Stop Overpacking Your Online Courses...

Today, I want to share a personal story that I believe many of you will find relatable. Last summer I tried to pour everything I knew about instructional design into one course. Yes, I went all in, thinking more content meant more value. Spoiler alert: It was a bit too much.

?? The Realization

I quickly realized that while passion is key, bombarding learners with too much information can actually hinder their learning experience. It's not about the quantity, but the quality and impact of what we teach. It's what sparked my niche and love for mastering microlearning experiences.

In today’s fast-paced digital learning environment, microlearning has emerged as a key strategy for delivering content that is both engaging and effective. Microlearning breaks down complex topics into bite-sized, easily digestible pieces of information, typically lasting from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

This approach caters to the modern learner's decreased attention span and fits seamlessly into the busy schedules that characterize our daily lives. However, creating impactful microlearning content requires a thoughtful approach, avoiding common pitfalls that can undermine the learning experience. Here are three things you should NOT DO when creating content for today's learners, and what you should do instead!

1. Overloading with Information

A common misstep in creating microlearning content is trying to cover too much ground within a single lesson. With a passion for the subject and a wealth of knowledge to share, it’s natural to want to include every detail. However, this enthusiasm can lead to cognitive overload, overwhelming learners with too much information at once, and diminishing their ability to retain what they’ve learned.

What Not to Do: Avoid cramming multiple concepts or lessons into one microlearning unit. The temptation to include "everything and the kitchen sink" can be strong, especially when you're deeply knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter.

What to Do Instead: Focus on a single concept or key takeaway for each module. This approach ensures clarity and facilitates better comprehension and retention, providing a more effective learning experience.

2. Ignoring the Learning Context

Another mistake is presenting content without connecting it to its real-world application. When learners can’t see how the information applies to their daily lives or job roles, the content can come across as abstract and theoretical, which significantly reduces engagement and the likelihood of the knowledge being applied.

What Not to Do: Do not create microlearning content in isolation from its practical use. Content that lacks real-world relevance fails to engage learners effectively.

What to Do Instead: Ensure every microlearning piece has clear, actionable takeaways that learners can immediately apply. Contextualizing learning content makes it more relatable and valuable, enhancing learner engagement.

3. Neglecting the Importance of Retention

Creating content that learners engage with once and then forget is a missed opportunity for lasting impact. Retention is crucial for microlearning to be effective, yet it's often overlooked in favor of one-off learning events.

What Not to Do: Avoid the pitfall of designing microlearning content without considering how to reinforce and solidify the learning over time. One-off exposures are rarely enough for long-term knowledge retention.

What to Do Instead: Incorporate strategies such as spaced repetition, quizzes, and follow-up activities that revisit and reinforce key concepts. These elements help embed the learning more deeply, ensuring that learners not only acquire but also retain the knowledge.

?? Reflections and Looking Forward

This journey taught me the value of simplicity in instructional design. It was a humbling experience but one that reshaped my approach to content creation.

I want all course creators to realize creating impactful microlearning content requires more than just breaking down information into smaller pieces; it demands a thoughtful approach that considers the learner's capacity for information, the relevance of the content, and the strategies for ensuring lasting knowledge retention.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can create content that is not only engaging and informative but also truly effective in fostering deeper understanding and application of knowledge.

Microlearning represents a powerful tool in digital education, enabling course creators to deliver high-quality learning experiences tailored to the needs of today’s learners. By focusing on what not to do, we can ensure our content remains clear, relevant, and memorable, leading to more impactful and meaningful learning experience!

?? Over to You!

Have you experienced a similar challenge? How do you ensure your content is impactful yet concise? Share your stories and strategies in the comments below. Let's learn from each other and keep improving, making our content as effective and simple as possible for our learners.

Remember: In the world of today's learners, less is often more. Let’s continue to grow and help them succeed in the simplest and most effective ways possible.

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