Publish at March 06 2017 Updated November 28 2025
Microlearning enables complete learning in short periods of time. But how do you make the most of it?
Several approaches, two principles.
A microlearning lesson is in itself an interruption in the flow of the learner's activities. It is not interrupted.
In microlearning, what is taught and learned is complete in itself. A lesson that required the learner, for example, to go and read an external reference and then come back again would be likely to never be completed. In less than 5 minutes, everything must be covered; if an ingredient is missing, the lesson will be interrupted.
A microlearning lesson is based on a context. The context provides the elements it doesn't need to explain. The context is used.
The more complex what is being taught, the more important the context of microlearning lessons becomes. By context we mean: the learner's background and knowledge, how far he's come, his practice context, his colleagues, the materials available, the tools he's using, and so on. We're talking here about personalization and necessarily integration into a broader strategy.
Examples:
A simple code on a product or part refers to the online manual directly associated with that specific product or part.
An employee number can refer to the employee's starting qualifications, training plan and any training needs, practice context, etc.
More sophisticated tools like Daqri can visually recognize the context and provide information and instructions directly associated with that specific context. In this way, short, relevant lessons can be delivered.
The time taken to create a context within the lesson is usually time well spent: we don't know what state of mind the learner arrives in, but we do know what state of mind is necessary for him to learn what we present...
Microlearning can be used in all fields and on all scales, as long as these two principles are respected. Understanding is made up of links between things that have already been mastered and understood; micro-learning works as long as it is possible to create links between the things presented; these must be known, as unknown things cannot be linked together. Is the learner ready? Are they still discovering the subject, or do they already know the basics?
If there is a limit to micro-learning, it can be pushed back by multimedia, by artificial intelligence, by precise indexing, by a quality strategy, so that it is always possible to add an additional link between two elements, a new lesson after two lessons already learned, to finally arrive at macro-learning, real applicable and verifiable knowledge.
The techniques and activities used in microlearning are constantly evolving. Courses can be built and adapted, new activities, videos, quizzes, interactions can be added, badges can be earned, but only the fact that the learner can evolve what he or she understands at the outset will ensure success.
Illustration: Ikea assembly instructions.
References
MIcrolearning Techniques ebook - AllenComm
https://www.allencomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Microlearning-Ebook-Allencomm.pdf
5 Tips To Make Microlearning Successful - Steve Penfold - Elearning Industry
https://elearningindustry.com/5-tips-make-microlearning-successful
Reasons for microlearning
https://www.google.com/search?q=reasons+for+microlearning
Augmented reality and artificial intelligence combined in real time - Denys Lamontagne - Thot Cursus
http://cursus.edu/institutions-formations-ressources/technologie/28433/realite-augmentee-intelligence-artificielles-combinees-temps/
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