Bite-Sized Learning in a Byte-Size World
We move through our digital lives at a pace that leaves most of us with a whole lot to do in a limited time. Research has shown that the average human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to only 8 seconds today. We now have shorter attention spans than your average goldfish, which can focus for 9 seconds.
We live our lives in moments. Brief headlines, trending tweets, top ten lists, seven best practices and five secrets (you’ll never believe number 3!) We seek out tidbits, factoids and quick summaries to make information easy to consume. But how much of it do we really retain?
Back in the 1960s, the National Training Laboratories in Maine developed a model called the Learning Pyramid. According to the Pyramid, there are a variety of ways to learn but not all of them result in true retention or mastery. For example, only approximately 5% of information learned from lecture is retained. By contrast, nearly 90% of information is retained when an individual is tasked with teaching that information to someone else.
Over the course of the day, humans are faced with constant interruptions. According to research from the University of California at Irvine, the typical office worker is interrupted or switches tasks, on average, every three minutes and five seconds. And it can take 23 minutes and 15 seconds just to get back to where they left off. That’s a full third of every hour left unproductive. Over the course of the average workweek, that’s a whole lot of wasted time. With only 2/3 of the day left to focus on work, how can we fit in extra tasks like learning?
How do all of these concepts come together? Shortened attention spans, ease of access to information and a desire for quick-and-easy absorption have led to the rise of microlearning. A study from the Rapid Learning Institute found that e-learners prefer modules less than ten minutes in duration, meaning that learning can be embraced nearly anytime, anywhere. A subway commute, a coffee break and a few quiet minutes after the kids go to bed are suddenly opportunities to learn something new.
In order for microlearning to be effective, however, the principles of the Learning Pyramid still apply. It’s not enough for learners to watch a video here and there, then complete the occasional reading assignment and follow-up quiz. Truly effective microlearning still takes into account the need to learn by doing and teaching. The organizations leveraging microlearning most effectively are providing learners opportunities to utilize their new skills within weeks of the lesson. To learn more about how to maximize the effectiveness of microlearning in your organization, view the on demand webcast “Engaging the Modern Learner with Microlearning that Sticks,” presented by Skillsoft.