13 Microlearning Activities That Every eLearning Library Should Have
Microlearning resources improve memory retention and learner motivation. After all, online learners are always looking for ways to expand their knowledge spontaneously, without having to make room in their busy schedules. One of the most effective ways to deliver bite-sized eLearning content is to create a microlearning online library. This keeps things organized, categorized, and convenient. You can even enrich this library using AR and VR activities to provide a truly immersive and experiential learning experience that is geared for efficiency and effectiveness. Here are 13 microlearning activities that belong in every eLearning library, many of which you can elevate using VR and AR.
VR/AR Microlearning Activities For Your eLearning Library
1. Topic-Centered Podcasts
Podcasts are portable, which makes them ideal for on-the-go training. Online learners are able to download the eLearning content and listen to it whenever it's most convenient. The trick is to focus on one topic, task, or idea to make it micro. For example, a 5-minute online presentation that shares tips on how to carry out a sales transaction. Create a detailed outline or script to stay on topic, and use free audio recording and editing tools to cut costs.
2. Branching Scenarios
Employees are encouraged to make on-the-spot decisions while immersed in a VR branching scenario. Every choice an online learner makes takes them down a different branch, which may or may not lead to the desired outcome. Branching scenarios typically feature character personas, real-world settings, and immediate eLearning feedback. For example, at the end of the branching scenario, you can provide online learners with supplemental online resources based on their performance.
3. Task-Based Simulations
Real-world experience is a valuable asset. It allows online learners to apply what they've learned and identify areas for improvement without having to deal with real-world repercussions. Task-based simulations are one of the most effective real-world activities, especially in a microlearning format. They allow online learners to test out different approaches and explore each step of the task. In addition, even seemingly mundane processes can be transformed into exciting VR demos. For example, troubleshooting a difficult customer's technical issue to find the best strategy. You can also incorporate customer personas to build soft skills and help employees improve their communication skills without risking low customer satisfaction rates.
4. Infographics
eLearning Infographics are already powerful online training resources that provide bite-sized bits of information. They feature text and visuals, such as images, charts, and timelines, and are ideally suited to microlearning activities that involve multiple components. Online learners can quickly view the infographic to refresh their memory or improve comprehension. AR/VR activities, in particular, can be extremely beneficial for your distributed workforce. For example, they can walk among the demographic map to better understand customer needs and buying habits. Some eLearning authoring tools even feature eLearning templates and media that you can use to create these microlearning online resources.
5. Online Video Demos
Online video demos give online learners the ability to observe every step of a process and then mimic favorable behaviors. For example, a compliance online training video demo might highlight the safety gear involved and show employees how to clean up a hazardous spill. As a result, they can master new tasks or identify areas for improvement. Online video demos are also ideal for skill-building. Online learners can watch the skill in action and then follow suit in real-world settings. With VR/AR equipment, employees become miniature versions of themselves so that they can explore products in greater detail or step into heavy machinery to see how it works and how to prevent work-related injuries.
6. Emergency Preparedness Online Training Tutorials
Along the same lines, your staff may face countless obstacles daily, as well as the occasional emergency that requires them to stay alert. An emergency preparedness VR online training tutorial gives them the power to live through the event and come out unscathed. In the process, they gain valuable experience and test their reaction to stressful situations. These online training activities are ideally suited for microlearning because they limit the pressures your employees must endure, rather than barraging them with a myriad of challenging tasks and dilemmas that cause cognitive overload and emotional strain.
7. Onboarding Online Tours
Combine online training simulations with AR tech to enhance the immersion. Give new hires the opportunity to tour the work environment before their first day on the job. They’re able to see their workstations and familiarize themselves with the facility or even interact with customer personas to build experience and learn from their mistakes.
8. Step-By-Step Checklists
Step-by-step walkthroughs showcase every aspect of a task or process. These checklists may include photos and more detailed descriptions, especially if the task is more involved. For example, place an image alongside every step that shows online learners how it's done. They can also use the checklist as a "cheat sheet" in the workplace. This makes it ideally suited for "moment of need" support. Take it to the next level by turning your checklist into an interactive slideshow or online presentation.
9. Serious Games
Serious gaming is best in short doses, making it the perfect addition to your eLearning library. It usually centers on a specific skill or topic and can allow online learners to earn badges, points, or other rewards. If your serious games feature VR elements, employees can even immerse themselves in a full-fledged VR environment that allows them to step inside true-to-life situations and challenges. One of the most common game mechanics is unlockable levels. Participants must complete the task or display their mastery in order to progress through the game. You can also incorporate memorable eLearning characters and an interesting storyline to engage online learners. Just make certain that the fantasy-rich settings don’t overshadow the subject matter.
10. Speaking To Thousands
Speaking in public is a difficult task for people who are not used to it, and even for some professionals. Apps like Public Speaking VR are great tools to help build confidence, experience, and practice speaking to crowds. Managers can even speak to a group of subordinates and hone their team-building and leadership skills.
11. Learner-Generated Blog Posts
Encourage online learners to create their own eLearning blogs and then add the link to your learner-generated eLearning library. Ask them to post on a weekly basis so that their peers can offer eLearning feedback and improve their own understanding. eLearning blogs also allow online learners to reflect on the topic and build their mental schema. For example, they see how a new idea ties into preexisting topics they've covered in the past. As such, they are able to reinforce the key takeaways and gradually expand their knowledge base.
12. Pop Quizzes
Unexpected quizzes are usually the last thing online learners want to see. However, microlearning self-assessments are a different story. First of all, they are optional. Online learners have the ability to track their own progress whenever they feel it's necessary. Secondly, it allows them to identify core strengths and weaknesses. Thus, they're able to seek out additional online resources to bridge gaps. Lastly, they're micro, which makes them ideal for quick knowledge checks on the go. All you need to keep in mind is to provide immediate feedback and then let them retry the online training activity to see how they improve. Better still, follow up with additional AR/VR microlearning activities to bridge the newly found gaps.
13. Real-World Examples And Case Studies
Brief real-world examples, eLearning stories, and case studies make eLearning content more relatable. Corporate learners have the opportunity to see the benefits and applications of the subject matter. They can also view the situation from different perspectives and challenge their own assumptions. For example, a first-person narrative may open their minds to new approaches that they hadn't even considered. Real-world examples are effective in written form. However, you have the power to make it more interactive and immersive by transforming it into an emotionally-centered experience with the help of VR. Case studies tend to involve large quantities of data, such as statistics and profiles. Virtual reality brings the facts to life and enables employees to comprehend the series of events. They can determine how one factor or decision led to the outcome and gain a better understanding of the context and how it relates to their work practices.
Conclusion
These must-have microlearning activities for your eLearning library can engage and motivate your online learners. Not to mention, make the information easier to digest and remember. If you still need to expand your bite-size collection, you might consider online resources that are already available. For example, provide links to informative articles, eLearning videos, and interactive online tutorials. Don't neglect to take advantage of the possibilities that the ground-breaking technology of AR and VR can bring. AR/VR activities for microlearning allow us to remember information more rapidly and experience the knowledge firsthand. Microlearning allows us to continue to learn and grow along with a busy life, taking away some of the most common barriers of online training by making it more accessible and bite-sized.
Microlearning is perfect when your corporate learners find themselves in a "moment of need". Read the article How to Use The 5 "Moments of Need" Model In Corporate eLearning to find out how to use the 5 "Moments of Need" model to your advantage for enhanced knowledge retention in corporate eLearning.