The ongoing need to rapidly acquire knowledge and skills related to new technologies and developments in the library field has been a preoccupation of library workers and administrators for years. Keeping current may seem impossible, given time and budget constraints. But microlearning in the form of short online courses, or microcourses, can be an efficient and effective strategy to fulfill professional development needs.
Microlearning involves condensing instructional content into bite-sized chunks of information for maximum cognitive impact. Typically, instructional content is delivered online asynchronously, meaning microcourses can easily fit into a learner’s schedule as desired. Ideally, each course should range from five to 10 minutes to make the information graspable and maximize engagement, with the intention that learners will immediately apply the information they just learned.
Long popular in corporate environments, microlearning has been around for more than 50 years. It has been increasingly cited in scholarly literature over the past five or so years, suggesting a rising interest in adapting it for use in professional development at institutions of higher education and libraries.
Microlearning for professional development promises more efficient learning with less cognitive load, better retention, higher completion rates, and more engagement for learners than traditional professional development teaching models. Flexibility, portability, accessibility, and opportunity for learner self-direction are additional advantages that an asynchronous online microcourse approach offers. Research has suggested that microlearning may also foster a growth mindset in learners and increase motivation and engagement.
Microlearning may foster a growth mindset in learners and increase motivation and engagement.
I experienced firsthand how powerful microlearning can be when my library successfully implemented a microcourse series designed to teach digital and information literacy to all first-year seminar students. At the time, we were struck by how microlearning resembles the way most of us consume information on social media. When the opportunity came up to plan the annual Instruction Librarian Retreat, reenvisioning the retreat as a microcourse series seemed like a natural first step toward establishing a vibrant educational trend.
Some professional development learners may experience discomfort with online microcourses because of the lack of in-person interaction. Including face-to-face activities as part of instructional content can ease this concern. Resistance to technology or discomfort with digital literacy skills may pose another barrier to microcourse acceptance. Learners’ acceptance of the format for professional development is tied mostly to their perception of its ease of use and, to a lesser extent, to perceived user benefits.
Successfully implementing a professional development microcourse begins with planning the pedagogy, technology, and instructional content. The emphasis on brevity means that the format is best suited for teaching to a single learning outcome that’s focused on narrow topics.
Microcourses that include activities, instructional content, communication, and feedback have the best chance of succeeding. Varying the means of delivering information can enhance the experience; consider incorporating videos, podcasts, websites, and other formats. Ease of use is crucial to the acceptance of microlearning for professional development, so choose a platform that is simple and familiar to your intended audience.
Microlearning and microcourses have strong potential to positively influence professional development delivery in library work. Adopting this approach allows library workers to experience curated, hyper-relevant professional development focused on knowledge transfer and skills they can apply immediately in professional life.
