Mobile learning technologies are well-suited for microlearning which involves delivering short bursts of learning content, typically 1-5 minutes, using spaced learning techniques to help embed knowledge. Microlearning can improve workforce performance through benefits like being more appealing than traditional eLearning, increasing voluntary participation, and providing just-in-time learning accessible anywhere. To ensure continued user engagement, microlearning should be relevant, have high-quality UX design, incorporate elements of gamification, and enable collaborative learning experiences.

2. Mobile learning : Myth busters
Alex Mackman
Technical Director, Agylia
www.agylia.com

3. Agenda
• Research project background
• Common like and dislikes
• Ideal scenarios for mobile learning technology
• Microlearning
• How to ensure continued engagement
• Summary

5. The App

6. Analytics

7. Clear usage patterns
• Early mornings, late afternoon, evening
• Random periods throughout the day
• Short session times (3 minutes or less)
• Spikes following notifications

8. Likes
Short, bite size knowledge packages
Relevant and useful information
Video
Transcripts so I’m not forced to use audio
Variety of form factors
The fun element – points and awards for
achievements
The competitive element - leaderboards
New content notifications
Likes and dislikes
Dislikes
Lengthy content modules, eLearning on a
phone
Telling me what I already know
Fiddly (over interactive) content
Text that is hard to read
Overly complex navigation
Too many notifications
Notifications in the middle of the night

9. Learning
Information and
knowledge people need
to know in their heads
Performance support
Information people need to have at
their fingertips to help them do their
jobs better
Scenarios
Spaced learning and spaced recall
Addressing the forgetting curve
Augmenting formal training
Instant access at the point of need
Search and categorisation

10. Improving knowledge retention
During the learning events, memory for
information is strengthened
As soon as the learning events end,
forgetting begins
Forgetting curve
W. Thalheimer,
Boston Work Learning
Research Inc
20
40
60
80
100
Learning curve
Bite sized nuggets developed and
delivered
to mobile devices as part of a blended
learning programme

11. Scenarios
Compliance
Training
Point in time learning Spaced learningInduction
Training
Business
Change
Management
Training

12. • More than bite-size content served from
an LMS
• It sees content delivered in short bursts,
typically 1-5 minutes in duration
• Uses spaced learning and spaced retrieval
techniques to help embed knowledge in
long term memory
• It adapts continuously to an individual's
training needs based on their current
level of knowledge in a given domain
• Well suited to both long term knowledge
retention AND performance improvement
Microlearning

13. Benefits to the organisation
Can improve workforce performance
Cheaper to build
Easier to update
Shorter development cycles
Wider application
Meets millennial expectations
What are the benefits?
Benefits to the individual
More appealing than click-through eLearning
Can increase voluntary participation in
learning
Accessible anywhere – on all device types
Requires less time away from work
Available at the time of need (JIT)
Personalised for maximum benefit

14. How can we help ensure
continued engagement?

15. Make it relevant
• Build personalised, adaptive learning programmes
• Give people what they need to know
• Avoid unnecessary information
• Avoid telling people what they already know
• Move beyond the classic one size fits all style of training
• Becomes possible with focussed, granular content
• Requires a dynamic delivery platform

16. Make it shine
• UX is everything
• App UX
• Navigation
• Familiar gestures
• Ease of use
• Content UX
• Expectations are higher than ever today
• App and content UI/UX critical to get right

17. Make it fun
• Three types of gamification:
1. Simulation (e.g. pilot training simulators)
2. Game-based learning (i.e. video-type game)
3. Game mechanics (points, awards, levelling up, leaderboards)
• Microlearning lends itself to gamification techniques
• Reward people for proving their expertise
• Challenge and motivate people to move up leader boards
• Be seen as champions or experts in particular areas

18. Make it collaborative
• Enable connections:
• Do you have a question about the latest micro-asset?
• Something you don't understand?
• Who else has completed it recently?
• Who can I ask?
• Have you just reached an expert level having completed a
microlearning programme with flying colours?
• Then why not become a champion, be ready to help others
undergoing the same training programme to master the same skills
- and perhaps get rewarded for doing so
• Did you find the latest content useful?
• Like it
• Share / recommend it

19. Popularity of
video-based
training
Lower
tolerance for
boredom
Reduced
concentration
spans
Expectation for
information to be
available on demand
The influence of the
millennial generation
Summary
Microlearning