By profession, I am an Instructional Designer, and I have a keen interest in intergenerational learning, specifically the difference in how the millennial generation learns. Growing up I always took note of how I learn differently than other people, especially in college when sitting in a classroom for 3 hours was an impossible task. The more I research and develop my own microlearning content, the more I wish this buzzword was a thing when I was in school.
To me, microlearning is at the crux of the intergenerational difference that manifests as the millennial generation pours into the workforce. But what is microlearning beyond short training segments?
Here are my thoughts:
Microlearning
Whatever the delivery method, it is essential that it have a hook that will immediately engage the learner, and be short enough to hold their attention. This can be accomplished by aligning each learning piece to a single learning objective, directly targeting the needs of the learner. Microlearning needn’t be only elearning, classroom content can also be delivered in microlearning chunks that better facilitate retention.
Engagement
Training content needs to be spot on relevant to maintain the millennial attention, because millennials are accustomed to getting highly targeted answers to their questions through search engine queries and YouTube videos.
For the employer, this means that millennials will want a clear path to succession. Even if a company has a flat organization, millennial workers will still want a clear path and approach to allow them to keep progressing in their careers.
Many millennial workers crave challenges and are not happy remaining in the same title and position year and year out. They will actively seek out companies that provide a clear and attainable path for growth and learning that meets their needs.
Feedback
Millennials crave feedback that very few employers provide. Millennials want transparent work environments that encourage a “woke” approach to training and employee development.
Utilize Free, Cheap, and Easy-to-Access Technologies
While intellectual property and security issues are always important to consider when delivering training content to employees, there are many ways that companies can utilize already made training resources that will engage the millennial worker and save time on development.
For example, if you want a programmer on your team to learn a new language you can utilize free and cheap courses that are already created. Resources such as udemy and other online learning spaces offer a wide variety of courses directly applicable to the workplace that can be incorporated into the training process. Some YouTubers with large followings make great, informative videos that can be leveraged for free.
And if the video is taken down? Find a new one, that is the millennial way!
If security or confidentiality issues still prevail with your content, design your internal training to mimic the YouTube on-demand video style that carries your consistent method.
Self-Driven
Whether you develop new content or utilize a collage approach, allow the training path to be self-driven–even required training. Millennials do not want their productivity to be interrupted by useless training. Provide a clear Learning Road Map with a time-frame instead of deadlines. Allow employees to easily track and advance their training.
Varying Methods of Content Delivery
Millennials prefer a broad spectrum of learning strategies that focus on individual learning style. Millennials prefer learning content that meets their visual, auditory, and when necessary, kinesthetic needs. This generation prefers a collaborative environment where lecture plays much less of a role. Utilizing short videos and case studies goes a long way with this generation.
Targeted Learning Content
Millenials do not value a piece of information for its own sake. Content must be relevant to their own lives and needs. Facilitators and Trainers will need to provide millennials with hands-on or application-based case studies. Millennials learn best when knowledge is synthesized actively among peers. In an eLearning environment content must connect to the needs of the millennial learner. The millennial learner will want to know how the content applies to them in the context of their immediate training/learning needs.
A Clear “Why?” and “So, What?”
Millennials do not respond well to authoritarianism. Millennials require flexibility and want to know the socio-emotional logic behind the content they are being exposed to. When designing training for the millennial learner, providing the reasoning behind established policies and regulations within the learning environment will go a long way.
Informal but Meaningful
Millennials prefer a low-pressure learning environment and will learn better when they feel they have more autonomy. Millennials will thrive in learning environments that create an empathetic and collaborative approach.
Chestnut Cowboy 