In today’s attention economy, the battle for our focus is fierce. In this environment, traditional lengthy training sessions feel increasingly antiquated. Enter nanolearning, microlearning’s rebellious younger sibling and your learning programme’s secret weapon.
This learning approach delivers knowledge in perfectly-pithy, hyper-focused, bite-sized bursts. Just picture this:
- A sales rep watching a 30-second video on objection handling right before a call.
- A caregiver reviewing a short infographic on hand hygiene protocols between shifts.
- A language learner mastering new words via push notifications on their commute.
It’s hard not to be excited by the potential, right? Well, in this article, we’re conducting a big exploration of nanolearning, including what makes it distinct from microlearning, its key benefits and challenges, and tips for implementing it within your organisation.
Small bites, massive impact. Let’s begin!
What is Nanolearning?
Nanolearning is a learning approach that focuses on delivering educational content in extremely short, informal bursts. So, clearly size matters. But, when we say ‘extremely short’, what do we mean?
While nanolearning experiences can technically be anything under three minutes (anything longer steps into microlearning territory), we’ve found that aiming for around 45 seconds hits the sweet spot. There’s a few reasons for this:
- The average TikTok video length is 42.7 seconds.
- Studies show our attention span has dropped to 47 seconds.
- And it’s also enough time to actually teach something meaningful.
That said, this isn’t a magic number. Your ideal length will vary depending on the complexity of the topic at hand, your learning objective, and target audience. As always, your content should be as long as it needs to be to get your point across.
Key Characteristics of Nanolearning
Nanolearning brings hyperfocus to every learning experience. Its goal is to deliver just the essential information needed for a learner to grasp a concept, pick up a (simple) skill, or get a quick answer, without them needing to rely on lengthy study sessions.
But, let’s expand on this further. Here are the key characteristics of nanolearning, as we see them:
- Ultra-Concise: A central feature of nanolearning content is its remarkable brevity. It’s all killer, no filler. That means it’s stripped down to the absolute essentials, with extraneous information removed.
- Hyper-Focused: Each nanolearning experience tackles a specific learning objective. That means there’s no rambling or getting sidetracked, making learning efficient and to the point.
- Self-Contained: Even though nanolearning is lightning quick, each piece still stands on its own. In other words, you shouldn’t need any background knowledge or extra help to understand the core message.
- Media Rich: Nanolearning isn’t afraid to use any engaging format that helps to get the learning goal across quickly. Think videos, snappy visuals, quick interactions, and so on.
Just like with microlearning, nanolearning often works best when you build on each quick lesson to cumulative effect. Think of it like stacking building blocks. Each small piece should fit easily on top of the last, creating a better sense of understanding over time.
The Origin of Nanolearning
The underlying concept of breaking down information into smaller, manageable chunks for easier learning has been used in education for a long time. For instance, the first modern flashcards are thought to have been used back in 1834.
However, the term ‘nanolearning’ is still relatively new. It’s thought to have been coined by learning expert Clive Shepherd, in a blog post he wrote back in 2005. Unfortunately, this foundational article now seems to be lost in the digital ether.
Wondering where the name came from? Well, ‘micro’ and ‘nano’ are both prefixes in the metric system, showing just how tiny something is:
- Micro: Represents a factor of a millionth (10-6)
- Nano: Represents a factor of a billionth (10-9)
This makes ‘nanolearning’ the perfect name that’s something that’s even quicker than microlearning. For our purposes, however, let’s now draw an even clearer line between these two related but distinct learning methodologies.
Nanolearning vs Microlearning
Nanolearning is microlearning’s even shorter, even trendier relative. But, what exactly sets them apart? And what’s the deal with macrolearning? Fret not, we’ve neatly summarised everything you need to know in the table below.
| Feature | Nanolearning | Microlearning | Macrolearning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Very specific, single point | Specific, small set of points | Broad and comprehensive |
| Duration | Under 3 minutes | 3-10 minutes | Hours, days, weeks |
| Depth | Very shallow, high level | Shallow to moderate | Deep and expansive |
| Objective | Quick understanding | Focused learning | In-depth knowledge |
| Integration | Standalone stackable resource | Standalone stackable resource | Single structured experience |
In other words, these three approaches offer a spectrum of granularity. Naturally, they all have their place within a comprehensive learning strategy. The key is to choose the right format based on your learning objectives, audience, and context.
Think of it this way: Macrolearning is like a full YouTube playlist, microlearning is like a single YouTube video, and nanolearning is the equivalent of a YouTube Short, a TikTok video, or an Instagram Reel.
However, it’s important to remember that platforms like YouTube and TikTok are simply ways to deliver nanolearning content. They aren’t defining features of nanolearning itself. To underline this point, let’s explore some further examples.
Examples of Nanolearning
We’ve got the formal definition down, but let’s paint a picture. What does nanolearning actually look like? Below we’ve detailed some real-world examples, so you can see how these bite-sized learning experiences can be brought to life.
- Short Videos: Quickfire video content that focuses on demonstrating simple skills, explaining concepts visually, or delivering a speedy ‘how-to’ guide.
- Audio Snippets: Short audio recordings that deliver focused information. This is great for quick explanations, pronunciation guides, or even motivational messages.
- Short SMSs or Emails: Concise text-based messages that deliver a single piece of information. This could include, for example, a quick tip or a call to action.
- Simple Infographics: Eye-catching visuals that make information and data easy to understand. The key here is to let your graphics and diagrams do the talking.
- Flashcards: Digital or physical cards that contain a single piece of information. These are designed for quick review and easy memorisation.
- Question of the Day: A daily prompt or question designed to stimulate brief thought, reflection, or the quick application of knowledge.
- Forum Posts: Short, focused online discussions that address a specific point. For example, you could pose a training scenario and ask everyone to jump in with their thoughts.
The Science Behind Nanolearning
You could argue that all learning is one big battle against the forgetting curve. It’s thought that we forget 50% of everything we learn within 24 hours. Thankfully, nanolearning helps us to fight back and remember more.
It does this by minimising cognitive demand, sharpening our focus, and effortlessly slotting into our lives. But, let’s dig deeper. Here are just a few of the ways nanolearning aligns with how our brains prefer to absorb, process, and retain information:
- Attention Spans: As we’ve seen, our attention spans are shrinking at an alarming pace. That’s why we’re all gravitating towards bite-sized content more and more. Case in point: 96% of consumers now lean towards short-form content, and 71% of viewers judge a video’s worth within the first few seconds.
- Working Memories: Unfortunately, our brains can only keep track of a few things at once (around 3 to 5 bits of information). Pile in any more and you’ll soon create a cognitive traffic jam. This is where nanolearning really shines, delivering information in small, digestible chunks that our brains love.
- Spaced Repetition: The short and sweet nature of nanolearning makes it a perfect fit for spaced repetition. After all, you can easily swing back to these little lessons on a regular basis to give your memory a boost. And the science backs this up: spaced repetition is a powerful way to combat the forgetting curve.
- Micro-Achievements: There’s big value in small wins. Finishing a quick nanolearning module gives you that instant ‘I did it!’ feeling. And these little victories can add up quickly. Just imagine the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment you’ll get from zipping through ten videos while your coffee’s still hot.
The Benefits of Nanolearning
There’s already a wealth of research into the benefits of microlearning (see here, for example). Naturally, you would expect many of these advantages to transfer over to nanolearning, since it’s a similar but amplified approach.
However, to keep our focus sharp, the evidence we’ll explore in this section comes directly from research centred on nanolearning itself.
- Increased Engagement: We all know that long, drawn-out training sessions can lose people pretty quickly. Thankfully, short-form content doesn’t have this problem. Indeed, this study found that learning on platforms like TikTok had a ‘beneficial impact on the learners’ performance [and] self-perceived engagement.’
- Higher Satisfaction: There’s usually a direct line between increased engagement and higher learner satisfaction. And that definitely rings true with nanolearning. According to this survey, 90% of students say they ‘like’ nanolearning videos and 85% felt the videos improved their understanding of the material.
- Improved Performance: Satisfaction is great, but the real win is if it actually helps people to learn better. And we have some good news! According to this study, nanolearning more than doubled students’ critical thinking test scores (with a 133% increase!). Likewise, further research found that nanolearning techniques led to test scores that were 25% higher than average.
- Better Balance: Josh Bersin’s research suggests that your employees only have 24 minutes per week to spare for formal learning. Asking them to squeeze in long training sessions is a tough ask. So, why not challenge them to slot 24x individual nanolearning experiences into their busy schedules instead?
- Real Application: Because each nanolearning module concentrates on one specific learning objective or skill, they often deliver a takeaway that’s clear and immediately applicable. Data backs this up, with the majority of students strongly agreeing (61%) or somewhat agreeing (33%) that they plan to apply what they’ve learned in their nanolearning content.
With learners more engaged, applying what they’ve learned, and performing better, it’s easy to envision the impact that nanolearning could have on your organisation. Plus, let’s not forget that it’s faster to develop and more budget-friendly than both macro and microlearning!
The Limitations of Nanolearning
If nanolearning amplifies microlearning’s benefits, it also doubles down on its limitations. For example, content that’s this short can’t help but lack depth. If your goal is to convey intricate, nuanced information, then this approach simply won’t cut it.
In other words, you shouldn’t expect to catapult your learners to the highest levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy with just one nanolearning bite. After all, critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation need time, discussion, and the opportunity for reflection.
What’s more, because time in each module is so tight, showing your learners broader connections is tough. This missing context of how everything fits together is a real loss for your learners. This also piles extra pressure on learning professionals, who need to work even more carefully to ensure the sequence of these short bursts is effective.
As ever, it’s important to view nanolearning as a useful tool within your learning toolkit, not a cure-all. It’s best used for specific purposes, such as driving interest, introducing simple concepts, delivering quick tips, or reinforcing knowledge.
How to Implement a Nanolearning Programme
Let’s face it, our focus isn’t expanding, distractions are the new normal, and your learners can’t magic extra time out of nowhere. So, there’s no better moment than right now to start crafting your own nanolearning programme.
And guess what? We’ve got your back. Here’s our straightforward, seven-step guide to help you make it happen:
- Establish Your Objectives: Start with the end in mind. What should your learners know, do, or feel after completing your nanolearning programme? Make sure you align these goals with broader organisational priorities, whether this happens to be boosting productivity, improving compliance, or enhancing skills.
- Find Your Use Case: As we’ve seen, you can’t throw nanolearning at every training challenge. Instead, review your existing training programmes and identify areas where learners struggle with specific concepts or tasks. Alternatively, break down larger skills or key messages into granular, single-objective learning outcomes.
- Select Your Formats: Now that you’ve got your topic and goal sorted, think about how your learners will best connect with the information. Choose formats that directly support what you want them to learn. Short videos are often a winner, but whatever you pick, make sure it’s easy to view and interact with across devices.
- Create Your Content: Next up, the exciting part! You’re ready to start building. Rally your subject matter experts, instructional designers, and other key team members. Ensure they’re briefed properly, so that they’re able to distinguish essential information from ‘nice-to-know’ details. Your main focus should always be delivering that key message clearly and concisely.
- Integrate Into Your Ecosystem: By now you should be armed with a bounty of high-impact nanolearning modules. Next step? Getting them into the hands of your learners. Choose a learning platform that empowers you to build short, focused journeys with these modules. This will give your programme structure and help learners build deeper understanding.
- Promote Your Programme: Just like with anything new, take a moment to explain to your learners why you’re introducing nanolearning. Highlight what’s in it for them. Note the convenience, the quick wins, and the easy learning opportunities. Build some buzz around your programme so that it feels like a welcome change.
- Test & Iterate: Before launching to everyone, why not start with a small test group? This lets you gather real feedback and make improvements based on what they say before a wider rollout. You should also keep an eye on how people are interacting with your nanolearning and how they’re progressing using your learning platform’s reports.
The Power of the Influencer
Here at Growth Engineering, we often recommend that learning professionals borrow a trick or two from the marketing world. This could mean running your own internal campaign to promote learning, or even building a recognisable ‘learning brand’.
But as you embrace shorter-form video content, new considerations will soon come to mind. After all, with less time to connect, making a real impact is crucial. So, how can you make those short bursts genuinely entertaining and memorable?
Think about what grabs your attention on platforms like TikTok. It’s often content that feels personal and comes from individual creators. Brands and organisations typically don’t have that same individual, relatable vibe. Put simply, a nanolearning programme that feels too ‘corporate’ is going to have a hard time landing with your audience.
With this in mind, we’d recommend choosing an engaging and charismatic presenter who can really connect with your learners throughout their nanolearning experience. You should also empower them to be their authentic self. In doing this, you’ll unlock the following benefits:
- More viewers: 67% of B2B brands use influencer marketing to drive awareness.
- Higher trust: 54% of B2B brands use influencer marketing to raise credibility.
- Better engagement: 37% of B2B brands use influencer marketing to boost engagement.
Final Words
In an attention-scarce world, embracing learning approaches that cut through the noise to deliver real results is key. Nanolearning, with its hyper-focused, bite-sized lessons, helps you to do just that.
This approach is a reminder that sometimes the smallest interventions can yield the biggest results. But remember, you can’t just slice and dice your existing content. You need a thoughtful plan for how you introduce and manage your microlearning initiatives.
Start small (pardon the pun), try out different formats, learn from what works on social media, and focus on delivering real value to your learners. Do this, and you’ll be amazed at the progress you can make. The nano-revolution in learning is now in full swing!
Thanks for reading. If you’ve enjoyed this content, please connect with me here or find more articles here.
Ready to take your learner engagement to the next level? Download our free guide, ‘150 Learner Engagement Tips‘ and unlock a bounty of strategies to supercharge your approach!
