Welcome to another episode of K-12 Education Untangled . My name is Dr Kim Fields , former corporate manager turned educational researcher and advocate , and I'm the host of this podcast . I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators , as well as experiencing the micro discriminations that I faced .
As an African American mom raising my two kids , who were in the public school system , I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system .
Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed , I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress . If you're looking to find out more about current information and issues in education that could affect you or your children , then you're in the right place . Thanks for tuning in today .
I know that staying informed about K-12 education trends and topics is important to you , so keep listening . On today's episode , I'll be discussing what is micro learning and nano learning and how it can be applied in the K-12 educational setting .
Micro learning is becoming a popular approach in the public education setting because students attention spans have become shorter than in the past and , in order to acquire new knowledge , small chunks of information need to be delivered in a condensed time frame . Nano learning is just a smaller component of micro learning .
That involves dividing micro content into small chunks to address a small objective , and usually that objective is one single objective . These are certainly trends to be aware of , and you and your children may have already been exposed to this learning modality .
I explore more about these topics , as well as the differences between the two and what micro learning is not on this episode . Let's get started . Actually , the term micro learning was coined back in 2005 by Research Studios Austria . Micro learning is also referred to as chunk size or bite size learning .
It allows flexibility of learning time and space , as well as the availability of multiple learning media choices from which to learn . Micro learning can either be technology based or non-technology based . It's applicable within the K-12 setting , within workplaces and in the higher education setting , especially for online courses .
With the increased use of digital devices , which have reduced a student's concentration span , engaging and vibrant micro learning environments are critically needed currently .
The goal of this less is more approach is to reduce unnecessary cognitive load and its associated stress as a hindrance to learning , so that the focus can shift to prioritizing the most essential skills and relevant content . It's all about increasing student engagement and learning .
Micro learning has now emerged as a learning approach in which information is processed in small , manageable pieces in order to better enable retention , engage students and provide micro content .
By focusing on these small , targeted chunks of specific information , absorption and retention become easier , taking deep comprehension and application of knowledge and making that more attainable . Micro learning works with the student's preference for video and other visual media over documents and even internet articles .
Providing students with short segment and installments of information increases retention as well as mastery of key concepts . Speaking of attention , attention has a direct impact on long-term memory , which improves students' knowledge retention as well as building links between new information and their existing knowledge base .
Students often pay attention in cycles , alternating between paying attention and not paying attention . That's why it's important for them to utilize interactive elements such as demonstrations or group work , as well as quizzes , in order to actively engage students .
One of the downsides of the extensive use of digital technology is that it forces people to multitask , in other words , it divides their attention between different tasks . This may or may not be a good thing .
Micro-learning seems to be a viable successor to e-learning because it meets the demands of today's world in that it needs to be available anytime and anywhere , does not overwhelm the user with information , needs to be interactive as well as offer diverse learning objects , and allows students to study at their own pace . Micro-learning is a natural cure for forgetting .
With a series of short micro-courses , specific skills can be attained and securely reinforced . Research indicates that micro-learning reduces the likelihood of mental fatigue because it's specific and short . Through repetition , information is transferred from short-term memory to long-term memory , which is where knowledge is built .
Micro-learning has following characteristics the lessons are relatively easy and short , the content is presented in small units , the form of the content is usually in episodes or fragments , the focus is on separate integrated activities so as to maintain attention , and the modality uses various media , including print media and online multimedia .
Micro-learning is constantly evolving and changing . It's simple , short and engaging and can typically be consumed in five to 20 minutes typically , although some lessons may run as long as one hour . What researchers have found is that using the lessons and presenting the lessons in five-minute intervals seems to work best for overall retention .
Micro-learning typically incorporates content presentation , review , practice reflection , behavioral prompting , performance support , task assignments , social interaction and coaching .
In a nutshell , micro-learning is an instructional unit that provides a short engagement and an activity intentionally designed to elicit a specific outcome from the participant , whether that participant is an adult learner , a student or a K-12 learner .
It is focused on performance , in other words , what the student is going to do as a result of the micro-learning experience . There are some things that micro-learning is not . It's not new . It's been researched for roughly 30 years . This application has grown because of the advent of mobile technologies . It's not a complete learning ecosystem .
It should be used in conjunction with other delivery methods , including classroom instruction , games and simulations . It's not a resource library . The emphasis is on some sort of learning or performance outcome . It's not right for every learning outcome .
In other words , it's not meant for deep reflection or building expertise or solving complex problems , and it's not about knowledge . It's about determining what the participant needs to do , not what they need to know . A practical example of micro-learning for adults is the platform Skillshare .
Some podcasts and micro-blogs are other examples of micro-learning that are utilized by adults . The use of these platforms can lead to lifelong learning for professionals , especially as they explore the ability to improve their knowledge and skills in order to keep up with research , new developments and breakthroughs in their field .
Now let's move on to what nano-learning is . Nano-learning refers to condensing micro-content into smaller units that are controlled and delivered by learners in order to achieve a single learning objective .
Nano-learning is just a smaller component of micro-learning , and the social media application TikTok could be a potential educational tool in the future because it enables the delivery of small learning units in a short time span , usually less than 60 seconds . Nano-learning is based on the principle of nano technology , which features small , self-contained unified pieces .
It's often applied to enable growth of micro-learning . An example of nano-learning would be short pieces of audio , video and graphical content . An example of micro-learning would consist of short-term learning objectives chopped into small units in order to achieve a learning objective .
Both micro-learning and nano-learning approaches are focused on introducing a single objective with scored and unscored assessments . The main difference between nano-learning and micro-learning is that micro-learning can be used in both formal and informal learning environments , compared to nano-learning , which can only be used in informal learning environments .
Nano-learning is an adaptive system that has close connections with information technology . Nano-learning lends itself to individualized and personalization of the learning process , which , in today's world , is a necessity . Nano-learning is a learning process designed to enable a student to learn a subject in a 10-minute period of time .
This primarily takes place via electronic media . Nano-learning is not a group program . The point of it is to give each student the exact capsule of information that he or she needs . By no means is nano-learning a substitute for comprehensive programs that address complex issues .
The format is more suited to tackle specific areas of a subject matter that are unclear or to explain narrow topics . Nano-learning is particularly popular among millennials and Gen Z or digital natives or zoomers , because this latter generation learns much more from short videos on Snapchat , tiktok and YouTube rather than in textbooks and other outdated learning modules .
This adds an entertaining content , provides students with the information that they need in a way that holds their attention . The digital natives are quite tech savvy , accustomed to using technology as a means of communication , entertainment and education . They prefer to learn in short bursts in multiple devices and they have short attention spans than previous generations .
Nano-learning is a way of delivering compressed information in an engaging format . It provides a few sound bites and offers valuable and relevant content through platforms such as Twitter or text messages .
The applications and platforms that I mentioned thus far are viral among millennials and GenC , which explains why they are the most active users of Nano-learning today , and let's talk a bit more about GenC or Zoomers , or digital natives for a moment .
While this generation is entering soon , or will be entering soon , into higher education , they have unlimited opportunities for receiving and processing information and knowledge , and they know how to find anything they need on the internet . They haven't seen a world without computers and gadgets .
For this generation , it's necessary to create an engaging educational setting with gamification elements , since they learn by watching and doing . They want practical and relevant information , but they also seek individualized , immediate , exciting , engaging , technologically advanced and visually based learning .
Micro-learning is one of the best and most efficient tools for teaching GenC students , since it's compatible with their learning habits . This generation's cognitive features include having a short attention span , decreased selective attention , short-term memory , mosaic thinking , lack of critical perception of information , increased suggestibility and immature communication skills .
They are physically unable to concentrate and process large amounts of information , yet another reason why micro-learning is particularly suited to them , because the information is delivered to them in short bursts .
They are able to be more creative and collaborative , since they grew up with social networking and messaging services , and they enjoy working in teams with their peers . They value autonomy and self-based learning . It's important to keep in mind that nano-learning is cool , but in no way is it an alternative to comprehensive professional development .
The main problem with nano-learning is that it is only a tiny part , a supplement and not a core course that would give more complete and extensive knowledge . Nano-learning is a way of presenting educational content , not the content itself . It can involve any content , it just depends on the educational goals .
Nano-learning can be used for any of the complexities of subject matter materials . It is a companion to the content . It's also adaptive and personalized , because it meets the student's learning needs , adopts and adapts to them , and is pretty much suitable for everyone . Here are some things to think about as you take action steps regarding this topic .
There's really no specific action steps to take regarding micro-learning and nano-learning . The main thing is to be aware that you or your children may experience using these educational approaches either in the classroom or in the workplace . These approaches are just another way to address individualized learning .
Be aware that this educational mode may be something that your child's teacher may be implementing in the classroom as part of that teacher's instructional method . Micro-learning has been used as a part of the lesson in classes such as chemistry , foreign languages , social studies and art history . Here are this episode's takeaways .
The term micro-learning was coined back in 2005 by Research Studios Austria . Micro-learning is also referred to as chomp-size or bite-size learning . It allows flexibility of learning time and learning space , as well as the availability of multiple learning media choices from which to learn . Micro-learning can either be technology-based or non-technology-based .
It is applicable within the K-12 setting , within workplaces and in the higher ed setting , especially for online courses . There are some things that micro-learning is not . It's not new , it's not a complete learning ecosystem , it's not a resource library , it's not right for every learning outcome and it's not about knowledge .
It's about determining what the participant needs to do , not what they need to know . Nano-learning is particularly suited for lifelong learning because it helps you learn about pertinent information pertaining to a particular topic of choice . Nano-learning is a way of presenting educational content not focusing on the content itself . It can involve any content .
It just depends on the educational goals . Nano-learning can be used for any complexity of material . It's a companion to the content . It's also adaptive , personalized , and it meets the student's learning needs , adapts to them and is pretty much suitable for everyone .
The main difference between nano-learning and micro-learning is that micro-learning can be used in both formal and informal learning environments , compared to nano-learning , which can only be learned in informal learning environments .
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Additionally , connect with me on Instagram and Facebook with the handle Kim J Fields , or reach out to me with a specific question by sending an email to Kim at liberation through educationcom . Thanks for listening today . I hope you'll come back for more K-12 educational discussions with even more exciting topics to untangle . Be sure to stay tuned .
On the next episode , I'll be sharing my thoughts about thinking consecutively versus thinking concurrently . Until next time , aim to learn something new every day .