With hectic schedules, dwindling attention spans, and an almost infinite list of distractions, most learners find it difficult to devote hours to focused learning and training. Broad study materials can make getting started and navigating the learning process difficult, leading to increased anxiety and procrastination.
Enter microlearning, a trend in eLearning that helps learners overcome these challenges by improving content usefulness and knowledge retention. Continue reading to learn about microlearning and how to measure the effectiveness of microlearning modules.
What is Microlearning?
Microlearning is training content that is delivered in small, focused chunks. Microlearning should ideally:
- Integrate naturally into the everyday workflow.
- Encourage employees to participate voluntarily.
- Be focused on brain science (how individuals actually learn).
- Constantly adapt to ingrain the knowledge employees need to be effective.
- Help drive behaviors that positively impact specific business objectives.
Microlearning has no formal definition. Microlearning refers to bite-sized course modules or short-term learning activities that you can understand in a short period of time. The following are some key features of the microlearning platform:
- It comes in the form of short bursts of information;
- It is delivered in the form of short bursts of content.
- It takes much less time and concentration.
- It promotes faster comprehension.
- It simplifies and simplifies learning.
Microlearning works best with mobile learning, but it is not the only method of learning. Rather, it is one of the modes that best compliments the way of microlearning.
Some examples of microlearning are as follows:
- YouTube video clips
- Small groups of content in email, forums, etc.
- Small quizzes and games
- Audio, text, and image clips of varying lengths
Microlearning courses benefit both the trainer and the learner in these short and focused periods and the demand for quick learning. It is the best training model and can be employed as a learning model in any form of employee training like skills training, customer training, employee onboarding, and so on.
Microlearning modules always have a significant impact on employee performance and engagement. However, corporate training may be less valuable if employees are unable to practice and utilize their skills in the workplace. As a result, measuring the overall effectiveness of your microlearning strategy is critical.
Ways To Measure The Effectiveness Of Microlearning Modules
The following are some key performance metrics that can help an organization measure the impact of its microlearning programs:
Knowledge Application
An important metric for measuring the effectiveness of a microlearning program is increased knowledge acquisition and application in real-world scenarios.
Check to see if employees are applying the skills they’ve learned to see how successful your microlearning sessions are. You can analyze learners’ behavioral patterns and look for changes to determine if the training was adequate or not.
Being Speedy and Efficient
Your microlearning program is working well if your employees are working more efficiently. There is a simple way for you to test this. Divide your workforce into two groups. Allow only one group to participate in the microlearning course. Then assign comparable tasks to both groups. Individuals who completed the microlearning course should be able to complete their tasks more quickly than their peers. They should also be more efficient in their work.
Quality of Work
Some behavioral changes are more nuanced and complex than knowledge application or efficiency gains. It is also critical to determine whether the training had a measurable impact on work quality. During annual performance reviews, direct supervisors typically assess this employee performance metric. However, it can also be tracked and measured on a quarterly basis.
This metric is particularly important because it influences the other key metrics. It makes no difference if the speed is increased if the quality of the work suffers or if there are more errors.
An effective microlearning program will increase the quality of work completed by employees. This indicates that the employees have learned and are effectively applying the desired skills.
Qualitative Evaluation
You must review qualitative feedback as a critical performance metric. Begin by reviewing the feedback provided by customers. Individuals in customer-facing roles must maintain current knowledge of best practices. Then, review feedback from peers, superiors, and subordinates. This will provide you with a wealth of information about how your employees are performing. You will also come to know about areas for improvement, which will assist you in improving your microlearning collaboration.
Monitoring Program Errors
Monitoring the number of errors or mistakes made will also allow you to assess the effectiveness of training. An effective microlearning program must help decrease the number of mistakes made.
If your trainer or manager can pinpoint and track the overall number of errors, they will be able to easily assess the program’s effectiveness. For example, if employees continue to make mistakes after training, it might be an indication that your program needs to be modified.
Organizational outcomes
Microlearning programs are deemed effective when they accomplish the envisioned organizational goals or business outcomes. For example, if a microlearning program is designed to improve the sales skills of the sales personnel, it is deemed to be effective if it helps achieve that goal while also increasing the organization’s profit margin.
Conclusion
A good microlearning program should always demonstrate a noticeable and positive effect on the performance of employees. If employees are not able to remember or apply the skills they acquired on the job, the training is worthless. As a result, determining the effectiveness and efficiency of your microlearning program is critical.
Each of the above metrics will reveal if and how your microlearning training plan is enhancing employee performance. It will also assist you in determining if there are areas that need improvement as well as what adjustments could be made to improve the effectiveness of your training programs for employees.
