Thoughts on Professional Learning: What's the Buzz About Microlearning?

What’s the Buzz About Microlearning? 

By Rebecca Sherry 

Microlearning. Maybe you heard this word at a recent conference. Perhaps you’ve tried out some of Propel’s microlearning offerings like Mental Health Mondays or TSTM-E’s Nine Skills Microlearning Minute. But what is microlearning, and how and why do we use it as an instructional tool? In this blog post, we’re going to investigate those questions and introduce you to some resources for implementing microlearning in your teaching. You will also see some microlearning examples embedded throughout this article as a way to demonstrate how this tool works in practice. 

 Microlearning Explained 

 Let’s start by defining microlearning. In their book Microlearning: Short and Sweet, authors Karl Kapp and Robyn Defelice (2019) synthesize several definitions found in the research in this way:

Microlearning is an instructional unit that provides a short engagement in an activity intentionally designed to elicit a specific outcome from the participant. (p. 11) 

 A key takeaway is that microlearning offerings are small chunks of content that are meant to stand alone. That’s the instructional unit. Microlearning is short. The exact timeframe may be debated, but it should be measured in minutes. Microlearning also asks participants to actively engage. As educators, we know that learning is not generally a passive process, and that’s still true even when the content is offered in small segments. 

 Microlearning is not new. YouTube is 20 years old (!), and it’s been hosting a range of just-in-time video tutorials for nearly that long. The non-digital version of flashcards probably predates most of our educational careers. Microlearning is enjoying a moment right now because it matches the way we engage with other non-educational content and social media. Most current microlearning offerings are digital and use mobile-friendly technology, so they are easily accessible on a cell phone when the learner has just a few minutes to consider something. 

 Try it out. Here are two microlearning resources, a video and an infographic. What new information does each one provide for you? How does that information affect your plans to utilize microlearning? In this instance, these questions are provided to help direct your engagement with the resources and to encourage you to think about a potential outcome. 

 Microlearning Examples: When to use it & When NOT to use it! 

You can click the infographic to open a PDF version. 

 Is Microlearning Effective? 

 Microlearning can be very effective in the right circumstances. Three established learning theories help to explain how microlearning works. 

• Cognitive Load Theory: According to this theory, humans have a limited capacity for processing new information. Too much complex information presented at one time can cause mental overload (Oyeyipo et al., 2024). Microlearning’s smaller content bits are more manageable, so we remember and understand better. 
• Spaced Repetition: This principle suggests that information is retained better when learning is repeated over time instead of putting a large amount of new material into a single session (Oyeyipo et al., 2024). Microlearning can be very effective for review or for building upon content already learned. 
• Attention Span: The brief duration of microlearning modules (typically 5-10 minutes) aligns with the limited human attention span, making it more likely that learners will remain focused and engaged, which improves learning effectiveness (Taylor & Hung, 2022). 

What Are the Best Uses for Microlearning? 

When you consider using microlearning, start with your learning objective. The way you want to engage with the content, or the way you want your students to engage, will help you determine if this is an effective strategy. Generally, microlearning is most effective at the more basic learning levels, but it is less useful when we engage in higher-order critical thinking objectives. 

 You can click the infographic to open a PDF version. 

Six Uses for Microlearning

 In addition to considering the learning objective, Kapp and Defelice (2019) identify six instructional situations that correspond well with microlearning’s strengths. 

• Pensive microlearning engages participants by asking them to reflect on a topic and begin to formulate their own ideas or conclusions. 
• Performance microlearning is a guide designed to help the participant accomplish a specific task and is often provided exactly when it is needed. 
• Persuasive microlearning seeks to change behavior and is usually linked to a goal. 
• Post-instruction microlearning offers a review of material recently learned in a class or professional development session. 
• Practice microlearning gives participants repeated opportunities to improve on a skill or set of skills. 
• Preparatory microlearning is pre-work that is designed to get people ready for a longer learning experience such as an in-person training. 

The next two sections give some examples of how adult educators can use microlearning both for their own professional development and as an instructional strategy with their students. If you would like to challenge yourself, think about how each example fits into one or more of the six uses above.

Microlearning for Professionals 

• Just-in-time learning: This is a self-directed strategy where participants seek out a microlearning resource because they need to review something now. Has it been a minute since you last taught that high-level grammar structure? A quick review of a grammar website to ensure that your example sentences will correctly illustrate the targeted language is just-in-time learning. 
• Interactive professional development: Propel’s Mental Health Mondays and TSTM-E’s Nine Skills Microlearning Minute are both examples of how to create interactive professional development with short chunks of new content. Engagement is built into the microlearning activity. 
• Opt-in text or email messaging: This strategy is often used to review or follow-up a professional development session. Participants choose to receive a series of messages over time which prompt them to apply the content in some way. A Whisper course is an example of this type of microlearning.

Microlearning for Our Students 

As you consider these microlearning possibilities for your students, note that you do not have to create all of this content yourself. Many examples exist online, and you just need to select those which align with your material. Please remember to check any videos you choose to make sure that the subtitles are accurate so they are accessible to all learners. 

• Review videos: Short videos demonstrating or reiterating key ideas from class can help your learners remember something they may have missed in the original explanation. This is very helpful for processes, like the steps to solve a particular math problem. 
• Flipped classroom: Since most microlearning is digital, it can easily support pre-teaching content before the live class session. 
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL): With UDL, one goal is to provide multiple ways for learners to access the same content, and a microlearning infographic or video can serve as one of those ways. 
• Class warm-up: Starting the class period with a quick review game is a microlearning opportunity. Study apps: Students can use phone apps that encourage short bursts of daily practice outside of class. Blue Canoe is an example that helps ESL students practice pronunciation. 
• Create your own visual: Visuals like infographics, concept maps, or diagrams can all be used as microlearning tools. Having students create their own from class content gives them more practice engaging with the concepts they’ve learned. 

 Designing Microlearning 

Microlearning lessons need to be planned intentionally. Breaking up a one-hour class period into short pieces is not microlearning because each piece may not be able to stand alone as a complete instructional unit. This graphic outlines the core design principles that should guide your design process. 

You can click the graphic to open a PDF version. 

Microlearning Design Tools 

Most microlearning is digital. These tools can be particularly helpful for creating microlearning content. 

•  Quizlet is a digital flashcards tool. You can create your own cards or use an existing set, and you can play classroom games. 
• Nearpod and Pear Deck can be used to create interactive slides where students can respond within the presentation. They also have mini-game options to incorporate. 
• Padlet can house the entire microlearning lesson on one board. Participants can collaborate synchronously or asynchronously. 
• Canva is a graphic design site with templates for creating visuals like infographics or concept maps. What’s App or Google Voice numbers can be used to send microlearning text messages to students. 

Conclusion 

Microlearning can be a powerful addition to our instructional toolbox. As educators, we know that information overload is a real concern, and well-designed microlearning can address that. This strategy is also particularly useful for skills which require repeated review and practice, such as new vocabulary words. When you consider adding microlearning for your students, it is important to keep in mind that there are some limitations, especially the fact that it is not ideal for teaching complex concepts or for activities that require higher-order thinking like creating something new. Numerous tools are available to help you build bite-sized microlearning lessons for your students. If you are interested in learning more, Microlearning: Short and Sweet (Kapp & Defelice, 2019) is a well-written and accessible resource. Propel staff would also be happy to discuss how microlearning can be added to your teaching practice. Feel free to reach out to Nadia (nadia@nmdelt.org), Rebecca (rasherry@nmdelt.org), or Carrie (cmcannella@nmdelt.org) to start a conversation. 

 Possible Answers for Microlearning Use Challenge above: Just in time learning - performance; Interactive professional development (current Propel offerings) - pensive; Text messaging - post-instruction; Review videos - post-instruction or practice; Flipped classroom - performance, practice, or preparatory, depending on the learning objective; UDL - could be any depending on the learning objective; Warm-ups - preparatory; Study apps - practice; Create your own infographic - everything except preparatory 

Thanks to Sylvia Johnston for some of the language describing microlearning theories. 

References 

 Boumalek, K., Bakki, A., El Mezouary, A., Hmedna, B., & Eddahibi, M. (2025). Micro-learning design and micro-course structuring: A systematic literature review. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2025.2545955

Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University. (n.d.). Concept mapping. https://ctl.stanford.edu/students/concept-mapping 

Cronin, J., & Durham, M. L. (2024). Microlearning: A concept analysis. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 42(6), 413. https://doi.org/10.1097/CIN.0000000000001122

Kapp, K.M., & Defelice, R.A. (2019). Microlearning: Short and sweet. ATD Press.

Oyeyipo, I., Isibor, N.J., Attipoe, V., Ayodeji, D.C., Mayienga, B.A., Alonge, E., & Onwuzulike, O.C. (2024). Investigating the effectiveness of microlearning approaches in corporate training programs for skill enhancement. Gulf Journal of Advanced Business Research, 2(6), 493–505. https://doi.org/10.51594/gjabr.v2i6.122

Sharp Cookie. (2023, April 24). Microlearning examples: When to use it & when not to use it! [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/c-n_Tc_n-tk?si=0XACF_k3kd_6-_8Z 

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

Zhang, J., & West, R. E. (2020). Designing microlearning instruction for professional development through a competency based approach. TechTrends, 64(2), 310–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00449-4