The idea behind microlearning is a simple one; it is a series of short, focused learning bites (often between 3-7 minutes but some use 15 minutes as the maximum length) designed to meet a specific learning outcome. These bite-sized bits can be anything like a short video, multiple-choice assessments, real-world practice exercises, or short gamified lessons. These short lessons are often paired with a spaced learning schedule (see graph Wolf, 2008), as repeated coverage of material presented in a variety of formats helps the student retain information studied in the successive learning bites. On the surface it is quite self-evident. What technology and research has done in recent years is hone that repetition schedule to an efficient and effective algorithmic timetable. The graph represents the basic concept. Notice how the "Reminders" become further and further apart as the "Forgetting Curve" levels out. When this algorithm is paired with the short focused learning bites in a microlearning format, deeper learning is promoted. The design of the learning bite is to be small enough that a student can easily focus on for the whole study period, without losing concentration.
Most of us know the limited efficacy of cramming the night before a test. Studies have shown that cramming, what experts call massed practice, is effective in the short term but has a poor record for retention (Akresh-Gonzales, 2015). While much has to be learned about memory and how the brain retains them, we do know that we remember things we deem important and encounter frequently. It is this principle that underlies microlearning with a spaced repetition algorithms (Gupta, 2016).
Please watch the following videos to learn more about micro and spaced learning:
Most of us know the limited efficacy of cramming the night before a test. Studies have shown that cramming, what experts call massed practice, is effective in the short term but has a poor record for retention (Akresh-Gonzales, 2015). While much has to be learned about memory and how the brain retains them, we do know that we remember things we deem important and encounter frequently. It is this principle that underlies microlearning with a spaced repetition algorithms (Gupta, 2016).
Please watch the following videos to learn more about micro and spaced learning:
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