Why And How To Convert Lengthy Courses To Micro Modules
Jack is an Instructional Designer, working with a large financial services company. Recently, he developed a 60-minute eLearning course on information security. The content was very relevant to the target audience, and Jack spared no effort to make the online course highly interactive. He believed that the course would be a runaway success. However, to his surprise, the course received a very poor response.
Chris is an eLearning designer in a multinational pharmaceutical company. A few weeks ago, he created a 45-minute online course for the medical reps of the drug maker. The course was intended to enable the salespeople handle doctors’ queries effectively. Chris used the right instructional strategy i.e., scenario-based learning. Despite his efforts and intentions, the course was a dismal failure.
The problem is not limited to just Jack and Chris. Many in the Instructional Design fraternity face similar problems. Why do well-designed eLearning courses fail to make the desired impact? Why do many good online courses that use the right instructional strategies receive a cold shoulder from learners? The culprit is the long duration of courses and the inability of learners to devote that time, due to their tight schedules and aggressive targets.
Lengthy Courses Are Not Mobile-Friendly! - Why Does It Matter?
We live in the mobile age, and the number of people accessing web-based content (including online courses) through smartphones and tablets is increasing with each passing day. A report published by Cisco predicts that globally, mobile data traffic will increase sevenfold between 2016 and 2021 [1]. Lengthy eLearning courses can’t be accessed conveniently on mobile devices; the small size of their screens makes them unwieldy.
How Can This Problem Be Resolved?
Convert your lengthy courses into microlearning modules. Microlearning refers to the delivery of learning content in the form of “information morsels”. The content is divided into several small chunks, each about 10 minutes in duration. Each microlearning module is self-standing and addresses one learning objective, comprehensively. You can get the best results by breaking down a sizable subject into bite-sized modules and allowing the learner to take them in the order of his choice.
4 Steps To Creating Good Microlearning Modules
Following the four-step process detailed below will help convert lengthy online courses into effective bite-sized eLearning modules.
1. Identify The Content That Addresses A Specific Objective
This is inarguably the most important step in the creation of a microlearning module. A lengthy eLearning course addresses multiple learning objectives, and you need to segregate content helpful to achieve specific learning objectives.
For instance, a course on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) may have multiple learning objectives such as highlighting the importance of PPE, explaining the steps to use the PPE, listing the dos and don’ts of using the PPE, and so on. If the objective of the microlearning module is to explain the steps of using the PPE, identify content that deals with the steps.
2. Determine The Best Strategy To Present The Content
Time is a luxury for most employees, and you must ensure that they are able to use the information in the microlearning module quickly, in a hassle-free manner. Staying on with the example of using the PPE, you can present the steps of using the PPE in the form of an animated video. Learners can watch the video and follow the steps easily.
3. Choose The Appropriate Authoring Tool
You now need to create the microlearning module, using the right authoring tool. The choice of the authoring tool must be guided by the instructional strategy you adopt to present the content of the microlearning module. For instance, to develop an animated video-based learning nugget, you can use GoAnimate. Likewise, if you intend to develop a scenario-based microlearning module, Articulate Storyline would be a good choice.
4. Develop The Microlearning Module
Once you finalize the authoring tool, it’s time to create the microlearning module. Develop the module using the authoring tool selected in the previous step. Make sure that the bite-sized learning module is responsive, so that it can be accessed on all devices.
You can use this process to create microlearning modules to address the other learning objectives too.
By converting lengthy eLearning courses into bite-sized modules, you will facilitate effective learning. The best part is, microlearning assets can be developed in a variety of formats – courses, infographics, videos, animations, and more. Give your learners the flexibility of learning on their preferred devices, at their moment of need.
