{"id":19779,"date":"2022-06-27T13:55:12","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T09:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=19779"},"modified":"2026-06-18T15:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:46:42","slug":"how-to-create-microlearning-courses-breaking-it-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/how-to-create-microlearning-courses","title":{"rendered":"How to Create Microlearning Courses: Breaking It Down"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are you an <a href=\"\/blog\/how-to-become-an-instructional-designer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">instructional designer<\/a> or L&amp;D representative making an initial foray into the world of microlearning? Then keep reading! In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to create microlearning content.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"What-Is-Microlearning?\">What Is Microlearning?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"\/blog\/what-is-microlearning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microlearning<\/a> is best defined as a method of instructional training that breaks information down into bite-sized chunks for easy digestion prior to delivering it. As such, its approach differs from traditional learning (e.g., schools and universities), wherein learners are often overwhelmed with and tested on theoretical concepts that aren\u2019t necessarily relevant to their goals. Everyone who\u2019s experienced formal education has likely asked themselves, \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of this?\u201d or \u201cWill we be tested on this?\u201d Microlearning aims to address the incongruence between training content and learning outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>Microlearning is tailor made for individuals who need to maximize knowledge retention in the shortest time possible. This knowledge must be practical, \u201chands on,\u201d and bear direct relevance for the learner. By eliminating extraneous information, microcourses are highly focused, tend to target a single learning objective, and therefore have a maximum duration of around 5-7 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>And because microlearning goes hand in hand with online training, it eliminates constraints imposed by time and space. Instead of taking time away from loved ones, hobbies, and personal obligations, trainees can complete lessons during their daily commute, lunch break, or during any slow period or downtime. The best part is that microlearning content takes many forms, including, but far from limited to, video tutorials, simulations, assessments, and online presentations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"responsive_iframe_wrapper\">\u200b<\/p>\n<div class=\"responsive_iframe\" style=\"padding-bottom: 56.25%\"><div class=\"yt-facade\" data-video-id=\"Eqf1FMV3PLs\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Eqf1FMV3PLs\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><button class=\"yt-facade__play\" aria-label=\"Play video\" type=\"button\"><\/button><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"Who-Needs-Microlearning,-and-Why?\">Who Needs Microlearning, and Why?<\/h2>\n<p>The approaches used in formal education often don\u2019t take into consideration the inherent needs and nuances of adult learners, who often work full-time jobs while juggling multiple priorities. These are the contexts in which microlearning is most relevant \u2013 where it can adapt to the psychology of the adult learner.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, anyone can benefit from microlearning \u2013 because the core of this approach entails short, highly focused, and highly applicable content. Regardless of one\u2019s age, educational background, or career, learners learn best when they feel that they\u2019ve received a customized training solution \u2013 that is, when the content is focused on skills needed in their daily lives, when it\u2019s informal, and when it\u2019s available at the point of need.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say your company has a course on health and safety in the workplace. You\u2019ve already received comprehensive training and practice on this subject, but you need to specifically review your hazardous substances control measures. Rather than having to comb through an entire video or lesson to find this section, your training would ideally consist of microcourses logically arranged so you can access them whenever you need to. This way, you can access this content quickly, while minimizing disruption to your workflow.<\/p>\n<p>The following list shows the kinds of people\/scenarios that get the most out of microlearning:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Millennials and Gen Z learners who are tech-savvy and fluent in all things \u201cdigital\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Businesses that require ongoing employee training while minimizing costs, reducing disruptions to operations, and accommodating employee schedules<\/li>\n<li>Adults who\u2019d like to upgrade their skills in the workplace without all the red tape of formal education<\/li>\n<li>Individuals who are looking for a quick fix\/solution to a problem (e.g., how-to videos, DIY tutorials)<\/li>\n<li>Anyone who needs to upgrade or gain a new skill set, but whose schedule is constrained by time, dates, and distance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"How-to-Design-Microlearning\">How to Design Microlearning<\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned, microlearning isn\u2019t as concerned with content as it is with the method of delivery. However, the content should be conducive to a few key concepts that we\u2019ll cover in this section, such as single-outcome learning objectives and chunking. Moreover, your method of designing microlearning ultimately depends on how you plan to deliver it. So, for the purposes of this guide, this section covers how to create microlearning courses\/modules in 6 simple steps.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 1. Research and choose a highly focused topic<\/h3>\n<p>This step is as simple as it sounds \u2013 choose a narrow topic. The more you pare it down, the easier it\u2019ll be to create learner-focused, outcome-driven content. But once you\u2019ve determined your topic, don\u2019t do yourself a disservice by rushing into it headfirst. If you\u2019re looking for a worthwhile return on your investment of time, money, and effort, then you\u2019ll need to place yourself in your trainees\u2019 shoes to ensure that the subject matter correlates perfectly with each of their specific roles within your organization. That way, you\u2019ll maximize the learners\u2019 perceived value of the training, and therefore, their overall levels of engagement.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2. Know your audience<\/h3>\n<p>When creating microcourses, your chief consideration should be your audience. Once you know and have refined your topic, you can start narrowing your audience down based on which colleagues or samples will likely find your topic useful.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image_wrapper\" style=\"height: 591px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Questions to define the audience\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/08\/ispring-blog-image-1596783301.png\" alt=\"Questions to determine the audience\" width=\"700\" height=\"591\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Before you decide to format your lessons as microlearning courses, you should have already answered these questions. Once you\u2019ve clearly defined your target audience, all other decisions should be determined by their needs.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3. Determine a singular learning outcome<\/h3>\n<p>Learning outcomes state what specific skills you\u2019d like your learners to take away from your course. This step is only second in importance to knowing your audience, because, again, learning outcomes aren\u2019t about your wants and goals; they\u2019re all about your trainees\u2019 needs. Therefore, if you fail to read your audience correctly, you\u2019re going to miss the mark when it comes to developing learning objectives.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019re providing general training for managers, supervisors, and\/or team leaders on how to enhance their leadership skills in the workplace. Because leadership is inherently multi-faceted and complex, it can be difficult to single out which specific skills you need to have your trainees to come away with. Thus, your microlearning content should be centered on a singular learning outcome.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid getting carried away or detoured from your learning goals, write them out using action-oriented verbs, as exemplified below:<\/p>\n<div class=\"image_wrapper\" style=\"height: 275px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Well-written and poorly-written outcomes\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/08\/ispring-blog-image-1596783353.png\" alt=\"Good and bad outcomes\" width=\"700\" height=\"275\" \/><\/div>\n<p>The difference between the poorly written and well-written learning outcome lies in the agentive nature of the verb \u201cunderstand\u201d versus \u201cidentify.\u201d Identifying leadership skills is a concrete, measurable action, whereas understanding them is an abstract process that cannot be measured or assessed.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re creating courses, high-quality learning objectives are key to ensuring success. Because microlearning emphasizes highly focused, action-based training, how well you define your learning outcomes will make or break your course.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 4. Create and chunk your content<\/h3>\n<p>The\u00a0curation process becomes exponentially easier once you\u2019ve developed crystal clear learning outcomes. Now you can brainstorm and begin fleshing out your ideas. Once you have enough talking points, you\u2019ll want to organize them into an outline of your microlearning courses. \u201cChunking\u201d is the practice of dividing your content into as many sections as possible. The idea is to break each section down to its \u201catomic state,\u201d such that they cannot be logically broken down further.<\/p>\n<p>These bite-sized sections each represent one of your scripts. Ideally, each microcourse should pertain to one of your learning outcomes. Accordingly, if your training has 5 learning objectives, then you should create 5 microcourses that directly address each. In essence, microlearning aims to provide quick answers and solutions to specific problems; they function as practical hands-on guides.<\/p>\n<p>In keeping with our \u201chealth and safety in the workplace\u201d theme, here\u2019s an example of how one might chunk the content for a series of microcourses.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image_wrapper\" style=\"height: 264px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"An example of microcourses\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/08\/ispring-blog-image-1597130641.png\" alt=\"Health and safety basics in the workplace\" width=\"700\" height=\"264\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Step 5. Build a microcourse<\/h3>\n<p>At this stage, we step away from the planning process and dive right into the development process. Here, you\u2019ll need authoring software to put all the contents together. There are some tools that allow you to do this in a matter of minutes without a single line of coding.<\/p>\n<p>For example, <a href=\"\/ispring-cloud\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iSpring Cloud AI<\/a> is a super easy-to-use authoring tool that lets you build microcourses right out of your browser. You can create adaptive training with texts, images, and videos, and enhance it with knowledge checks.<\/p>\n<p>And because the content adapts to any screen size or format, employees can train anytime or while on-the-go. Not only is iSpring Cloud AI incredibly intuitive, but it does much of the legwork for you and\/or your development team.<\/p>\n<p>Check out the following demo course to see iSpring Cloud AI at work:<\/p>\n<div class=\"iframe_preview_wrapper narrow js-demo-iframe\">\n<div class=\"iframe_preview\"><a class=\"js-zoom-iframe active\" href=\"https:\/\/democourses.ispring.com\/page\/preview\/brsumloeatg5eout8mc0\" data-height=\"600\" data-width=\"800\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/08\/ispring-blog-image-1596799409.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"376\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In a matter of minutes, the sky\u2019s the limit!<\/p>\n<h3>Step 6. Distribute the final product<\/h3>\n<p>Now that your course is complete and you\u2019re satisfied with the final product, consider distributing a pilot version to a test audience to work out any kinks and unforeseen issues. Many companies prefer to deliver training via a <a href=\"\/blog\/what-is-lms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">learning management system (LMS)<\/a>, as it provides a lot of benefits. With an LMS, you can automate the training process \u2013 simply upload your course to the platform, assign it to your learners, and keep track of their results.<\/p>\n<p>If you still haven\u2019t decided on an LMS, you can try <a href=\"\/ispring-learn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iSpring LMS<\/a>. It\u2019s easy to use and perfectly compatible with industry-standard <a href=\"\/blog\/html5-authoring-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">authoring tools<\/a>, including iSpring Cloud AI.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Tips-for-Creating-Microlearning-Content\">Tips for Creating Microlearning Content<\/h2>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve laid out critical steps for microlearning creation, it\u2019s time to refine your approach for each step. In this section, we\u2019ll detail some key tips to keep in mind as you progress through the microlearning creation process.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Engage different learning styles.<\/strong> Some people learn best with sound, whereas others work best with words or images. That\u2019s why microcourses are a great choice. They can be delivered as digital learning and seamlessly incorporate multimedia (e.g. videos, images, and <a href=\"https:\/\/visme.co\/blog\/how-to-make-an-infographic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">infographics<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Choose a responsive authoring tool.<\/strong> With everyone constantly on-the-go, the future is mobile responsiveness \u2013 the ability of your training content to \u201crespond\u201d or visually reformat itself to any screen size\/width. If you limit your audience to desktop devices, you\u2019re bound to create inconveniences. And as you know, convenience lies at the core of microlearning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Provide additional resources.<\/strong> As mentioned, microlearning differs from formal education because it narrows the learning to the \u201cneed-to-knows.\u201d But what if trainees have questions beyond the scope of what\u2019s covered? For these instances, it\u2019s great to anticipate what these questions could be and provide \u201cfurther readings.\u201d These external links\/sources are not only effortless to include, but your course will feel more comprehensive and complete.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Incorporate storytelling, where possible.<\/strong> It\u2019s no secret that people learn best through experiences. Sometimes these are vicarious and brought to life through storytelling. Not only are stories immersive, emotional, and thereby engaging, but this increased level of engagement enhances learner knowledge retention. Storytelling also supports another core tenet of microlearning that we\u2019ve touched on \u2013 simplicity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Provide context with relevant examples.<\/strong> As with storytelling, providing examples enables learners to immerse themselves in some knowledge-instilling experience. However, examples take storytelling to the next level by providing scenarios in which the training is directly relevant. Therefore, your learners will be able to make a one-to-one correlation between what they\u2019re learning and the contexts in which they can apply those very same skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Take a look at this iSpring Cloud AI demo. It provides plenty of examples for trainees to decipher between poor and proper visual design practices:<\/p>\n<div class=\"iframe_preview_wrapper narrow js-demo-iframe\">\n<div class=\"iframe_preview\"><a class=\"js-zoom-iframe active\" href=\"https:\/\/democourses.ispring.com\/page\/preview\/brsvb30eatg5eout8n1g\" data-height=\"600\" data-width=\"800\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/editor\/2020\/08\/ispring-blog-image-1596794700.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"376\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"Final-Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>We live in a fast-paced age of convenience. Consequently, microlearning has been gaining ground as a quick, painless, and hands-on learning method. Though it doesn\u2019t replace formal education perfectly as an instructional method, microlearning has its home in the working world.<\/p>\n<p>Adults with full-time jobs need the convenience and flexibility of learning when it suits their schedule. This allows them to choose an ideal, distraction-free environment for maximum concentration. With microlearning, they can leverage any free or personal time (e.g., lunch breaks, daily commutes, workouts) to consume these bite-sized courses. Remember, the prime concern of the adult learner is practicality \u2013 they need simple and relevant answers that can be directly applied to their lives.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, while microlearning simplifies the process for employees, you can\u2019t take any shortcuts with the planning process. Start by zeroing in on a target audience. Moreover, focus on making your content as engaging and relevant as possible. And remain forward-thinking \u2013 choose an authoring tool that can brave the wave of the future.<\/p>\n<p>Why not get started with a credit-card and commitment-<a href=\"\/ispring-cloud\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free trial of iSpring Cloud AI<\/a>?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you an instructional designer or L&amp;D representative making an initial foray into the world of microlearning? Then keep reading!&hellip; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/how-to-create-microlearning-courses\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":19783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How to Create Microlearning Courses - A Complete Guide","_seopress_titles_desc":"Are you an ID or L&D representative making an initial foray into the world of microlearning? Check out this guide on how to create microcourses.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[217],"tags":[299],"class_list":["post-19779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-id","tag-course-creation"],"acf":[],"views":11878,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/86"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19779"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111090,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19779\/revisions\/111090"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}