Microlearning in the Digital Age

The Design and Delivery of Learning in Snippets

Joseph Rene Corbeil, Badrul H. Khan, Maria Elena Corbeil, Joseph Rene Corbeil, Badrul H. Khan, Maria Elena Corbeil

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000380477
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Éducation
• Subtopic: Éducation inclusive

Microlearning in the Digital Age explores the design and implementation of bite-sized learning and training in technology-enabled environments. Grounded in research-based best practices and a robust, eight-dimensional framework, this book applies the latest developments in mobile learning, social media, and instructional/multimedia design to one of today's most innovative and accessible content delivery systems. Featuring experts from higher education, information technology, digital gaming, corporate, and other contexts, this comprehensive guide will prepare graduate students, researchers, and professionals of instructional design, e-learning, and distance education to develop engaging, cost-effective microlearning systems.

PART I

Introduction

1

A Multidimensional Roadmap for Implementing Effective Microlearning Solutions

Maria Elena Corbeil, Joseph Rene Corbeil, and Badrul H. Khan

Microlearning in the Digital Age

According to a recent report by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), “microlearning is one of the most widely discussed and debated trends in the learning industry” (2018, p. 1). Recent research results substantiate the impact that microlearning has, and will have, on personalized, professional learning. For example, the authors of Axonify’s 2018 Microlearning Global Benchmark Report observed, “microlearning is used across dozens of industries to support a multitude of training applications” (p. 4). Their report revealed increased development and implementation of microlearning in a variety of fields, ranging from sales, communications, and healthcare, to telemarketing, investing, and others (Axonify, 2018). This is due in part to strengths microlearning brings to corporate training, which according to Hogle in Chapter 9 of this book are:

1. preparation for training through preparatory exposure to content prior to the first day of formal learning
2. review and reinforcement of prior learning though subscription delivery of follow-up activities and quick reference job aids
3. teaching dense, fact-based content through spaced repetition and spaced practice
4. supporting workers in applying training through post-training support or job aids available on demand (p. 142–143).

It is not surprising then that the benefits of microlearning in training and performance development contexts are well documented as workers need to be able to learn new skills and knowledge quickly to apply them to specific tasks or situations on the job.

Microlearning is also starting to take its place in K-12 and higher education. The NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2017 K–12 Edition lists microlearning as one of the learning technologies that their K-12 Expert Panel noted as up and coming in education, observing that “these include technologies that are changing the landscape of learning, whether formal or informal, by making it more accessible and personalized” (p. 39). In educational contexts, microlearning strategies can assist in delivering just-in-time informational and instructional content in short, manageable bursts, matching the way learners of all ages are accessing information that interests them in and outside of class. Microlearning also allows learners to not only be consumers of content, but also producers of it, as new technologies, readily available on mobile devices, allow learners to create apps, movies, games, podcasts, and more. Olivier, in Chapter 11, presents an illustrative case study and proposes practical steps to create opportunities conducive to effective student self-directed multimodal learning through microlearning object creation.

As such, the benefits of microlearning can be harnessed to increase the transfer from short-term to long-term memory by helping to reduce cognitive load (Nelson & Elison-Bowers, 2007; Perry, 2017; Major & Calandrino, 2018). In addition, educational researchers are beginning to explore the impact of microlearning on heutagogy – learning how to learn through self-direction and creation of learning goals (Hase & Kenyon, 2007). According to Semingson, Crosslin, and Dellinger (2015), “microcontent could provide a scaffolded way for learners to step into self-determination by creating smaller, focused assignments” (p. 475). Agrawal (2017) agrees, noting that “while Microlearning is often associated with eLearning and corporates, it can easily be adopted for K12 as well” (para. 8). Sheneman, in Chapter 8 proposes:

Through a spiraling microlearning curriculum that repeats and gets more complex as time passes, microlearning objects can be used throughout the lesson cycle to pre-assess students’ knowledge of a concept, during instruction to introduce new concepts and lay a foundation that future lessons are built on, and to reinforce concepts post-instruction.

(p. 136)

Microlearning has also found its way into higher education, being implemented and researched in several specializations such as healthcare, management, education, business, and others. A Pass Educational Group, LLC (2019) published Higher Education Learning Trends in 2019, in which microlearning was the number one trend they predicted for higher education, noting “[h]igher ed institutions are jumping on this type of learning, too” (para. 3), bringing with it two changes in the way the curriculum is developed and implemented, mainly by “breaking up blocks of learning into bite-sized pieces, and including application steps to reinforce and extend learning” (para. 4). Similarly, Pandey (2020) listed microlearning as one of the top eLearning trends for 2020, for delivering “high impact and immersive learning experiences” (para. 5). This makes it ideal for specializations such as teacher preparation. Crawford and Semeiuk (2017) observed, “[m]icrolearning efforts address the inherent needs of a teacher educator, through short, focused cognitive microlearning events that are shared through a teacher education program’s mobile application environment,” while focusing on “pedagogies that incorporate active learning within mobile technologies that are most likely to enhance meaningful learning” (Abstract, para. 1). Similarly, Elwood, Johnson, and Perales (2018), used microlearning to share examples of successful applications of flipped instruction with future teachers and mentors. The potential for microlearning in higher education can be extended even further, as Kohler, et. al., in Chapter 7 proposes, to provide learners opportunities to earn micro-credentials in their college and university courses that can help them build their skills and resumes in preparation for the workforce.

Likewise, in Chapter 13, Word and Dennen assert that one of the benefits of microlearning content is the ability to share it. They observe, “[t]he developing market for small scope, Internet-distributed, just-in-time learning experiences potentially changes the locus and economics of learning design, development, and distribution activities from larger institutions to smaller ones, or even individuals” (p. 200). It is in this way, that teachers and learning professionals are able to develop and share what they create globally and contribute to the library of Open Educational Resources. In their chapter, Word and Dennen describe ways in which creators of microlearning objects can maximize the benefits of Open Educational Resources, while taking into consideration copyright and other important aspects of microlearning development and sharing.

Despite the growing consensus on the use of microlearning and its benefits for performance development and education, experts agree that microlearning is not achieved by merely cutting up existing content into small pieces. According to Berkowitz (2017), “true microlearning is built on purpose” (para. 3). Consequently, Theo Hug, in Chapter 3, when referring to sound pedagogy for microlearning, emphasizes, “[t]oday, being able to successfully design, organize, and evaluate meaningful learning processes is one of the most critical challenges faced by educators and trainers” (p. 50). To address this challenge, this chapter promotes a unifying framework for identifying and analyzing the major issues surrounding the thoughtful and purposeful implementation of microlearning in educational, training, performance, and talent development contexts.

A Framework for Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Microlearning

In 2007, Badrul Khan introduced the concept of learning snippets for delivering quick, cost-effective, and meaningful training solutions to organizations for performance improvement (Khan, 2007). He categorized learning snippets into two kinds: (1) informational snippets, learning objects used to deliver quick information to a target audience, and (2) instructional snippets, learning objects used to teach a single concept or skill (Khan, 2019, p. 278). Although he originally envisioned both types of snippets as reinforcing agents for the training world, his thoughts about microlearning have evolved to include various forms of informal and formal learning, including self-directed learning and learning in K-12 and higher education contexts. Khan (2020) developed the following definition for microlearning:¹

Microlearning can be viewed as a single objective‑focused, outcome‑based, stand‑alone, meaningful, and interactive learning unit delivered in bite-sized snippets (i.e., a short modular format) either digitally (i.e., via computer, tablet, or mobile phone) or non-digitally (i.e., as via a flashcard or booklet).

Khan (2001) proposed the use of the E-Learning Framework to analyze the eight dimensions of an organization’s training/learning culture (pedagogical, technological, interface design, evaluation, management, resource support, ethical, and institutional). The framework allows stakeholders to review an organization’s existing learning environment from the perspective of what works, what doesn’t, and recommend various cost-effective, efficient, and meaningful training/instructional solutions based on the organizational mission and strategy. In this context, the framework serves as a refining filter for identifying training/instructional solutions.

Guided by the framework, organizations can design, develop, evaluate, and implement effective learning snippets with appropriate instructional strategies and delivery methods. By integrating instructional strategies with appropriate delivery mechanisms, organizations can achieve better results and a higher return on investment. Figure 1.1 (see p. 7) presents Khan’s E-Learning Framework visualized through the lens of microlearning. The outer octagon represents the eight dimensions of the framework while the inner octagon lists qualities of microlearning representative of each dimension. The droplets in the center of the octagon represent bite-sized, single-objective, learning objects that can stand-alone or contribute to a larger learning enterprise.

Figure 1.1 Khan’s e-learning framework perceived through the lens of microlearning

Khan’s framework consists of eight dimensions. Each dimension represents a category of issues that need to be considered prior to implementation in order to create a successful learning experience:

• the pedagogical dimension addresses issues pertaining to teaching and learning, in particular, how instructional content is designed, delivered, and implemented, with an emphasis on the identification of learners’ needs and how the learning objectives will be achieved. The pedagogical dimension addresses issues related to practices involving microlearning design, development, implementation, and evaluation.
• the technological dimension is concerned with the learning environment, its creation, and the tools required to create and deliver the learning. This dimension also addresses hardware and software requirements, as well as infrastructure planning, including the selection of the most suitable delivery system for achieving the institution’s learning goals. Technical requirements such as the server capacities, bandwidth, security, backups, and other infrastructure issues are also addressed. In the context of microlearning, the technological dimension addresses issues related to learners’ or workers’ access to the tools (hardware, software, infrastructure) needed to connect to the microlearning resources.
• the interface design dimension is concerned with factors related to the overall look and feel of the learning environment. With regard to microlearning, the interface design dimension addresses issues related to user interface design, ease-of-use, usability, navigability, and adaptiveness of learning o...