Microlearning project
Microlearning is the delivery of learning content in a short, succinct way. Condensing large quantities of information into bite-sized training drives better engagement and knowledge retention for learners, and saves valuable time and money for employers.
​
Brew, 2021
Task: Learning a Technological Tool via Microlearning.
Tool: Animaker
I decided to focus my attention on Animaker, an online animation and live-action video maker tool that has several interesting features.
It is available online, has a very simple learning curve, provides a large amount of animation elements, characters, and objects, it can be integrated with various media (audio, images and video) and it has a free basic version that already allows you to reach excellent results.
​
Here above you can find a simple example of a video created in a short time using Animaker. The video presents 8 tips on how to stay organized in your workplace. On the video I added the oral description of the 8 tips, read by an artificial intelligence voice created through play.ht. After creating the video I then uploaded it to YouTube and accompanied it with the transcription of the text and the closed captions for e better inclusivity.
Connection with learning theories
In the learning process of this video construction tool, I can find connections with different learning theories. Certainly, however, the theories that have played an active role most are Constructivism, Connectivism and Andragogy. These two theories that have significant points of contact with each other and with the learning process of this tool.
​
Surely I can refer to Constructivism to indicate the presence of this tool in my Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), given that Animaker is a new tool for me, but similar to other tools that I have already used in the past. Furthermore, the use of reading online forums and watching educational and explanatory videos present on the Animaker site itself or on YouTube, and therefore accessing other people's experiences, which are nodes of online knowledge in a connectivist sense. My intrinsic motivation (Andragogy) certainly contributed to the success of the project.
​
Social interaction, intrinsic motivation, zone of proximal development, connection of nodes and retrieval of information on the net are therefore keywords that we can associate with this learning process and with the theories that support them: Constructivism, Connectivism, Andragogy.
My ah-ha moment
The learning process of this tool has been a lot of fun and the time has flown by. I love experimenting with new tools for creating learning objects, and so I was in this case too. In particular, I found the implementation in the video of the description through the artificial voice very stimulating, thus trying to merge two types of educational object: the podcast and the animated video.
Uploading to YouTube with closed captions handling was also an important learning step. We must never forget the value and necessity of inclusiveness when creating educational objects, so that what we create is available and usable for all types of users.
​
​Microlearning seems to me to be an extremely useful and manageable concept in the contemporary world, a form of learning that combines the need for flexibility and time impact, availability and immediate availability of information, clarity of presentation and ease of reception. It has great potential in various fields, above all for adult learners, in the workplace and in the private context. Microlearning therefore seems to me to be an extremely effective way of disseminating information and for learning increasingly modeled on the needs of learners.
References
Andriotis, N. (2018, December 10). What Is Microlearning: A Complete Guide For Beginners. eLearning Industry. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://elearningindustry.com/what-is-microlearning-benefits-best-practices
​
Chai, W. (2020, February). Microlearning. TechTarget. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/microlearning
​
Nehra, M. (2021, October 14). The science behind the effectiveness of microlearning. eLearning Industry. Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://elearningindustry.com/science-behind-the-effectiveness-of-microlearning