This post is back by popular demand –
By specializing in microlearning, I have made a very conscious choice to abandon old and outdated ways of delivering learning content to organizations and the adults within them.
In my 20+ years in being involved in educating adults, it wasn’t until I began using, studying and then implementing microlearning and microcontent (in both live and online formats) that I truly found something that makes sense, a difference and engages our brains in a natural way.
A Chief Learning Officer magazine article entitled “How Do You Motivate People To Learn“, the author pulls together part of the discussion of motivating people to engage in the learning at a higher level. He speaks of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. It also refers to leveraging people’s actions and personal goals toward organizational objectives, and vice versa.
I found the article very interesting, though not particularly startling or new. What struck me, though, is how the between-the-lines content actually pointed directly to the features and benefits of microlearning.
Providing short, concise and highly targeting information in microcontent format naturally bridges intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, for a variety of reasons and in several ways. For example, it allows learners the opportunity to layer their previous experiences, future goals and present reality right on to the incoming information in a way other learning environments do not (and cannot by their very design).
Whenever possible, converting long-form learning material into microcontent in a structured microlearning curriculum will increase learner engagement, stimulate intrinsic motivation and aid the extrinsic motivators an organization puts in place to recognize its staff. All staff.
In fact microlearning is, as my branding suggests, training that sticks for your entire organization.
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