Using Microlearning Strategies To Inspire Innovation
Innovation is the necessary catalyst you need to grow and secure the future of your business in the ever-changing marketplace. Innovation is how new ideas, business models, improved processes, products, and services are developed. This is why L&D leaders in every industry are focusing their attention on learning strategies that drive strategic innovation [1]. More specifically, human resources departments are looking for ways they can equip employees with the skills they need to become great innovators, like opting for microlearning strategies.
These skills include abilities such as:
- Communication
- Strategic thinking
- Leadership
- Creative problem-solving
Unfortunately, many of these skills are hard to find in the current talent pool. This means L&D teams must develop employee training programs to unlock the innovative potential and qualities in their employees. One of the newest and most popular approaches to employee training that has recently taken off is microlearning. This approach has been proven to help organizations overcome modern training challenges, increase employee productivity, and develop innovators.
What Is Microlearning And How Can L&D Leaders Use It To Drive Innovation Throughout Their Organization?
Microlearning is an approach to Instructional Design where learning content is broken into bite-sized segments. This approach to Learning and Development (L&D) has recently grown in popularity due to its ability to increase employee engagement. This format also makes the design and development process fast and simple for Instructional Designers.
Microlearning can come in many different forms both on and offline. When it comes to eLearning, some microlearning strategies include interactive PDFs, simulations, video-based learning, and more. Offline microlearning resources come in the form of content such as flyers and informational pamphlets.
The versatility of this approach makes it easy to use, which drives employee engagement as well as helps employees quickly learn the skills they need to become successful innovators. To help you better understand how you can utilize microlearning, we have included 4 different microlearning strategies L&D leaders should use to help promote innovation throughout your organization.
1. Scenario-Based Simulations
Integrating a scenario-based microlearning strategy into your learning is a great way to help your employees learn soft skills, leadership skills, new processes and procedures. Microlearning content typically lasts no longer than 10 minutes and focuses on a single topic.
This format paired with life-like scenarios helps employees relate to the learning content and better understand how it applies to them. Because these scenarios are short in length and build context around the topic, they are engaging as well as memorable. This interactive format also helps participants build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
These qualities make this strategy an excellent option for leadership development and other soft skills needed for innovation.
2. Gamification
One way you can increase engagement and enthusiasm during training sessions is by incorporating gamification. Many learner activities can be turned into simple interactive games. You can also make these games a more social learning experience by integrating elements such as high scores, leaderboards, and badges.
Utilizing gamification to make training more fun can increase active participation especially in programs that include social elements. Pairing gamification with microlearning is another beneficial strategy you can use to improve the effectiveness of your training programs.
3. Text-Based Graphics And Animations
In many cases, learning content can come across as dry or irrelevant. Keeping each training module short and focused helps increase its relevance. However, using text-based graphics and animations in your learning program can increase engagement levels even further.
Breaking down content into short, understandable modules is not effective if each module is filled with tons of boring text. Use images, graphics, and short animations can help liven up content and increase its impact. Much like microlearning simulations, this strategy will help build context around each topic and liven up your training materials.
4. Video-Based Learning Modules
Many of the skills employees need to build to become great innovators are people skills. They need to know how to communicate their ideas and thoughts with others effectively as this is essential for collaboration. This is also one of the major reasons training methods that build context and show real-life examples are so important.
Microlearning videos are another strategy L&D leaders use to build context around different training topics. These videos are short and focused much like the content people are used to consuming on their smartphones in their everyday lives. This makes this format both familiar and effective in conveying employee training material for learners.
Summary
Innovation is essential to the future of businesses across all industries. The best way you can promote innovation throughout your company is to equip your employees with the skills they need to become innovative leaders. They will need effective communication skills and creative problem-solving abilities. They will also need the ability to think strategically and creatively.
Microlearning is an effective approach Learning and Development professionals can utilize to create successful employee training programs. The idea behind microlearning is to create a series of short pieces of learning content. Keeping each training module short and focused on a single idea makes the content easier to understand and remember. This format is also known for increasing engagement and productivity.
Microlearning training programs can help employees build these skills and drive innovation. There are 4 popular microlearning strategies you should know about:
- Scenario-based simulations
These simulations help build context around learning content by walking employees through life-like scenarios where they can apply new skills. Keeping the content short and memorable maximizes the effectiveness. - Gamification
Integrating gamification into a microlearning format can help bring a social element into the training and make it fun. - Text-based graphics and animations
Incorporating media-rich graphics and animations into your microlearning strategy can liven up your training content and help build context and relevance. - Video-based learning
Short microlearning videos are an engaging format that gives you the opportunity to show examples of how employees can apply the knowledge they learn on the job.
To learn more about this powerful approach to Learning and Development, read the eBook Microlearning Strategies For Corporate Learners. Also, join the webinar to discover how microlearning can be a game-changer.
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