If organizations want to attract, develop and retain talent
in this generation, they have to adapt to their audience. To quote The Kinks, “give
the people want they want”.
Even within my own organization, we have had to adapt the
way we create and deliver our e-learning. Here is a list
of the 5 commandments of Microlearning anyone can use as they begin to create
their own.
.
- Assign
One Learning Objective per Asset
We define a Learning Objective by what the learner will do or know
after they consume the asset. So focus on just one learning objective so
the learner will know exactly what they need to focus on to ensure
knowledge is transferred. The more objectives you try to introduce, the
longer your content will be. Ultimately, you’ll lose your audience.
- Use
Video
70 percent of Millennials visit YouTube monthly. They simply prefer
video over other mediums.
- Production
Quality Matters
Technology has made it so nearly everyone has the ability to create
video – whether it’s on a smartphone, tablet, a professional camera or a
GoPro. But bad video can take away from good content. It doesn’t take much
to enhance your video quality without spending a lot of money. Try using natural
light from a window, shoot in a quiet room, and set up your camera
slightly above your eye level.
- Timing
is Everything
Remember that 90-second statistic? Microlearning videos should be 4
minutes or less. Learners want to get straight to the point. When creating
scripts for video, a good rule of thumb to follow is 120 words for every
minute of video. Making a short, content-rich video requires the ability
to self-edit. If you’re scripting assets, take a good look at the content,
and eliminate ALL the fluff. If your content is still longer than 4
minutes, you’re probably breaking the first commandment.
Here are a couple of tips: First, don’t waste time in a video talking
about something a learner can download and review outside of the video.
Second, assume your audience is intelligent. Don’t waste time telling them
how to navigate through the videos (these are tech savvy people). And
please don’t talk down to them or add insincere dialogue.
- Prove
Learning Took Place
When you build your content, think about how you will know learning
took place. Instead of just asking them to answer a couple multiple choice
questions, ask them to demonstrate their knowledge. For example, if you’re
teaching personal branding, you could ask learners to send a video of
themselves delivering a 30-second elevator speech. This not only allows to
prove learning took place, but also creates the opportunity for coaching
and improvement.
After all, learning shouldn’t be a one-time event. Instead, it should be
an evolving and adaptive process that creates a unique and personalized
experience for each learner.
If you can begin incorporating these 5 Commandments as you
venture into the world of Microlearning,
you’ll be in alignment with current learning trends and more important this new
generation of employees.
They’ve programmed their minds to worry. They’ve programmed
their minds to complain. They’ve programmed their minds to see the negative.
But just as we can train our minds to focus on the negative, we can also
reprogram our minds to focus on the positive. It all depends on what we
meditate on. When we meditate on the truth we reprogram our minds. When we
meditate on the truth, we are developing a right mindset. When we choose to be
grateful and focus on what’s right rather than what’s wrong, we are choosing a
positive attitude. This doesn’t happen automatically, you have to discipline
yourself to focus on the right things. You have to make a conscious effort to
spend time developing a truth based mindset every single day until a habit is
formed. 
