“Microlearning is a way of teaching and delivering content to learners in small, very specific bursts. The learners are in control of what and when they’re learning.” – eLearning Industry
The concept of delivering bite-size learning and following up with reinforcement activities has been around for a very long time. Micro-learning is a modern approach to delivering learning materials in small, bite-sized portions that target specific topics. The conciseness of these materials makes it easier to digest.

  • Microlearning is performed in short time bursts.
  • It requires little effort from individual sessions.
  • It involves simple and/or narrow topics.

Also, the industry cannot agree on what “micro” means. Some say it is 3 minutes. Others say it is 8 minutes. And some say it is merely the amount of time it takes to teach a single concept/achieve a single learning objective. Most microlearning conversations are around technical skill-based learning – not concepts, and not soft skills. Microlearning frequently involves bundling more than one component together – for example, three 6-minute microlearning pieces are created, but all three must be taken to obtain mastery of the content.