Chapter 8

Microlearning

 

 

What is Microlearning?

          As far as teaching methods and pedagogy go, microlearning is a fairly new concept. Microlearning takes an idea and divides the information into small bursts of output via various formats of rich media. This includes reading e-mails, searching the internet for an answer to your friend’s odd question, and even watching online tutorials. Teacher-led learning was once considered to be the norm, however microlearning can now be seen regularly in most classrooms. Given the short amount of time microlearning takes, and how individually tailored it is to the learner, it could be considered the most time-efficient teaching method. But is it effective?

          Like any other learning theory, the efficiency of microlearning must be assessed, but a chosen assessment strategy may be based on the objective and not necessarily based on the learning process. Models are based on approaches in that some objectives are based on performance throughout a learning process while others may focus on an end goal. A business may choose a consumer-oriented approach that concentrates on the customer experience. A school would be more likely to choose an approach based on skill mastery and a participatory evaluation. Kirkpatrick’s Model of Learning Evaluation evaluates learning on four different levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Dividing perceived success according to different categories may give instructional designers better insight on what component of the instruction should be improved on.  

          In a case study published in 2018 in the International Journal of Educational Research Review [4], microlearning and traditional teaching methods were compared. For five weeks, elementary students were taught computer-based, non-curricular information. The traditional group was taught through lecture that explained solely what was published in the provided textbook. The microlearning group learned using many methods that taught and reinforced learned material in short spurts with information including videos, flashcards, and games. At the sixth week, students were asked to perform the tasks they had been taught. There was an 18% difference in skill competency. The winner? Microlearning. The students of this group also reported higher levels of motivation throughout the process and excitement to learn more about the subject after instruction. 

          Informal learning, motivation, volition, and performance all focus on learner-controlled nature. With informal learning, students typically set their own learning objectives and determine for themselves what successful completion looks like. Sometimes this type of learning occurs by coincidence, and is unplanned. Motivation is simply the student’s desire to pursue a goal, or perform a task, which is then manifested by the student’s effort to achieve the goal. Volition extends beyond motivation and focuses on overcoming obstacles and hindrances to the learning process. Knowledge of the concepts related to this term is highly relevant for instructional designers because these concepts offer detailed knowledge that supplements knowledge of the motivational process and how to maintain one’s persistence and performance. Furthermore, performance can be defined as the outcomes of the student’s behavior. Performance is an almost uniquely English term. Many languages do not possess an exact equivalent word for it. In applying various similar words or passphrases to convey its precise meaning, something often gets lost in translation. Performance is the valued accomplishment that reflects the behavior, or actions and attitude, of the student.

          Cross-cultural communication has been made possible through the advancement of modern technology. Governments of different countries depend on one another for resources and information, but without proper communication and cultural awareness, ideas could not be shared accurately across languages. In the social aspect, people are learning informally constantly through social media and telecommunication. While scrolling through a social network, one is subjected to political news, family and friend updates, and societal trends. This introduces the downside of social media: While information can be spread quickly to virtually any number of people, there is little involved in the process to filter out fabrication and misinformation. Many social networks have recently implemented systems in an attempt to discourage the transmission of false information. In 2017, Facebook began its crusade against fake news, siting “disrupting economic incentives”, “building new products”, “and helping people make more informed decisions” as steps in their plan to discourage what they consider to be “harmful to [their] community”. Twitter has recently banned influencers that are known for sharing right-wing conspiracies, usually at the expense of women, minorities, and immigrants. 

         Microlearning takes place formally in the instance of MOOCs, or massive open online courses. MOOCs are, for the most part, completely free and available to anyone who wishes to enroll. Prestigious universities like Yale and Harvard have made their exclusive education more accessible via these limited online courses. Sites like Lynda, Coursera, Udemy, and Skillfeed have popularized the concept and capitalized on people’s desire to learn new skills quickly, conveniently, and at their own pace. Traditional training requires taking time off of work or paying a large amount of money to a professional. With the flexibility offered by MOOCs, everyone has access to learn every skill when the skill is needed. College courses have a capacity cap, limiting the number of students that can learn a concept from a subject matter expert. However, the internet has no known maximum. There are disadvantages to MOOCs as well. Many are not acreditted. This may be fine for someone who needs to learn a skill that they can apply in their job and everyday life without a certification, but for those seeking a formal and recognized education, MOOCs may not be the best choice. There is also no regulation on the accuracy of information that is being produced. Informal online courses have been known to leave out specific information for the sake of saving time and resources on their end, leaving the learner with gaps in a new concept. 

 

 

 

 

Associated Learning Theories

          Connectivism is a relatively new learning theory that has always been associated with the digital age. This theory explains that learning happens interdependently across multiple networks through technologies such as wikis, online searches, forums, and digital video content sites. Through connectivism, anyone can learn any skill and provide themselves with the scaffolding necessary to complete a task by finding an online information source that provides process guidelines specific to what that person needs. A connectivism learning process is student-driven and requires real-world tasks to assess learning. 

Connectivism explains how internet technologies have created new opportunities for people to learn and share information across the internet and among themselves. These technologies include web browsers, email, wikis, online discussion forums, social networks, YouTube, and any other tool which enables the users to learn and share information with other people. A key feature of connectivism is that much learning can happen across peer networks that take place online. In connectivist learning , a teacher will direct students to information and answer important questions as needed, in order to support student learning. Teachers also support student learning by sharing their own learning processes. Students are also encouraged to seek out information independently from online sources, and then express what they find. A connected community around this shared information often results in the Massive Open Online Course model, which comes from the connectivist theory.

 

 

 

          According to the University of Sydney School of Education and Social Work, constructivism is a learning theory, prominent in psychological literature, that suggests that humans construct knowledge and meaning from their experiences. Jean Piaget introduced his theory of cognitive development in 1936, and it has influenced many theories and much educational research since its conception.  Construtivism is a collection of views sharing a fundamental assumption about learning that contrasts sharply with the assumptions of underlying theories such as the information-processing theory. A constructivist approaches learning from the inside out, so to speak. The learner actively imposes organization and meaning on the surrounding environment and constructs knowledge in the process. From a radical constructivist point of view, knowledge-building does not have to correspond with reality to be meaningful. However, most constructivist scholars agree that not all knowledge constructions are equally viable.

 

 

Gagne’s Theory of instruction primarily focused on instruction and how what is known about learning can be systematically related to the design of instruction. Gagne proposed an integrated and and comprehensive theory of instruction that is based primarily on two foundations,  Cognitive Information Processing Theory and his own observations of effective teachers in a classroom. as Gagne’s theory of instruction evolved, it came to compromise three components, a taxonomy of learning outcomes defined the type of capabilities a human can learn, internal and external learning conditions associated with the acquisition of each category of learning outcome, and nine events of instruction that each facilitate a specific cognitive process during learning. According to Gagne there are five major categories of learning, verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, attitudes and motor skills. The reason for defining different categories of learning outcomes stems from the assumption that they must all require different conditions of learning. The differences in conditions of learning across categories of learning outcomes provide guidelines for which for which conditions must be included in instruction for specifically defined instructional goals.

 

 

Learn More

 

Glossary and Concepts

Constructivism: a learning theory found in psychology which explains how people might acquire knowledge and learn.

Connectivism: a theory of learning in a digital age that emphasizes the role of social and cultural context in how and where learning occurs.

E-Learning: learning new information through the direct use of technology, often through online courses or rich media

HPI: Human Performance Improvement

HPI revolves around achieving organizational goals cost effectively and efficiently. Unlike other movements with similar missions, HPI draws from a parent field, Human Performance Technology (HPT), which contains an array of processes, tools and resources, and a scientific base. E-learning is a broad term that encompasses all learning that involves technology in any way whatsoever. One way in which E-learning is commonly used includes educational videos. They are an easy way to communicate a concept to the learner where the learner can pause, re-watch, and interact more with their learning. 

Informal Learning: self-directed intake of information without a set goal or objective while learning

Microlearning: learning small amounts of information quickly and accurately

MOOC: Massive Open Online Course

MOOCs were created in an attempt to provide unlimited participation in an educational experience via the web, typically for free. Aside from the increased enrollment numbers and open access to course content, MOOCs often include both traditional instructional components and those more typically found in online courses such as discussion forums and interactive exercises.

Motivation: incentive, drive [1]

Pedagogy: the art, science, or profession of teaching [1]

Performance: the execution of an action [1]

Rich Media:animated, video, and/or audio production;

Rich media is a set of systems and resources with unique capabilities to organize information beyond the ability of text alone. Multimedia, social media, and web- based tools are all considered to be components of rich media. Social media, for example, provides users access to and connections with communities, organizations, and individuals. In this way, social media allows for the learner to encounter multiple perspectives of knowledge.

Volition: the power of choosing or determining; will; an act of making a choice or decision [1]

 

 

 

Literary References

  1. Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America’s most-trusted online dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2019, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/
  2. Hayes, D. (2018, January 11). Constructivism. Retrieved May 2, 2019, from https://sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/learning_teaching/ict/theory/constructivism.shtml
  3. Jirasatjanukul, K., & Jeerungsuwan, N. (2018). The Design of an Instructional Model Based on Connectivism and Constructivism to Create Innovation in Real World Experience. International Education Studies, 11(3), 12-17. doi:10.5539/ies.v11n3p12
  4. Mohammed, G. S., Wakil, K., & Nawroly, S. S. (2018). The Effectiveness of Microlearning to Improve Students’ Learning Ability. International Journal of Educational Research Review, 3(3), 32-38. doi:10.24331/ijere.415824
  5. Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2018). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education.
  6. Shrivastava, A. (2018). Using Connectivism Theory and Technology for Knowledge Creation in Cross-Cultural Communication. Research in Learning Technology, 26(0), 1-16. doi:10.25304/rlt.v26.2061

 

 

 

 

Authored by: Kathryn Jackson and Albert Woods