Micro learning is a trend gaining growing popularity in the online education industry and will most probably be a big hit in the future, especially in corporate settings. Micro learning is not a newly invented approach but rather a realization of how the human brain is wired to learn. 
Micro learning has been around since 1956, when George A. Miller formulated the chunk concept and presented evidence that working memory is limited in capacity. Although Miller stated that working memory could hold seven (plus or minus two) chunks of information at once, it is now thought that the number is closer to four, maybe five bits of information.  
According to Mayer and Clark,  the psychology of learning can be summed up in three words:  ‘less is more'. In one study, Mayer, et al (1996) presented 600 pieces of scientific learning and found that briefer versions, which were concise, coherent and co-ordinated, resulted in far more effective learning. 

When do you Use Micro Learning?

You need to expand the depth and breadth of what you have learned.
You need to apply what you have learned.
You have to solve a problem, resolve an issue because things do not work the way they should.
You have to learn new ways of doing something - change usual practices.

Why Micro Learning?


1. Micro learning is ideal for training on any device, anytime, anywhere when YOU need it.

Today over 6 billion people have access to a connected mobile device. Mobile technology is changing the way we live and the way we learn. Lessons on mobile devices need to be short to create best learner experiences. 

Business environments are fast-paced and constantly changing; some skills shoot up quickly in importance, while others become obsolete overnight. Micro-learning empowers the learner to consume the information they need, when they need it. They can learn at their own pace, access the information that’s most pertinent, and brush up on the skills they feel they’re lacking, all without having to consult someone else or wait for a session to come available.

2.  Bite-sized learning adapts to modern-day learners.

Micro learning perfectly suits our information-rich lifestyle. According to the BBC article Turning into Digital Goldfish, our attention spans are shrinking due to the abundance of information available on the Web. It is now estimated at 9 seconds - the same as a goldfish. 

Our capacity to “digest” content is limited and presenting information in short modules goes a long way in learning effectively and retaining it for a longer period of time. According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, learning in smaller chunks can improve the knowledge transfer by 17%. 

3. Social media with micro-content opened the door for micro learning.



Increasingly people are plugged into social media with micro-content in all shapes and form. Thus, delivering learning content that is bite-sized and easily digestible seems to be the most fitting way to engage with a population that have grown accustomed to a diet of 1-minute videos and 1-sentence blog posts.

4. Micro-learning is fast and easy to create. It saves money too.

Learning architect Ray Jimenez estimates that producing micro-learning content can be up to 300 percent faster over more traditional courses. 

The format eliminates the need for finite and expensive resources like instructors, physical training spaces, and hours spent in the classroom while making it far easier to keep information current. 

The training program becomes more of a “living” thing, able to move quickly, adapt to changes, and address real problems in the moment they arise.