Micro-learning Platform: Advantages and Disadvantages

Utilizing a micro-learning platform for your corporate training provides a plethora of benefits. From time-savings to better knowledge retention, you can utilize micro-learning to boost the effectiveness of your training program. But there are also downsides to a platform that caters specifically to micro-sized learning modules.

Micro-learning has been an emerging trend for the past few years. Keeping information packages small and digestible in a few minutes increases the likelihood that your trainees will comprehend and retain the knowledge they gain from training. Plus they will not need as much time to complete parts of the training, meaning that they can learn during any small breaks that they have throughout the day. The downside comes when you need to train someone on a very complex subject or lengthy process. Some things just can’t be broken down into small chunks.

Micro-learning Platform Outline

While a lot of platforms lend themselves to any type of content, there are a few that are optimized for micro-learning content. This makes delivery of those bite-sized chunks of training smooth and painless for the learners. It’s easy to transition from piece to piece and navigation is a breeze. These systems stand out in that they are a bit more modular than normal online training platforms. This requires a clearer learning material hierarchy or else the system becomes much more difficult to navigate.

The Advantages

We’ve already mentioned some of the benefits, but we’ll go ahead and review them here. The main advantage in having small chunks of information is that it is easier for learners to comprehend and retain that information. Since developing a micro-learning training program requires clear delineation of learning material, the learner knows exactly what they are supposed to be learning in each lesson. The main points aren’t obfuscated and complexified by unneeded filler.

And having smaller lessons means that learners are spending less time on each portion. If you’ve ever attended a two hour long lecture you know how hard it is just to stay awake, not to mention devote your entire attention to the material. Having material broken down into 2 to 5 minute chunks ensures that even the most hyperactive have no issues concentrating.

A micro-learning platform ensures that your learners have access to their learning material from anywhere so that they can take advantage of any extra time they have. The design of these systems also tends to be more fun that traditional learning. Each chunk brings you closer to achieving the goal of completing a course or gaining a certificate. Micro-learning and gamification go hand in hand. It’s just more fun.

The Disadvantages

Although micro-learning is still gaining steam, it’s important to keep in mind some of the disadvantages of the methodology and of any individual micro-learning platform itself. To start, micro-learning is not ideal for teaching complex processes; for instance, learning how to play an instrument or how to use a complicated software application. For those items, to understand one part you need to understand the whole, which means you are going to need more than 5 minutes at a time.

Another weakness of micro-learning is that most training content is not formatted for short lesson sizes. Do the benefits that micro-learning could provide really outweigh the cost of reformulating all of your training? Maybe having trainees take a little more time to get started is more beneficial than spending 60 hours right now to revamp your training.

Is a Micro-learning Platform Right for You?

There are many advantages of micro-learning itself, but is switching to a micro-learning platform really that beneficial? A lot of new LMSs are designed specifically for these bite-sized chunks of information. This requires a lot of reformatting if you have existing content. If you are new to online training, are you sure all of your processes will always be divisible into small pieces? It might be hard to switch to a new system and manage all the different pieces if you are stuck with micro sized lessons.

A good middle ground is a system that can manage both micro-learning content as well as more traditional sized lessons. RomyLMS is one such system. These types of platforms combine the best of both worlds. You can easily generate content that is micro-sized and the system will track learners’ progress through a course just as it would for normal sized content. The content itself is organized intuitively so that no matter how much you add, the structure and location of content is always clear.

Contact us to get set up with a micro-learning expert to help meet your organization’s training needs!