Microlearning

Draft

Definition

Related forms of learning are "just in time open learning" and "on the spot learning". Microlearning mostly happens in an informal learning an particularly in a life-long learning context, but not exclusively. museum learning for example is a form of microlearning.

Forms of Microlearning

Theo Hug (2006:9) identifies various forms of microlearning and that can be identified through the following dimensions:

• Time: relatively short effort, operating expense, degree of time consumption, measurable time, subjective time, etc.
• Content: small or very small units, narrow topics, rather simplex issues, etc.
• Curriculum: part of curricular setting, parts of modules, elements of informal learning, etc.
• Form: fragments, facets, episodes, "knowledge nuggets", skill elements, etc.
• Process: separate, concomitant or actual, situated or integrated activities, iterative method, attention management, awareness (getting into or being in a process), etc.
• Mediality: face-to-face, mono-media vs. multi-media, (inter-)mediated, information objects or learning objects, symbolic value, cultural capital, etc.
• Learning type: repetitive, activist, reflective, pragmatist, conceptionalist, constructivist, connectivist, behaviourist, learning by example, task or exercise, goal- or problem-oriented, "along the way", action learning, classroom learning, corporate learning, conscious vs. unconscious, etc.

Tools

• A lot of social software, e.g. shared productions portals like Skillsfeed, or simple wikis like this one :)
• personal learning environments.

Links

• Microlearning.org (Through this website you can find various online publications, e.g. the 2005/6/7 electronic proceedings of the Microlearning conferences).

• Microlearning (Wikipedia)

References

• Gstrein, S.: Bridging the Gap between Work and Leisure – the Integrated Microlearning Approach. In: Proceedings of IADIS International Conference Mobile Learning 2006

• Hug, Theo (2006). Microlearning: A New Pedagogical Challenge (Introductory Note). in Hug, T et al. (2006).

• Hug, T., Linder, M., Bruck, P. A. (2006), Microlearning: Emerging Concepts, Practices and Technologies after e-Learning. Proceedings of Microlearning 2005. Learning & Working in New Media.

PDF, retrieved 17:42, 24 July 2007 (MEST).

• Hug, T., Linder, M. , Bruck, P. A.: Micromedia & e-Learning 2.0: Gaining the Big Picture Proceedings of Microlearning Conference 2006. Innsbruck: Innsbruck University Press, 2006. (There is PDF somewhere for this ...)

• Hug, Theo (ed.): Didactics of Microlearning. Münster u. a.: Waxmann (forthcoming)