LEARNING TRENDS

5 Reasons Why Microlearning Improves School Success

Chapters

  1. What is microlearning?
  2. How long is microlearning?
  3. What does microlearning look like?
  4. What is bite-sized learning?
  5. 5 reasons why microlearning works

 

What is microlearning? How does it work in the classroom? Why does it enhance learning for students? With clear definitions and practical classroom examples, let our education experts answer all your questions related to the world of microlearning!    

In our GoStudent expert talks, we speak to experts in the field of education! Find out more on real-life insights from leaders in the education industry. 🚀 

The pandemic has caused a tech revolution in teaching. As covid forced schools to operate remotely, it made blended and hybrid learning the norm for students and parents. 

To allow these learning models to be effective, teachers can’t deliver in the traditional lecture method – talking in front of a class for thirty to forty-five minutes.🗣  

While this kind of lecture-based approach to teaching is already outdated, it would definitely fail digitally. Students struggle even more when long attention spans are required without face-to-face interaction. 

That is why microlearning learning is important, especially when children are homeschooled. 

 

What is microlearning? 🤔

 

According to the E-learning Industry microlearning is “a way of teaching and delivering content in small, very specific bursts. The learners are in control of what, and when, they are learning."

 

How long is microlearning? 🤔 

 

Microlearning is usually 10-15 minutes long. 

 

What does microlearning look like? 🤔 

 

Usually, microlearning refers to digital forms of learning which may include videos, articles, and other online modules. 

While it is often used interchangeably with bite-sized learning, the two are slightly different.

 

What is bite-sized learning? 🤔 

 

Bite-sized learning can exceed the time duration of microlearning. It is more focused on the outcome of delivering one key objective from the learning. While microlearning stresses more the approach of small and short bursts of knowledge. Though it might provide bite-sized learning content. 

Yet, these are just technical differences, the two aim to achieve the same objectives. ✊ 

Even as kids go back to school from remote learning, the benefits of microlearning have convinced teachers to implement them even in classrooms.

 

Here are five reasons why microlearning works for students:  



👉  1. Enables better retention of knowledge 

 

According to research in cognitive science, the capacity to retain information for brief periods of time increases dramatically during the childhood years. 

So with microlearning, students can grab on to the concepts of a particular lesson far more effectively before moving on to the next subject. 

 

🔥  Expert Tip: “It [microlearning] also makes teachers summarise the key matters of a lesson when teaching,” says Becki Bawler, a Wales-based secondary teacher of Information And Communications Technology, and part of the EdTech Advisory Forum. “So it draws the attention of the child, just to the really critical parts of the learning.”

 

👉  2. Provides diverse ways of learning 

 

Bawler says that when teachers have to teach lesson concepts in a precise manner, they tend to give instructions in different formats. 

From written instructions, videos, using an interactive jam board or even VR technology for education, in microlearning the knowledge is usually divided amongst various digital mediums. This is to split the attention of the students, so they aren’t being overwhelmed by any one medium of teaching for too long. 🤯  

This is extremely beneficial for students who don’t thrive in traditional classroom learning of verbal instructions. They have a chance of experiencing audio-visual forms of learning through microlearning, which can be more immersive for them.

The split in learning format can also be through the flipped classroom method – where some learning happens in class while the other at home. 

Which according to Bawler allows deeper learning for students through “reflection.”

 

👉  3. Reduces passive learning 

 

🔥  Expert Tip: “Usually in secondary schools, sitting and listening to lessons is not something students like,” says Bawler. “When you're teaching with short bursts, students spend less time listening and more time applying their knowledge. There is very little passive learning.”    

 

👉  4. Enables independent learning 

 

Bawler found that when her students were able to sit by themselves, with headsets plugged in, and learn lessons from her short videos, they felt more independent. 

🔥  Expert Tip: “When students are more on their own, they tend to refrain from low-level disruptive behaviour,” says Bawler. 

Bawler also noticed that her microlearning videos allowed students to learn at their own pace. ⏰ 

As the format was short, students who didn’t understand the concept on the first go often re-played it several times or went back to specific parts of it they wanted to revise. A digital Bawler in a short video could do this far more effectively than she could in person for all the students! 😅

Independent learning in kids is also a simple way of building confidence in them as students

 

👉  5. Engages parents 

 

Parents want to know what students are learning at school. Yet between their own work, domestic chores and general parenting, they have little time left on their hands! 😣 

Microlearning lesson modules, which are usually digital, are easily accessible to parents. As a step toward stress-free parenting, they give a quick sneak-peek at what students are learning in the classroom, without overwhelming parents. 

This helps students avoid learning gaps, as they are better supported by parents. 💪 

Moreover, microlearning allows parents to spend more quality time helping students learn through art and play or even learning outside. Which is far more beneficial for children than spending hours understanding their fractions or photosynthesis lessons!  

 

Our Advice: In this increasingly digital age, microlearning avoids overwhelming both students and parents with online learning. While proving to be a far more engaging way of learning and retaining knowledge than traditional classroom teaching. 

At GoStudent, our innovative tutors give students an option to learn through many microlearning formats. Allowing them to be well-supported and yet independent learners! Book a trial session with one of our tutors!