Transform Your Recorded VILT Sessions Into Engaging Microlearning Courses

The primary goal of corporate learning is to boost staff motivation and performance. To achieve this, it’s crucial to provide concise, targeted, and easily understandable instructions that can be quickly absorbed and implemented. In this article, we will show you how to extract valuable microlearning content from your Virtual instructor-led training or recorded sessions. We will delve into the concept of microlearning and discuss effective design strategies. Additionally, we will explore the process of transforming recorded VILT sessions into engaging microlearning courses. You can deliver bite-sized, impactful learning experiences that enhance employee engagement and performance by leveraging micro-elearning approaches.

What is Microlearning?

Microlearning in eLearning breaks down classes into short modules, typically lasting around 5 minutes. These modules are grouped under broad topics, unlike traditional online classes that can span 30-60 minutes. Participants complete multiple sessions covering various subjects and then take evaluation assessments. Access to the full range of topics and modules is granted upon completion of the evaluation exercise.

Ideally, Mini lessons incorporate animated whiteboard slideshows, interactive videos, text-based slides, and graphics. Skilled educators carefully structure and organize the topics and lessons, aiming to arrange complex issues while simplifying them for learners logically.

Utilizing learning management systems (LMS) with microlearning is highly effective. Micro-videos can be seamlessly stored within the LMS’s centralized database, providing visibility for the L&D team to track completed, missed, and ongoing evaluations.

Incorporating microlearning into your instructional strategy allows students to progress through each course topic at their own pace, completing it without being constrained to extended periods.

5 Effective Approaches to Develop Microlearning Courses

When you adhere to a structured approach, crafting microlearning courses becomes straightforward. Discover how you can build that structure by implementing a simple 5-step formula.

1. Establish Clear Objectives and Desired Outcomes

   Establishing a clear objective is crucial to ensure consistency in your microlearning courses. Microlearning revolves around breaking down complex concepts into smaller, digestible chunks. Without a defined purpose and takeaway, it’s easy to lose direction. To determine the objective:

   • Consider what you want learners to gain from the course.
   • Write down multiple ideas and eliminate overly basic ones.
   • Merge similar ideas to create a single topic with more comprehensive content.

   The outcome of microlearning courses focused on the impact of training on employees. Similar to the objective, keep the outcome singular and straightforward. This approach streamlines the content and provides your team with a clear focus on the desired target.

2. Understand the learners For Effective Training

   Just like launching a new product, your learners are the target audience for your course. The course may resonate well with them, with a deep understanding of their needs. It can lead to disengagement and reluctance to participate in future training. Knowing your learners offers advantages. It allows you to reassess objectives and outcomes if they don’t align with their needs. To understand your learners better, consider these points:

   • Demographics: Gender, age, income, location
   • Job role: Responsibilities, key performance indicators (KPIs)
   • Expectations: Desired learning outcomes
   • Technology proficiency: Familiarity with the course technology

   By gathering this information, you can tailor the course to meet learners’ expectations, increasing engagement and overall success.

3. Select Engaging Topics for Your Microlearning Courses

   Now is the ideal moment to brainstorm topic ideas based on the defined objective, desired outcome, and learner profile. opt for a simple course topic, avoiding jargon or confusing language that may perplex learners. To determine the course topic:

   • Employ a similar approach to establishing the course objective.
   • Note down all ideas and eliminate irrelevant ones.
   • Once you have a topic, break it into smaller, manageable chunks.
   • Ensure each chunk contains enough material to maintain learner engagement throughout the course.

   Conduct thorough research on the topic to provide interesting and captivating learning content. It leads us to the next step in creating effective microlearning courses.

4. Use Diverse Techniques to Keep the Material Interesting

   In microlearning, you can use various mediums to create your course. It can incorporate slides, videos, presentations, screen recordings, or other valuable content that keeps learners engaged. To enhance the learning experience, consider leveraging the knowledge and expertise of senior employees. Incorporating their tweets or LinkedIn posts on the topic can generate confidence in learners as they learn from experienced individuals. Another effective approach is including quizzes or knowledge checks at the end of each course section. By answering correctly, learners can earn brownie points, which they can redeem for a surprise gift at the end of the course. These tactics contribute to an interactive and rewarding learning journey.

5. Utilize a Friendly Tone to Connect with Learners

   Microlearning differs greatly from traditional classroom learning. To capture learners’ attention effectively, avoid adopting a school-teacher-like tone. Instead, use an active, friendly voice that enhances learners’ attention span and fosters inclusivity. For complex concepts, employ simple language and provide examples to aid understanding. When incorporating quizzes or questions, be mindful of your tone. Avoid sounding overly authoritative and strive for a conversational approach that strikes a balance. It helps create a friendly and engaging learning environment. While conversational tones may result in slightly longer content, the benefits of improved learner engagement make it worthwhile.

Advantages of Converting VILT Recordings into Microlearning Courses

VILT training has a historical and educational legacy that may not effectively address the challenges of virtual learning, especially regarding extensive recordings. However, microlearning offers a compelling alternative that enhances learner engagement and facilitates efficient information exchange.

Microlearning courses provide numerous benefits for both trainees and L&D professionals. They are particularly advantageous for developing learning habits and supporting lifelong learning within the work environment. Unlike VILT, micro-content is condensed and accessible on mobile devices. It is perfect for Just-In-Time (JIT) learning aids and Performance Support Tools (PSTs) that can be flawlessly integrated into employees’ workflows. One notable advantage of microlearning is its ability to combat the Forgetting Curve, which helps trainers ensure better knowledge retention. In addition, microlearning demonstrates higher module completion rates compared to VILT, which further highlights its effectiveness.

Organizations can optimize virtual learning experiences, promote continuous learning, and empower employees with easily digestible and relevant content by adopting microlearning. This approach not only addresses the limitations of VILT but also provides a more impactful and engaging learning environment for learners.

How to Convert VILT Recordings into Appealing Microlearning Courses?

L&D teams often possess a wealth of digital learning resources invested heavily for corporate VILT strategies. Transitioning to a micro-learning approach means continuing these investments. Instead, there are six strategies to consider when converting VILT sessions into microlearning courses:

1. Utilize existing VILT content to supplement macro learning courses, providing quick facts, additional exercises, or opportunities for further exploration.
2. Extract relevant content from VILT modules to create 3-to-5-minute microlearning modules that support Just-In-Time learning. It lets learners access the content anytime, anywhere, and on their preferred devices, counteracting the “Forgetting Curve.”
3. Incorporate micro assessments such as short quizzes and scenario-driven exercises based on VILT sessions to reinforce learning and improve retention.
4. Develop learner-centric sub-content from VILT training sessions, addressing specific training objectives such as Performance Support Tools (PSTs). These resources, such as how-to guides or quick-start references, provide targeted support.
5. Build a library of microlearning nuggets from existing ILT/VILT content, including reference materials, tips, and tricks. Ensure easy accessibility and shareability, allowing learners to access these resources at the point or moment of need without reviewing the entire course.
6. Summarize and condense ILT/VILT content into pre-course teasers and end-of-module reviews to provide concise reinforcement and review materials.

VILT is a popular platform for online training, offering synchronous learning experiences that enhance learner engagement and knowledge retention. Productivity can be boosted by setting up virtual classrooms effectively and aligning training content with modern learner preferences.

By repurposing VILT recordings into microlearning courses, organizations can maximize their existing investments, cater to learners’ preferences for bite-sized content, reinforce learning through assessments, and provide accessible resources at the moment of need. This approach ensures a continuous learning experience and empowers learners to apply knowledge effectively in their roles. Now you can change your VILT recordings into exciting microlearning courses with Paradiso LMS. Get valuable insights from this blog to create engaging microlearning experiences.

Try our free trial at Paradiso LMS if you have any questions or want to explore further.