Microlearning: The Spam and The Three E Effect

When did you last watch a three-hour-long movie?

Have you binge-watched any shows recently?

Whatever the case may be, you would probably have loved to know what happened next and how it would end. This is where we say attention span issue is not an issue, it is rather a demand.

We can find ample number of resources suggesting diminishing attention. There are numerous resources that suggest our attention spans are shrinking. Some might even claim we now have an average attention span of only 8 seconds, which equals that of a goldfish.

Microlearning: The 3 E Effect

If absorption of knowledge is happening in nuggets, it is serving a valuable purpose. The idea of internet-based education was once scoffed at, but the increase in social media’s popularity has helped to promote self-directed learning for many.

This world has already advanced from ‘what we want you to know’ (driven by L&D) to ‘what is needed to know’ (employee). So, we need to strategize our microlearning program such that it is Entertaining, Enlightening, and Engaging.

If you are thinking of implementing microlearning in your organization, consider the following features and benefits:

1. Entertaining Continuous Learning: Microlearning combats the traditional, day-long training sessions and advocates the concept of learning through a sequence of smaller, focused modules. — It can fail if not entertaining!

2. Enlightening Reinforce Knowledge: Microlearning can solve this! Repetition, practice, and reinforcement can increase knowledge. — It can flunk if not enlightening!

3. Engaging Spaced Learning program: A big-time solution for cognitive overload. A program journey can be spaced enough that combats forgetting curve. – It can be left if not engaging!

During this new work mode model, we do not want to overwhelm employees but, swiftly train them for required attributes. Let us not fall into this spam of ‘attention span’ and take our business seriously.

Mini learning activities can support the adoption of new skills. It eliminates the monotony and delivers only the necessary content by focusing on a specific attribute, objective, or learning goal. Employees can access learning content when it is convenient to them and progress at their own pace and in accordance with their individual working memory.

L&D has traditionally involved macro learning programs running over a period of weeks or months. Our brain is the product of evolution, which has shaped our behaviors and how we learn. History shows that humans learn by doing. We need to take advantage of advancements in technology and embrace new learning developments to gain knowledge and improve employee training strategies.

Effective workplace learning strategies should provide employees with a successful and memorable experience. Feeling inspired and motivated encourages employee endorsement and employer loyalty. The microlearning approach involves strategies that make this possible!

Reach out to G-Cube to create engaging microlearning learning content, where learning is not a bothering exercise but a delicious buffet of knowledge.