There was a time when ‘rigour’ was the only word associated with any sort of learning and training. The sort that needed time, dedication, will-power and an above -average attention span.
But here’s the thing: attention spans of people have been decreasing since a long time now. Learning something new has become a difficult task.
Time is of essence, especially in this fast-paced world where every minute counts. There is no time left to waste.
There is no time left to reinforce what has been learned, and thus chances of forgetting what has been learned have increased manifold.
Hence, the way in which learning and training are handled has undergone a change. Organisations increasingly are resorting to the concept of micro-learning.
Micro-learning basically involves learning in small chunks, in a short time, with each session spanning between a few two to five minutes. Sometimes it could also range between a few seconds to fifteen minutes.
Learning in bits and pieces, rather than in a long drawn way has shown to increase retention.
Information is consumed in nuggets.
The term ‘micro-learning’ might sound a little fancy. Some might think only students need to be bothered about it. But it is so pervasive and widespread, and not to mention so commonplace in the world we live in, that it is easy to become desensitised to the amount of micro-learning we engage in on daily basis.
Let us think about it.
Micro-learning involves things like:
- listening to podcasts
- watching videos etc.
Does that not sound familiar?
Gaining knowledge and information, and training via:
- playing micro-games
- quizzes
- using flashcards and infographics are also some common strategies.
Interaction via:
- simulation
- engaging in certainly designed internet based chat-sessions are also some examples of how micro-learning is carried out.
In a professional setting, micro-learning could be used in multiple places. Besides training of various kinds, it could also be used in triggering some professionally necessary behavioural changes.
Micro-learning thus has tons of benefits. One biggest point is the ease in learning and training because of its highly engaging nature, without much fatigue. Technology does indeed make everything easier.
Moreover, nugget learning ensures that the content is highly specific, simplified, with no superfluous details. One does not feel that information is being bombarded. The succinctness saves a lot of time.
Once the necessary technological resources have been acquired, micro-learning proves to be quite budget-friendly in the long run. Plus, since it’s technology, the information needed is just a few clicks away. As an added bonus, large amount of training/learning material which might be needed later could be stored with ease. This approach thus scores high on later accessibility.
Thus the strategies, the benefits, the nature of micro-learning is such that it could be used to accommodate the lowering attention span as well as the time-constraints.