Title: When is micro learning not suitable?
Course: Producing Micro Content in a Team (Digivisio 2030) > Section: What is Micro Content?

Well, this is one of those questions that's quite difficult to answer. Micro learning can be a fantastic learning method, but not everything can or should be broken down into small bite-sized pieces for the learner to digest easily.

In fact, traditional long-form content might be far better suited to promoting problem-solving or critical-thinking skills. These might require a deeper dive into the material, lots of academic reading, and familiarisation with a lot of material. In this case, it's an important learning skill for the student to be able to make sense of the entire problem and understand it in all its complexity. That said, asking the students to summarise what they have learned, perhaps in a short video, can also be a valuable exercise. In this way, the student is the one producing micro content.

Some topics cannot be broken down into micro content as they might require a holistic understanding of the big picture, and reducing them into small chunks would result in a partial understanding only. Thus, they need to be presented in all their complexity and scale.

Topics that involve emotional intelligence, empathy and social skills might require more time for reflection, discussion, and practice than micro learning allows. A short 6-minute video about partner violence, for example, might not be sufficient in itself. The topic could be broken down into smaller pieces, and the discussions and reflections might be multiple rather than consisting of a singular long session. But would this be enough time to foster the development of the required emotional skills? Perhaps not.

Even in cases where micro learning is not suitable, micro contact can be a valuable complement to aid comprehension or facilitate student learning. We encourage you to try to produce micro content summaries or concisely explain the parts to aid understanding. However, it is still an important skill for students to be able to make sense of complexity in all its messiness.

Read more

Leong, K., Sung, A., Au, D., & Blanchard, C. (2020). A review of the trend of microlearning. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 13(1), 88–102. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-10-2020-0044
Taylor, A., & Hung, W. (2022). The Effects of Microlearning: A Scoping Review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70(2), 363–395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10084-1