That is as a result of employees (especially the Millennials) having little time to access training materials. So, to cater to their needs, it’s better to deliver them training like microlearning and bite-sized learning to help them retain knowledge.
Are bite-sized learning and microlearning the same?
I’m sure you must be wondering if bite-sized learning and microlearning are the same or not? Well, one way to clear the air about this topic is to have a clear definition of bite-sized learning and microlearning.
What is bite-sized learning?
Most times, people refer to bite-sized learning as short module training. However, developing your training course to be 5 minutes doesn’t fully qualify it to be bite-sized.
What makes a training bite-sized is more of how it focuses on the learning objectives. Unlike the traditional classroom training that focuses on multiple learning objectives, a bite-sized training course tries to achieve a specific learning objective.
One of the benefits of bite-sized training is that it’s flexible and takes less time for employees to acquire knowledge. Also, it helps to boost learner retention abilities. Apart from that, it is a type of training that caters to all learners, including generation Y or millennials.
Furthermore, bite-sized training can get delivered in many forms, including e-learning, as long as it’s focused on a specific learning objective. In the case of the single but broad learning objective, the focus for bite-sized remains on the learning outcome of the training.
What is microlearning?
Microlearning is more than just bite-sized learning. Unlike bite-sized training that focuses on specific learning outcomes, microlearning focuses on the learning approach.
It’s a holistic approach that deals with teaching and delivering content in relatively small learning units. One advantage of this learning approach is that learners are in a better position to choose a path that suits their learning needs.
Microlearning takes different forms, including video, e-books, articles, infographics, simulations, microlearning quizzes, mobile apps, and podcasts.
You can make use of them to provide bite-sized learning content. For instance, you can utilize microlearning videos in a training mix for skill-building, like tips on safety and equipment handling.
To execute each step of the tasks, you can develop them as independent bite-sized videos. In today’s digital world, bite-sized learning and microlearning are becoming increasingly relevant in learning and development.
That’s because they suit different learning styles of learners. Apart from that, they also help learners to access specific training that meets their learning requirements.
Employees no longer have the luxury of time to access training. Hence, the need for small modules that focus on a specific learning outcome.
Employees want training that’s engaging and can help them retain knowledge. They want to be able to apply what they learn immediately on real-life tasks and measure their learning performance.
They want full control over their preferred learning path and be able to access them at their convenience, any time and place. Bite-sized learning and microlearning are the answers to these needs.
That’s because both are similar, and microlearning empowers employees to have control over what they are interested in learning.
Benefits of bite-sized learning and microlearning
Even though bite-sized learning and microlearning aren’t the same, they have a lot of similarities. Here are a few benefits of using them to deliver content for your learners.
Speed
With bite-sized training courses, employees can learn, acquire new skills and knowledge, and retain them faster. They also find it easier to balance training without having to affect their everyday work commitments.
Because microlearning content provides a narrow and deep approach to each subject matter, it becomes easier for learners to access training at their convenience, any time and place.
Quality
Developing a bite-sized training course requires that the instructors be highly selective. By so doing, they can be able to add only the relevant information to the short module to make them top-notch.
Flexibility
When training courses are available in small modules and bite-sized, they become easier for organizations to personalized meet individual employees learning needs.
In Conclusion
Bite-sized learning and microlearning are the way forward to delivering quality content for generation Y learners. Maybe it’ll be better to talk less about their definition and focus on their effectiveness on the Millennials.
They offer numerous benefits, including flexibility, accessibility, and just-in-time training for learners. Apart from that, they deliver sticky training that can help learners to retain knowledge.
