Forget everything you know about microlearning

®

A Sponge UK ebook Created for Learning Technologies 2017

“Microlearning answers the question of how to effectively deliver knowledge in a fast-paced modern workplace.”

Stephen Miller, head of platforms, Sponge UK.

CONTENTS

Introduction .......................................................... 03

Understanding microlearning ........................04

Modern learning ..................................................06

The benefits for organisations ........................08

The benefits for workers ..................................... 11

The science .............................................................14

Why gamification is important ........................18

It’s all in the mix ....................................................19

The six stages of design ..................................... 22

When is it best to use micrloearning? .......... 23

Get microlearning ............................................... 26

INTRODUCTION

Microlearning is frequently misunderstood. This ebook sets the record straight and corrects the common misconceptions about what microlearning is.

Pointing to science and real-life

examples, we’ll show clearly why, how

and where microlearning works well

in the modern workplace. We’ll also tell

you what it’s not, so get ready to rethink

those microlearning myths!

By understanding and implementing

microlearning appropriately, you’ll be

able to increase employee knowledge

and talent retention within your

organisation.

03

04

UNDERSTANDING MICROLEARNING

First off, let’s ditch those micolearning myths. Right now. Microlearning is not:

) Cutting existing learning down to

make it shorter

) A one-off piece of learning

delivered in isolation

) Appropriate in all learning scenarios

) An easy option just because

it’s ‘micro’

So now we can focus on what

microlearning really is and how it is

delivered effectively.

Microlearning is continuous learning.

It is specifically tailored content

delivered in bite-sized chunks on

a regular and consistent basis. It

breaks knowledge down into smaller

bits, making it easier to remember,

understand and apply correctly on

the job.

Microlearning is flexible and

personalised. Crucially, it can be

accessed at the point of need on

devices that workers are familiar with

and happy to use.

The method uses proven techniques

based on what neuroscience tells

us about how the brain absorbs and

retains information. Microlearning uses

interactive tools, notably gamification,

which is engaging and fun and brings a

competitive element to the learning.

We’re combining our award-winning

learning design with Axonify, a unique

microlearning platform with in-

built analytics. Toyota, Walmart and

Bloomingdales are among those that

have seen demonstrably improved

performance and behaviours in their

workforce since introducing Axonify.

“ Microlearning is not cutting existing learning down to make it shorter.

05

IN A NUTSHELL, MICROLEARNING IS …

( Short bursts of multi-media learning content of

3-5 minutes long

( Delivered continuously, usually daily or several

times a week

( Highly personalised so that each worker learns

what they need to know before moving on

( Integrated into the work day without disruption

( Science-backed and proven in practice

06

MODERN LEARNING: The modern organisation perspective

These are challenging times. The sheer pace and scale of change in the workplace and business environment has caused major challenges for learning departments globally.

The question they face is: how can we

deliver the training our workers need in

order to perform at their best, when the

knowledge requirements are constantly

changing?

New products, changing regulations,

complex markets, global competition.

All of these pose challenges. One thing’s

for sure: the culture of change is here

to stay, so we’ll have to get used to it!

The learning dilemmas facing

organisations today:

• How do we do more, with less?

• How do we boost engagement

and participation in learning?

• How can our learning keep pace

with modern workers?

• How do we reach all our staff when

they work in multiple locations?

• How do we deliver training that

upskills our employees for the

reality of work?

• How do we tie learning to behaviour

change and business results?

• How can we know that we’re getting

a ROI for our learning programmes?

07

Credit: Bersin

of a typical workweek to focus on training & development

1%

of Learners turn to search engines

70%of workers state that they are stressed at work

75%

of interruptions at work result from social media tools or apps

57%of all workers use mobile & wireless computing

67%

MODERN LEARNING: The modern worker perspective

So much to learn; too many demands; too many distractions; not enough time; feeling overwhelmed: welcome to the world of the modern worker.

In research conducted by Bersin, 75% of

workers said they were stressed at work.

Employees check their smartphones

nine times every hour with almost 60%

of interruptions at work caused by social

media and apps.

Workers can give just 1% of their time each

week to training. In their research, Bersin

also found that 70% of learners are impatient.

They expect the same access to knowledge

that they get at home so they’re turning to

search engines to find answers quickly.

Faced with a modern working environment like this,

employees need solutions that enable them to do their

job to the benefit of the business and of their own career

development. Workplace learning has struggled to keep pace.

08

MICROLEARNING: The benefits for organisations

Microlearning targets a fundamental problem: “Our employees lack the knowledge they need while performing on their job.” It’s costly for organisations in terms of money and reputation.

Delivered via an intelligent platform, microlearning provides

small chunks of tailored, relevant, job critical content to each

employee, based on what they need to know.

The learning can be accessed on desktops, mobile devices

and even at the till. It’s on hand where and when it’s needed.

Each snippet of learning is only 3-5 minutes long – or less

than a minute where staff need to access quick solutions

‘on demand’ – so it doesn’t disrupt the working day.

This makes it cost effective for businesses.

09

CASE STUDY: WALMART

10

54%

96%

91%

Recordable incidents at the distribution centres decreased by 54%

Some 96% of behaviour observations have been positive.

Voluntary participation on the platform averages 91%.

The results: MICROLEARNING: In the logistics sector

CASE STUDY WALMART

The context: Walmart

operates more than 5,000

stores in the US. The

company rolled out the

Axonify platform to 75,000

staff at 150 distribution

centres.

The challenge: The goal was

to reduce safety incidents at

Walmart’s logistics locations

and build a world-class

safety culture. This would be

achieved through improving

knowledge and retention

and keeping safety top of

mind. It required engaging

multi-generational staff

and predicting at-risk

behaviours.

The microlearning programme: Via the Axonify

platform, staff were sent

questions on safety topics

daily to help them change

their behaviours.

The impact: Walmart are

implementing the learning

platform through other

departments within the

organisation.

11

MICROLEARNING: The benefits for workers

The modern worker expects learning that’s relevant, personalised and to hand where and when they need it. Microlearning gives them this.

They need specific chunks of

knowledge fast. Microlearning is

delivered with the learner in mind.

In many respects, they take control

of their learning. And if they don’t

understand a piece of knowledge

immediately, further short chunks of

content are triggered until they do.

It fills knowledge gaps. It’s not tying

them down. It’s not boring.

Effective content improves

performance and confidence, crucial

at a time when workers globally feel

overwhelmed and stressed. “ It fills knowledge

gaps. It’s not tying them down. It’s not boring.

CASE STUDY: TOYOTA

12

13

5%

Reps at 1,500 dealerships across the US

5% increase in the sales satisfaction index

Extra cars sold per month per dealership

MICROLEARNING: In the automotive industry

CASE STUDY TOYOTA

The context: Toyota has

25,000 dealer reps at 1,500

dealerships across the US. But

the dealerships adopt the Toyota

training according to their own

management strategy.

The challenge: Toyota wanted

to reach all the reps with a

consistent training programme.

The aim was to increase

the reps’ product and sales

knowledge in an age when

customers are themselves highly

knowledgeable.

The microlearning programme: The Axonify platform delivered

daily bursts of content in

an engaging way using

gamification elements. It was

targeted at improving knowledge

in the pre-defined areas and

boosting confidence.

The results: Participation was

high and the learning hugely

effective. After a short period,

there was a sales increase of

two sales per rep per month

and a 5% increase in the sales

satisfaction index.

The impact: After seeing the

rapid results and hearing the

positive feedback from the

sales reps, Toyota is deploying

the platform to the service

departments.

25,000

2x

14

THE SCIENCE

Scientifically-proven techniques that assist learning and knowledge retention are at the heart of microlearning.

Thanks to research we can now show that

the brain responds better to ‘little, often

and repeated’ learning techniques than to

isolated training events, where learners are

asked to absorb and retain a large amount

of knowledge.

The three main scientific principles of microlearning are:

• The spacing effect

• Retrieval practice

• Confidence-based learning

When brought together these three

elements have a profound effect on

learning. Let’s look at how that works.

15

THE SCIENCE

Spacing effect

German psychologist Hermann

Ebbinghaus first noted this principle

and ‘the forgetting curve’ in his

scientific study of memory in

1885. He found that by revisiting

a piece of learning after a space of

time, recall goes up while the rate

of forgetting goes down after each

‘revisit’.

If you space the learning out at

longer and longer intervals, the curve

eventually flattens out. The principle

has really come into its own in recent

times, with new ways of delivering the

principle, notably through intelligent

microlearning platforms.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Time in DaysK

no

wle

dg

e R

eten

tio

n

Isolated learning event

Daily microlearning

Key

16

Refresh Retain

Test

THE SCIENCE

Retrieval practice

The clue to how this works is in

the name. It’s about retrieving

information that you’ve already

learned and being tested on recall.

You’re then given a ‘refresher’ to

fill any knowledge gaps that have

appeared as a result of retention

loss and re-tested. Research has

shown that doing this repeatedly

helps learners to retain information

and that it’s far more effective than

conventional studying. Moreover,

pairing it up with the spacing effect

improves recall dramatically.

17

CONFIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT

The use of a confidence-based learning

methodology:

• Has shown better knowledge retention and knowledge aquisition

• Triggers an emotional reaction, which assists with long-term retention

Misinformed

Mistakes

CO

NFI

DE

NC

EKNOWLEDGE

Mastery

Smart Action

Uninformed

Paralysis

Doubt

Hesitation

CONFIDENCE-BASED LEARNING

This is based on the following principle discovered by Dr James Bruno at UCLA:

Knowledge + confidence = mastery

There are four quadrants that learners fit into:

Masters – Employees who know the facts and are

not afraid to use them

Doubters – Those who know their facts, but lack

the confidence to act without hesitation

Misinformed – People who confidently believe

incorrect information

Uninformed – Workers who haven’t yet acquired

all the knowledge they need and know this.

Confidence-based learning focuses on the gap

between what people think they know and what

they actually know. It’s built into the

Axonify platform, enabling the principle

to be put into practice.

“ Focus on the gap between what people think they know and what they actually know.

18

“ Gamification is not a requirement, it is an opportunity. It takes advantage of the experience, habits and preferences of new workers - the way they communicate, collaborate and learn already. It is a strategy, not a remedy.”

Karl M. Kapp, Bloomsburg University

Gamification

• Engages

• Boosts participation

• Helps make learning stick

• Motivates

WHY GAMIFICATION IS IMPORTANT

The first challenge when it comes to training, any sort of training, is grabbing the attention of the learner.

The whole point of microlearning is

that learners access it daily. How do you

get them to do that – and in a way that

the learning is effective?

Gamification engages and motivates.

Research in neuroscience shows us

that gamification helps with the

retention of knowledge because people

respond more where learning has

interactive and visual elements.

Crucially, gamification is tailored

specifically to meet the learning goals

of the individual, which in turn is

aligned to the business goals of the

organisation.

19

IT’S ALL IN THE MIX

Microlearning is like a recipe; there are some great ingredients that work perfectly, and when brought together make the end result truly appetising.

Any content that’s small and digestible

works, but the more interactive, fun

and compelling, the better. This type

of content grabs the attention of the

learner and helps with participation,

absorption and retention.

The modern worker enjoys and

responds well to collaborative learning,

so adding elements such as news feeds,

a team leaderboard and shared content

to the mix is also recommended.

Targeted questions

Video Games Gamification Podcasts

User-generated shared content

Assessments Animations LeaderboardsQuizzes

20

CASE STUDY: ETHICON

21

MICROLEARNING: In the pharmaceuticals sector

CASE STUDY ETHICON

The context: Ethicon is a

subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson

and is the world leader in the

manufacture of surgical sutures

and wound closure devices.

The company wanted to increase

knowledge retention among its

sales staff.

The challenge: The company’s

sales reps were dealing with

increasing product complexity,

higher than ever customer

demands and changing

compliance requirements. Issues

over knowledge retention around

these challenges were affecting

performance and confidence.

The microlearning platform: Ethicon chose the Axonify

platform with a mix of

microlearning ingredients to keep

knowledge fresh on a continuing

basis. It detected and filled

knowledge gaps with relevant

content and made immediate

adjustments in response to

changing priorities. It reached

a mobile workforce comprising

multiple generations.

The impact: “Axonify drives

strategy execution through

daily learning, resulting in more

confident and successful sales

reps” – John Knoble, worldwide

director of learning, Ethicon.

70%

95%

82%

Confidence in selling rose in 70% of reps...

50%....while product knowledge increased for 50%.

The reps were highly engaged, with 95% voluntary participation.

Some 82% of the employees stated they preferred microlearning to any other.

The results:

22

THE SIX STAGES OF DESIGN

When it comes to the design methodology of your microlearning, the starting point will always be your business goal. Everything is built on this foundation.

There are some key questions you need to answer

during the design process. Think of this infographic

as the journey that leads to your end goal.

Identify your business goal

Establish knowledge

Focus into micro topics

Ask the questions

4 6

Define performance

Decide the key learning points

2

3 51

23

“ Microlearning fits well for most modern organisations.

WHEN IS IT BEST TO USE MICROLEARNING?

With the fluid, mobile nature of the working environment globally, microlearning fits well for most modern organisations. But there are some circumstances where it’s particularly effective.

Feeding continuous learning: Where

there are constant changes and updates

– for example in company product

lines and safety requirements. Flexible

microlearning ensures that employees

have almost immediate access to

continual learning.

Filling knowledge gaps: Microlearning

is personalised and tailored so it can

detect knowledge gaps, and then fill

those gaps by sending targeted content.

It recognises and irons out weaknesses.

Getting specific tasks done: Individuals whose work is task-

orientated need certain information

at critical moments. Microlearning

gives them knowledge on demand;

access to what they need to know,

when they need it the most.

Driving behavioural change: Microlearning is learning that

sticks; it’s why employees are able

to put their learning into practice.

And this behavioural change is

linked to your pre-determined

business objectives.

24

CASE STUDY: BLOOMINGDALES

MICROLEARNING: For retail

CASE STUDY BLOOMINGDALES

The context: Bloomingdales

has 45 department stores across

the US. In 2012, in response

to safety incidents running

at “unacceptable” levels, the

company looked at how to reduce

these cases chain-wide.

The challenge: The company

faced the logistical challenge of

delivering a consistent learning

programme to multi-generational

shop-floor staff at all its stores.

The method had to be effective in

improving employee knowledge

retention about safety practices.

The microlearning programme: The employees accessed

microlearning on their device

of choice during downtime

on a daily basis, via tailored

content on the Axonify platform.

The programme incorporated

gamification to boost engagement

and interval reinforcement to

assist knowledge retention.

The impact: The reduction in

safety claims saved the company

$2.2 million in Year 1. Using the

in-built measuring tools, the

company also discovered that

employees not on the Axonify

learning programme were three

times more likely to be involved in

a safety claim compared to those

that were on the programme.

25

20%

86%

The microlearning led to a 41% reduction in safety claims.

The company also saw knowledge lifts of up to 20% in some subjects.

Employee confidence increased by over 86% and the same percentage said that gamification had increased their participation.

The results:

41%

26

®

Call Sponge UK today on +44(0)20 7492 1977

Or visit www.spongeuk.com

GET MICROLEARNING:

Sponge UK is an award-winning provider of custom-made

digital learning solutions; the company supports global

organisations with deeply absorbing multi-media content

designed to dramatically improve workplace knowledge that

boosts business performance. Sponge UK creates learning

that realises accelerated productivity, increased sales and

compliant workforces and that enhances staff effectiveness.

Axonify is a global leader in the field of microlearning. Its

platform uses a combination of proven memory-building

techniques and knowledge-on-demand to provide

employees with the information they need, when they

need it. With in-built measuring tools, the Axonify

platform has transformed knowledge and behaviours at

some of the world’s best-known brands, all aligned to

defined business objectives.

In November 2016, Sponge UK and Axonify partnered to

bring the world’s first employee knowledge platform to

the UK and Europe.