Over the last decade, large-sized businesses have embraced the concept of microlearning as a way to make their professional development programmes much more effective.
This has led to a number of platforms and microlearning apps that aim to improve the knowledge and overall performance of those who use them.
In recent years, small business owners have started to follow suit in an attempt to train their staff and subsequently run their operations as efficiently as possible.
If you are thinking of jumping on board this microlearning revolution, you might be wondering which is the best platform to use.
To provide you with some guidance, outlined below is a selection of eight leading ones to consider.
What are Microlearning Platforms?
A microlearning platform is a learning and development tool that breaks down content into bite-sized modules, which are designed to make them easier for employees to digest.
Often, these modules are embedded into their daily workflows and tasks, which ensures they can be learned without too much disruption.
Through microlearning platforms, learning and development teams can create more engaging and effective modules for their employees.
Typically, this is done by providing them with short bursts that help to develop their skills, improve knowledge retention and increase their overall performance.
Best Microlearning apps and platforms
There are several different microlearning apps and platforms available, each with its pros and cons. Here is a rundown of eight notable players in the market.
1. Wranx
At Wranx, we believe the best way to fit professional development into a business schedule without sacrificing its overall quality or level of engagement is to customise it.
By offering the most cost-effective microlearning app that is currently available, they help businesses drive impressive ROI and enhance their overall business operation for our customers.
The core of the platform is 2-minute daily learning drills, which provide learning experiences that are engaging and fun for employees. They feature the innovative ‘spaced repetition’ learning technique that has been scientifically proven to increase a person’s long-term knowledge.
Aside from the bite-sized learning, they also offer a gamified experience, flexible and mobile connectivity and trackable progress.
You can find out more about the app here.
2. EduMe
EduMe is a well-established training platform that possesses good microlearning capabilities.
It features LMS functionality and a course builder, which helps it to adapt to different situations and engage learners more effectively.
At the same time, it also has the capability to run surveys and discover trends and insights, although this can be a bit limiting in comparison to other platforms.
Thanks to its integrations, mobile friendliness and ease of shareable content, it is accessible to end users wherever they are. But it’s worth noting that some might find the organisation of learning material a bit of a challenge.
That said, as it is designed for employee training in the flow of work, it is a decent option for busy industries like retail.
3. TalentCards
TalentCards prides itself on enabling you to build microlearning courses in a very short space of time.
Among its more notable features is the ability to create an unlimited number of courses with AI assistance. It also has custom branding options and free plans for teams of less than five people.
You should find the interface easy and quick to pick up. However, the course builder, while being functional, can be a bit frustrating due to its limited administrative functions, which can lead to restrictions on questions.
It also doesn’t have as many customisation options in terms of sizes and fonts as other platforms on the market.
Overall, as it is a fairly new product to the market, you might be prepared to give it some leeway, as it will no doubt become even more robust with every new version that is launched.
4. Learnie
Learnie comprises a narrower solution that specifically focuses on microcredentials and microlearning to minimise distraction.
One of its main selling points is that it enables teams to create and share microlearning videos very rapidly through its mobile app, which offers seamless integration to their workflows and streamlines their overall experience.
It also has a reporting and analytics dashboard that offers a good overview of end-user progress.
On the downside, however, it does not have any advanced LMS features. Also, if you want to create longer content, it can result in unstructured and disorganised learning modules.
5. MobieTrain
Another application that is set up for microlearning, based around frontline training, is MobieTrain.
It strives to provide effective employee training by focusing on accessibility in different locations and accelerated learning within the flow of work.
Overall, it is renowned for being a platform that is social learning-enabled and boasts gamification options.
Unfortunately, however, technical issues on the dashboard can sometimes negatively impact user experience. It also only accepts YouTube as the video format at present, and its learning content only caters to hospitality and retail.
6. Cloud Assess
Cloud Assess is one of the most powerful training software solutions available on the market. It enables you to facilitate traditional learning, microlearning, and competency management through one central application.
The platform has a flexible course and assessment builder, which is operated via a drag-and-drop method to help you manage all your content creation requirements.
It also boasts notable features, including training automation and some others you’ll find on a comprehensive LMS (learning management system). Moreover, it provides the flexibility to run learning and development activities offline.
However, if you have more complex training requirements, it might not be the best solution to adopt.
7. Whatfix
Whatfix is a platform that facilitates the creation and management of learning materials, which can easily be applied to microlearning initiatives.
Among its key features is a course builder that allows for both microlearning and traditional learning programmes. It also has self-hosting and cloud options available, which you can adopt as per your preference, and the capability to translate content or run surveys.
Additionally, the video functionality is very good for visual learners, and the application has an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.
Although the course builder is straightforward to use, it might prove a bit difficult to modify your courses to be visually enticing. Whatfix also does not currently have a native mobile app you can use, and some of its analytics features might be too limiting for some organisations.
8. GoSkills
GoSkills is a platform that offers a course builder and LMS that centres around bite-size learning.
Featuring plans for organisations and individuals, it enables users to create courses quickly and counts ready-to-use integrations and customisation among its main features. There are even course templates you can embrace, as well as a convenient app that facilitates more effective mobile learning.
You might find that the functionality is not completely conducive to complex training needs. At the same time, the fact that no offline functionality is included might deter some people.
FAQs
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions small business owners have about microlearning apps and platforms.
What are microlearning platforms?
A microlearning platform is a software application that allows you to publish educational content in short form.
They differ from learning management systems (LMS) which tend to focus on the creation and distribution of content, as opposed to the administration of several development and learning programs.
Is microlearning effective?
Microlearning can be a very effective tool that can improve your knowledge retention by up to 50%. It does this by enabling you to focus on one particular part of a new subject, as opposed to the entire topic.
