e-Learning Blog

At the world's largest talent development event held in 2016, ATD ICE (ATD International Conference and Exposition) (External link: English), microlearning was one of the most important keywords. The number of sessions searched increased from "1" in 2015 to "7" in 2016. ...With this alone, it seemed buried among over 300 sessions, but each session was extremely popular, and the keyword was also featured in many other sessions.

In Japan, this keyword has been gaining popularity since the second half of 2016, and some companies have started to put it into practice.
However, it is still not clear what is defined as microlearning... One thing that is certain is that it is "short (micro) learning material". The length is generally around 1-3 minutes (sometimes 5 or 10 minutes).

So, is it just short content that makes up microlearning? It may be broadly interpreted that way, but I believe the essence of microlearning lies in how it is utilized.

The flow of e-learning in corporate education varies. There are "all employees", "groups or job types", "selecting individuals", or "requesting to take the course oneself", etc. Isn't it common to do it all at once on a certain scale?
In this case, the following challenges are likely to occur.
[Challenges that tend to occur in simultaneous e-learning]
・Not watching it due to being busy, etc.
・Being thought of as irrelevant content.
・Not being retained as knowledge.
・Not leading to action, etc.

One of the factors contributing to such challenges is the "difficulty of motivation."
Unlike group training (which lacks motivation from face-to-face interaction with instructors), it is difficult to accept the learning content as one's own challenge.
As mentioned in the 40/20/40 model(external link: English), the involvement of supervisors before and after training is important, but there are limitations in e-learning.

E-learning always faces challenges like this.
The above mainly occurs in Japan, but in the United States, the rise of a new generation known as Millennials has led to issues where traditional education (and other common knowledge) no longer applies. In order to align with their preference for convenience (not to pander, but to adapt effectively), various initiatives have been undertaken in e-learning. I believe that microlearning and game-based materials (gamification) are among these initiatives.

I have mentioned some technical points, but the main reason is technical growth. It means that systems like LMS, which only managed the history of learning so far, have become multifunctional to manage the entire education.

With the changes in people and technology, microlearning can be seen as having great potential in future education (adult education).

Recently, "1-minute videos" related to fashion, makeup, and cooking have been trending. This is almost identical to microlearning and is already being utilized primarily by young people.

1. [Main Effects]
2. Even busy people can easily do it in their spare time (1 hour per month if you repeat 3 minutes a day for 20 days).
3. Encourage learning within a sustainable range and establish a habit of learning (a culture of learning is essential for the development of a company).
4. Provide necessary education at necessary timing (delivered according to transfer or promotion)
5. Even if you cram a lot of information, you will forget it quickly *1
6. Originally concise, making it easy to review. It also has a strong impact on knowledge retention and behavior (Learning Transfer) *2
   *1 Ebbinghaus' Forgetting Curve(External Link)
   *2 Efforts may also be made to link to behavioral changes (instructional design)

There are various ways to implement microlearning, such as using it for review after a one-hour course or immediately putting it into practice through store simulations (videos & quizzes).

In addition, there is a strength in being able to provide education that meets various needs, such as "I don't understand this, what should I do?" or "I have some free time during the meeting."

When summarizing the ideal form and characteristics of microlearning, I believe it is as follows:
・Is it not enough to just be short?
・Systematic response is necessary for delivery and management
・The purpose is to establish knowledge and change behavior
・Ease of continuing learning on a daily basis

In the future, as various uses are made, new definitions and texts that differ from the original may emerge.
Please note that this text is intended as a discussion only.