Why are these particular microlearning myths deadly?
As you all know, I’ve been around this microlearning block a time or two. Here is a post I wrote on Microlearning being the “IT” buzzword. There are some things that ever changing, the different types of tools, or even microlearning applications. Some myths are harmless. Finding a pot of gold under the rainbow, who DOESN’T want to believe that? However, believing in these microlearning myths may stop someone from producing material that has the potential of making a very real difference to their organization.
So, as we all start the pilgrimage to San Diego for the granddaddy of all conferences – ATD International Conference and Expo, there are a few things I would like to clear up in Microlearning land. If you are attending the conference, the odds are REALLY GOOD that there will be a bazillion microlearning focused sessions. I personally have two (and I hope to see you there) and I wanted to clear up myths that I hear discussed on constant rotation.
Let’s take a moment to dispel them, this way if you hear any speaker saying any of these myths are indeed fact, you know it’s time to grab a coffee.
Here are my 7 Deadly Microlearning Myths
1) Microlearning is time-dependent.
No. A thousand times no. There is no magic number. I will say this, if you have a video that is running 20 minutes, then that doesn’t quite fit the bill. Micro does mean “small”. People should be able to watch, learn and go. So my guideline is this, “As long as necessary and as short as possible”.
Keep these figures in mind, YouTube tells us that the average video view is 4.4 minutes, and this Nielson Norman Group study tells us that only 20% of people will read a document from start to finish. So short is indeed good. This is a good way to start thinking when creating microlearning elements.
2) Microlearning is all about video.
Sigh. Microlearning is all about performance support, and that is more than video production. For example: think infographics – here you can present people with large chunks of data in an easily consumable, visually appealing image. Video is just one of many modalities that can be used to present your microlearning content. Just keep in mind, that micro-video’s are NOT the subject matter expert talking for an hour and you chunking that video in 4-15 minute segments. That’s just death 4 times over.
3) Microlearning is just chunking.
This is like saying all dogs are the same. Microlearning and chunking have their place in the learning playbook, but they are not the same. Chunking breaks down pieces of long-form content into bite-sized elements to manage the overall cognitive load. Which is a good thing. However, microlearning acts as standalone pieces (that can be used to augment macro content) that have focused and specific relevance. I do not need part one, of a microlearning program to understand part two.
4) Microlearning requires technology.
The best friend of microlearning is technology, but does it need technology to rock a party? No. As I stated, microlearning, at its core, has its DNA in performance support. Performance support can (and should) be a variety of applications, and not all require special tech. Think wallet cards, decision trees, FAQ sheets, job aids, checklists etc. The key is creating microlearning that fits the context of the job. People need help now, not later when they can access a video library.
5) Microlearning is one-size fits all.
Just as elearning wasn’t the magic bullet for training, neither is microlearning. You must have a strategy for how people will use microlearning within your organization. Plopping down a microlearning element isn’t going to solve a business or training problem and unless you have targeted the problem specifically and then fully designed a solution, this too shall fail. Microlearning isn’t, in of itself, going to solve complex, behavior driven issues. However, it can help and support complex learning initiatives. Do your analysis and work your plan. Run from anyone who tells you otherwise.
6) Microlearning is easy-peasy to create
Let me continue my thought from myth #5. Microlearning might be small but it needs a strategy and development plan. It needs someone with a focused mind to get the smallest nugget of learning that people truly need to do their jobs. This requires a person to look at the macro content and strip it down. A microlearning course should be a journey, bringing the user from point to point with a beginning, a middle and an end with the end result being a specific application of knowledge. Sometimes easier said than done.
7) Microlearning is a fad.
There are plenty of people out there thinking – this too shall pass. A fad is defined as a short-lived trend that garners a widely shared enthusiasm that burns out. That said, microlearning has been around for many, many moons. Think of the terms: Training Blasts, Learning Nuggets, Training Bites – and you’ve more than likely seen microlearning in action. A 2002 study by the BBC indicated that 94% of people prefer learning modules that are under 10 minutes. That was 16 YEARS AGO. So, a fad? No.
To wrap this up
It is true, there are limits to what microlearning can and cannot-do for your training plans and the people in your organization. I’m hoping that by busting these myths it helps you to understand this distinction and you will be able to use microlearning effectively as one of the many training tools you have to choose from.
I hope to see you in San Diego!
Need help bringing microlearning to life as a successful part of your overall learning strategy? Let’s talk.
Or, bring the Learning Rebels, Microlearning workshop to your team and start off on the right foot!
Microlearning (now a trademarked term) is a fad.
It will go the way SAM and ID9 and all the other instructional design trends. Quickly.
As far as I am concerned, all the myths listed exist and the concerns designers have about it are well-founded. It is chunking and just in time learning and insofar as video not being a core of microlearning,
I do agree that disparate pieces should stand on their own as a piece of well-developed acquireable training. But what about the curriculum? Shouldn’t disparate pieces lock together (eventually) to support a wholistic piece of work?
Microlearning (from what I understand) is small, discrete pieces of learning (digital format or not, but…mostly digital) that learners can consume on demand, informally. Sounds like…YOUTUBE!! So, guys…if you read this post, a quick way to think about MicroLearning is that it’s making a piece of training into a youTube vlog.
Casey Neistat and others have shown trainers what is possible and there is a generation of folks that take self-motivated learning just by watching youTube, Vevo, Instagram, Vine (RIP). This is all it is. Nothing more.
Heaven forbid, employers are now going to require ID’s to have certification in MicroLearning (TM) in order to be employed. This is just a fad.
If you guys already can make a youTube video based on a goal with learning objectives and certify with an assessment, then, that’s MicroLearning. You can all put that on your resume!
BTW…there is a whole, cool series on youTube (ironically) created by the company that TM’d MicroLearning. Just watch it and make some training based on it’s concepts and you’re off.
This myth posting is ridiculous. More tempest in a teacup and won’t change ADDIE and ISD. MicroLearning is already in our training doctrine, folks. Don’t feel left out or stupid. It’s there already.
And the clock continues to tick on this latest learning trend….
Hi Joanne, thank you for the thoughtful comment. I can tell you spent some time thinking about it, or at the very least the topic resonated on your last nerve. Which is fine – let’s unpack your comment.
1) A certain training company is TRYING to trademark the term. This trademark registration, is on the “Supplemental Register”, meaning that until and unless said company demonstrates exclusive use of the term microlearning for five years, other organizations are free to use it without credit. What this means is that the trademark only protects microlearning as it refers to this company’s specific microlearning services. It’s worth mentioning that Franklin Covey held a similar trademark for the term microlearning from 2006 – 2007, then dropped it. When this particular company filed the trademark application for microlearning, the USPTO responded by saying the mark was too ‘descriptive’ to be placed on the Principal Register so the USPTO refused to grant this company exclusive ownership of the mark.
2) Microlearning is NOT a fad. Microlearning has its roots in higher education and a cursory look just on Google finds the term being used back in 1996. You can find the full scope of research with the work of Theo Hug, a professor of educational sciences who wrote the “Didactics of Microlearning.” This is why I take great strides to point out that microlearning is NOT a new thing, and even more important it’s critical we understand what it should be used for, and what problems it can and cannot solve. It is another tool, not THE tool. As I have written in the post Microlearning: The Misunderstood Buzzword
3) I respectfully disagree that microlearning and chunking are the same animals. They are not. Just as eLearning and virtual learning are not the same. They have similar premises but the differences are clear and application use are different. Chunking has a beginning, a middle and a “to be continued”. Microlearning content has a beginning, a middle and an end to each element.
4) Yes. You can BUNDLE disparate pieces. This is the beauty of microlearning. Take a peek at your cell phone. See how you have your app’s bundled together? Microlearning can work in much the same way. Under my “travel” bundle I have apps like: Hilton, American Airlines, Uber, AirBnB etc. They are all disparate yet connected. I can use one, two or three together to take a trip…or not. Same would apply for microlearning bundled together for example, Communication Skills: You could have a microlearning created and bundled on topics such as: Body language, Active listening, Writing with clarity, Tone of voice…etc. Bundled, yet separate. Use those learnings together or individually. Use what you need when you need it.
5) Yes and no. MIcrolearning can be like YouTube, and I have said before, YouTube is the Granddaddy of microlearning. However, it’s not just video or VLOGS. It’s anything that will help a person succeed in the moment of need. I need help now, and I need a tool or resource that can help me NOW. Many times it is not video, it might be an audio clip, an infographic or short recorded webinar.
6) Agree. I would be distressed to see a job posting as requiring a person to be Microlearning certified. Seriously, why?? Microlearning is another way to get APPROPRIATE support out to the humans in your organization. To me, microlearning as with adaptive, personalized and social learning are all part and parcel of solid instructional design creation. What problem are you trying to solve? Solve that problem. It’s important to know that not every problem requires a hammer. Don’t get me started on the overuse of certifications. UGH.
7) Regarding ISD methods. I have never said that one needs to throw the baby out with the bath water. Regardless of the training you are trying to create, be it micro or otherwise – a plan is needed. Every type of training requires some sort of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation plan, and Evaluation strategy – i.e. ADDIE. The key to microlearning is that one needs to move faster and be more adaptable. Your organization doesn’t need perfect, it needs help. So designing from that point of view takes a different mindset and skill when designing to “scale down”. A solid understanding of instructional design methodologies helps.
So, no – I don’t feel the post is “ridiculous” but you might disagree and that’s okay. What won’t change is the increased need for microlearning in the workplace and if we are going to focus our efforts in this space, we might as well understand what it is, and what it isn’t. How we should use microlearning to its best benefit and when it is not fit for purpose.
As with any other L&D trend, the industry will find something else shiny to discuss this time next year (My guess? Personalized Learning.). However, I will still be talking about microlearning. Why? Because it is my world and I want to continue to help those in L&D create the best content possible to help the humans in their businesses. It’s that simple. So, no – this is not a new topic, it’s not a fad or a trend. Microlearning is a tool, and with any other tool, people need to learn how to use it. Use it correctly, use it at the right time and for the right reasons.
Finally something that’s not a sales pitch about micro-learning! Great distinction between chunking and actual stand-alone learning moments as well as the breadth of ML can be–this is why I strive to create a full-service, full-range shop from publication design all the way to video/audio: it’s the only way I can truly support performance that comes in all sizes and schedules and budgets.
Great article, thanks.
LOL! Thanks Robb! As an independent consultant, I do try to sell my services from time to time. However, for my blog and my newsletter, the focus is on information and resources. That said, YES! Microlearning has to be right-sized for the problem you are trying to solve. It’s all about context. You can have the best training programs in the world, but if people can’t use them, if they are not solving a problem – then those programs are just dust collectors.
The 7 myths you mention are both on-target and, indeed, dangerous. I would add one more along the lines that “the creation, implementation, and maintenance of microlearning can occur without active buy-in and support from senior management and executives.”
Hi Steven – Good one!! This is true for any training going out the door, not just microlearning. I would always advise that we have full input and by the business, as you stated without their support we are throwing good money after bad.