fast students retain what they have been taught. The more precise a lesson is, the better.

How long is a micro-lesson?

No matter what the subject is, micro-lessons are never more than a few minutes long. Tiny 5-minute lessons are drastically different than a one-hour-long presentation, so they should be treated a little differently. Micro lessons are usually in the form of video clips, but short articles and audio lessons are other popular forms.

 How can we use microlearning in K12 school settings?

Three primary education formats can benefit from microlearning: formal in-room education, online education, and post-classroom tutoring. Teachers in classrooms can use microlearning to focus on small but important concepts and divide them into small 5-minute lessons so their lessons don’t encompass too much and overwhelm students. Online educators can use micro-learning techniques to keep their students engaged and informed while they teach. Tutors can hyper-focus on the issues that students are having in a subject, by assessing what students already know and targeting goals relating to specific areas.

Here are some tips for creating your own microlearning content: 

• Select 1 focus: Focus on ONE point and Chunk it in five.

• Consider a Playlist: combining short videos so students can understand the greater context.

• Use Narration: Think of ways to include interaction, infographics, and demos.

• Exit tickets and checks: Create quizzes to reinforce a student’s understanding of a topic

• Have them demonstrate knowledge: create a Flipgrid or share a short TedTalk

• Flip the classroom: Students come prepared to discuss various researched topics.

• Real-world examples: scenarios where relevant to help students relate to the content.

Microlearning on Youtube, You’re already doing it!

The online world is very familiar with microlearning, even if it has never been heard of that term before. One glance at the sheer number of online courses will show that educators can chunk content into smaller pieces for effective learning. YouTube videos are infamous for creating content in small chunks for learning communities. These videos serve as a “how to do manual” for a variety of activities, events, and procedures. There are a ton of creators out there who share lessons in under 10 minutes. Visuals and extra references truly allow a curious viewer to dive deeper into the subject without making it feel like they are being “taught” at all.

Have you been taught valuable information on social media?  

Social media can also be an impactful way to educate people with lessons that are less than 3 minutes. Plus, viewers can comment on what they did not understand or make suggestions on alternative solutions, or write about relevant stories that they have been through. Those watching and learning on social media will share the lesson with their friends and followers, which is quite effective when it comes to spreading messages about content. Small lessons can empower students to be more active in their education. Students are naturally curious, but some subjects have higher learning curves than others. Micro lessons can improve the way they approach that subject and understand it. Teachers also benefit from micro-lessons and microlearning as it helps hone their teaching skills on a certain subject and improve how they deliver subjects to students (Remesh & Ambili, 2013).

References

“Are You Saving Time With Micro-Lessons?” Ideas for Educators, www.ideasforeducators.com/idea-blog/are-you-saving-time-with-micro-lessons.  

Remesh, Ambili. “Microteaching, an Efficient Technique for Learning Effective Teaching.” Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, Feb. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724377/.

UCLan Centre for Collaborative Learning, ·8h December 9th. [IMAGE] Equipping students with 21st-century skills. (2020, March 3). What students need, when they need it – Meet Micro-Learning. CCL Blog. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://teltblog.uclan.ac.uk/2018/09/25/what-students-need-when-they-need-it-meet-micro-learning/.