Microlearning refers to an educational approach that offers bite-sized learning with just the necessary amount of information to help learners achieve a goal. The concept originally behind microlearning is referred to as “spaced learning.” Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist, became fascinated with the science of forgetting and found that long sessions of teaching new knowledge had a rapid memory decay in the brain. His spaced learning theory suggests that “learning is better when the same amount of study is spread out over periods of time than it is when it occurs closer together or at the same time.” Ebbinghaus also found that repeated practice would enable people to retain more knowledge therefore proving that repetition and shorter study periods are the most effective ways to learn and retain new knowledge.
Now, let’s look at this theory from a neurological perspective. Working memory has a limited memory capacity. Evidence shows it can hold between 3-4 chunks or pieces of information at one time. The more we repeat and use information, the more likely it is to end up in our long-term memory. That is why microlearning works so well, particularly with the shift in learning demands we’re seeing today as people have become accustom to short bursts of information and getting their news from a push notification.
According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, learning in bite-sized pieces makes the transfer of learning from the classroom to the desk 17% more efficient. Why is this? Bite-sized courses usually address only 1-2 learning objectives, aiming for 4-5 learned takeaways on average. Bite-sized courses are more focused, removing irrelevant information which makes retention easier.
A study in the International Journal of Educational Research Review had a fascinating study comparing traditional learning with microlearning. They had two groups of twenty-two students. Each group was at the same age and approximately at the same academic levels. They taught five subjects lessons in five weeks. The microlearning group had an 18% higher passing average, and no one failed in the microlearning group.
This same study measured motivation and it found that microlearning students were excited about learning and were motivated to gain more knowledge during the lessons. While microlearning may be difficult to always put into practice, 360 Focus Mental Health utilizes this process to make the greatest impact on individuals so that they can actively stabilize and improve their mental health long term. With all the facts you need to remember what could be more important than the knowledge that empowers you to live a full and healthy life? According to this paper you won’t remember any of this tomorrow, so feel free to hop back on and re-read anytime.
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