Microlearning is a form of informal learning that occurs outside of the traditional classroom in which an instructor provides face-to-face instruction to students. The government has developed PERLS, PERsuasive Learning System, a microlearning application, that incorporates both traditional and informal learning methodologies grounded in Self-Regulated Learning and Knowledge Building principles.
Microlearning has gained traction in the instructional technology community. Microlearning can be defined as a type of learning in which content is sequenced into small self-contained learning ‘chunks’ for ease of learner consumption. PERLS, PERsuasive Learning System, a microlearning application, incorporates both traditional and informal learning methodologies grounded in Self-Regulated Learning and Knowledge Building principles.
Microlearning
There is a distinction between traditional learning and microlearning can be made in three key areas: 1) reduction of learning content, 2) redesigning learning for small-units, and 3) support for self-regulated learning (Bruck, Motiwalla, & Foerster 2012). A general definition of self-regulated learning is that it is an active, constructive process whereby learners set goals for their learning and then attempt to metacognitively monitor, regulate, and control their cognition, motivation, and behavior, guided and constrained by their goals and the contextual features in the environment.
Self Regulated Learning
Self-regulated learning strategies are useful across various content domains. Specifically, self-regulated learning consists of three components: cognition, metacognition, and motivation. The cognition component includes the skills and habits that are necessary to encode, memorize, and recall information as well as think critically. Good self-regulating learners attempt to control their motivation and emotions in order to facilitate the attainment of their goal (Pintrich, 2000).
Figure 1 Concept Map reflects the research on Self-Regulated Learning and the three components: cognition, metacognition and motivation.
Figure 1: Self-Regulated Learning Research
PERLS technology allows users to consume content and test their knowledge in short periods of time. This allows learners to learn as they go, and on their time, especially while using PERLS on their mobile device. Microlearning on mobile devices allows users to learn on the go as they interact with the world around them (Semingson, Crosslin, & Dellinger, 2015). In this way, mobile microlearning can be designed to increase learning by making it more convenient and adapt long-form content into smaller chunks (Bruck, Motiwalla, & Foerster, 2012). Research suggests that enabling users to learn anytime and anyplace provides several benefits to learners, such as increasing information retention through repetition and utilizing spare time to complete or prepare for assignments (Doyle & Zakrajsek 2013, Bruck, Motiwalla, & Foerster, 2012).
Formal learning activities incorporated in PERLS include allowing goals, content, and content creation being set by instructors or someone other than the learner and the learner. PERLS incorporates peer-based learning, where content and information is gathered from peers. Learners and peers can share their knowledge with one another, creating a collaborative knowledge-building learning community that reflects how in-person classrooms function.
Knowledge Building Theory
Knowledge Building (KB) theory was created by Bereiter and Scardamalia (2002) for describing what a community of learners needs to accomplish in order to create knowledge. The theory addresses the need to informally educate people for the knowledge age society, in which knowledge and innovation are pervasive.
Knowledge building may be defined simply as "the creation, testing, and improvement of conceptual artifacts. It is not confined to education but applies to creative knowledge work of all kinds" (Bereiter, 2002). The twelve KB principles are listed in Table 1.
Microlearning Design Recommendations
There are a variety of microlearning design recommendations from academia and industry. Researchers aim to condense and validate these opinions, as well as understand the underlying microlearning design principles that are inherent and essential in existing and future mobile microlearning systems (Jahnke et al., 2019). The authors posit two phases: first, researchers conducted a large-scale literature review (including industry reports) on mobile microlearning and related topics. In phase two researchers conducted interviews with industry professionals addressing several questions related to the interviewee and their experience and skills in mobile microlearning and learning in general. When analyzing the results of these combined approaches, researchers derived eight condensed design principles in Table 2.
Academic research provides compelling points of comparison for mobile microlearning design tools and variations, it is also valuable to examine industry and government to identify effective design principles and best practices for applied settings. In a recent research report, eight leaders in industry contribute their knowledge and experience with Microlearning (Hogle, 2018). Some respondents reinforce principles derived in academia, such as that microlearning should be a multiplatform experience, dependent on the needs of the user, given there will always be a place for traditional learning to thrive. However, there are also some key principles not often reflected in literature. For example, respondents suggest that before beginning to design the microlearning, an instructional designer should first consider the business need or problem that the eLearning or training is intended to solve.
PERLS provides chunked courses with single topics that are easy to understand and are able to be completed in a short amount of time. In terms of instructional flow, PERLS utilizes different media, flexible learning paths, and hands-on practice through quizzes while incorporating immediate feedback. However, PERLS could benefit by developing specific gamified activities for rewarding, engaging, and motivating learners, such as a points-reward system which will be included in the next iteration. PERLS system design allows it to be easily accessed whether on mobile or desktop and the instructional side allows for learning tracking with push notifications included. Additionally, PERLS can be accessed offline when necessary. Because PERLS is government-owned, the guidance regarding a cost model does not apply as PERLS is an open source platform.
Table 3. Linking Microlearning, Self-Regulated Learning and Knowledge Building Activity Principles