Are Microlearning Platforms The Next Big Thing In Microlearning?

Are Microlearning Platforms The Next Big Thing In Microlearning?



Microlearning Platforms: Helping Companies Leverage Microlearning

The way we learn and absorb information has changed a lot. Microlearning is one of the most exciting advancements contributing to that change, offering bite-sized, easily understandable content that can fit perfectly into our schedules. Gone are the days of lengthy lectures and text materials; microlearning focuses on short and targeted learning experiences. Microlearning platforms recognize the need for quick and easy, yet effective, learning solutions and make designing and delivering content easier than ever. Let’s see why microlearning is the big thing and how platforms leverage their expertise to introduce more and more organizations to quick and effective learning solutions.

Why Is Microlearning So Popular?

When we learn something new, our brains are filled with information. Trying to absorb all of it in a short period of time, which is usually the case with traditional education and corporate training, can overwhelm us. When our cognitive load is severely increased, it’s only natural to have a harder time retaining what we just learned. Microlearning solves this by delivering content in smaller doses. After all, our brains tend to remember information more effectively when it’s presented in manageable pieces.

In addition, we need to take into account how busy modern employees are. Their tight schedules require training that doesn’t burden their lives. Microlearning is once again the key here. Instead of taking time out of their day for lengthy training sessions, employees can take short lessons during their breaks or between tasks. This flexibility makes it easier for companies to keep their workforce up to date without sacrificing productivity.  Let’s dive deeper into the platforms’ perks.

Why Microlearning Platforms Stand Out In The L&D World

Quick Content Creation

Wouldn’t it be great if you could design a fully functional and engaging microlearning course in just a few minutes? With a microlearning platform, you can. Many are built in such a way that even those with no experience can create and share learning content quickly. One of the features that often allows that is drag-and-drop, which makes the process of putting together learning modules almost effortless. With this feature, you can upload videos, translate content into 30 languages, add quiz cards and forms, customize courses to reflect your brand, and many other abilities with just a few clicks. Time is valuable for all of us, and the ability to produce quality educational content so quickly is extremely important.

Predesigned Templates

Most microlearning platforms come with an extensive library of predesigned templates. These cater to different training needs, from onboarding new employees to compliance training or even leadership skills development. And they’re not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. Each template can generate a meaningful lesson without sacrificing a polished and professional look. So, instead of starting from scratch, you can simply select a template that aligns with your goals, customize it with your content, and your microlearning course is ready. This not only saves time but also ensures that your final product looks professional—no one would even suspect that it’s your first time designing such a course.

AI-Assisted Course Creation

No modern platform should miss out on the possibilities of AI, and microlearning platforms are no exception. Some of them have AI-assisted course creation, meaning you can get suggested templates that automatically tailor your content to the props you give the platform. For example, if you type in “DEI training,” every template will reflect that. But it doesn’t stop there. You may even be able to generate AI videos in multiple languages and choose accents and voice expressions. There are usually different avatars you can choose to star in those videos, too. This level of automation not only saves time but also makes course creation accessible to anyone. So, a small business can create modules like a large corporation would.

UX

Microlearning platforms offer an engaging and intuitive user experience (UX). One of their biggest strengths is their simplicity. Thanks to their straightforward interface, even non-tech-savvy users can create content quickly. You find everything easily, as things are categorized and exactly where they’re supposed to be, so you can focus solely on designing and sharing their microlearning courses.

Accessibility

When it comes to accessibility, microlearning systems are your go-to tools. Most microlearning platforms offer content through a link that can be accessed on any device. This is perfect for learning on the go and suits busy users just right. The platforms are also accessible to people with disabilities. With features like text-to-speech, multimedia content of all types, large fonts, and many others, they give users the opportunity to enjoy microlearning even if other platforms restrict them unwillingly.

Conclusion

Each learning platform is unique, but as we read above, microlearning platforms stand out. It’s not only how simple and fast these platforms are; it’s that their mission is to help companies make the most of microlearning by democratizing it. It’s the perfect tool for all kinds of businesses, and it can make corporate training a walk in the park. So, if you’re curious to see what microlearning platforms are about, give them a try. It could be just what your team needs to make learning more effective.



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Sheetz accepting crypto at all locations

Sheetz accepting crypto at all locations


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Dive Brief:

  • Sheetz is now accepting cryptocurrencies as payment for in-store purchases at all locations through a partnership with digital payment company Flexa, the companies announced last week.
  • Consumers can pay with popular cryptos like bitcoin, ether and litecoin, along with stablecoins such as USD Coin.
  • While the fervor around cryptocurrencies has faded since its heights in 2021, the digital currencies are still making inroads into the convenience industry, both through deals like this as well as stores installing cryptocurrency ATMs.

Dive Insight:

After a trial run at select Sheetz Cafe stores that started in May 2021, according to a Flexa spokesperson, Sheetz has decided to expand this program across its whole footprint. 

With crypto being more popular among younger people according to data from crypto platform Bakkt, the ability to pay with digital currency could encourage these consumers to prioritize shopping at Sheetz. The technology integrates directly with Sheetz’s current point of sale system, according to the announcement.

Customers will need to download a separate app and load it with the cryptocurrency they want available to spend. To use the cryptocurrency at Sheetz, customers select it in the app, then scan the code it displays at checkout.

“We’ve always been committed to giving our customers more payment options,” said Sheetz executive vice president of Marketing and Supply Chain Ryan Sheetz. “We’re excited to make digital currency payments available at all our stores and to meet the growing interest in stablecoins among our customers.”

Customers who choose to pay with crypto can get $20 off their first purchase, according to the announcement. Flexa can also be used with the My Sheetz Rewards loyalty program.

While crypto payments are not common among c-stores, crypto ATMs, which allow customers to add various coins to their digital wallets, have cropped up at retailers like Jacksons Food Stores, Nouria, GetGo Cafe + Market and High’s.

Several retailers, including 7-Eleven, QuikTrip and Wawa, have dipped their toes into non-fungible tokens. These digital collectibles are secured on the same blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies.

Altoona, Pennsylvania-based Sheetz operates over 750 store locations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. 



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Learning In The Age Of AI: Empowering Organizations To Succeed

Learning In The Age Of AI: Empowering Organizations To Succeed


How AI-Powered Learning Is Shaping The Future

AI adoption is surging across industries, with the use of generative AI (GenAI) doubling from 33% in 2023 to 65% in 2024. [1] Corporations are certainly embracing AI, but what if I told you that AI adoption isn’t just a trend but a survival strategy?

There are major forces at play, including population changes, labor shortages, rising employee expectations, and organizational transformation, all of which are set to drastically impact how people learn.

So it’s no wonder that 72% of businesses are using AI across various business areas. [1] Incorporating AI into learning holds the potential to enhance Learning and Development (L&D), too.

With hyper-personalized experiences that adapt within the flow of work, analytical insights, and seamless automation, AI-driven learning platforms are set to empower companies to address skill gaps and productivity challenges. But AI isn’t without risks.

Selecting the right AI-driven learning technology to engage employees and equip them for the future of work has become essential for organizations today.

The Challenges Facing Today’s Enterprises

Enterprises are facing a brave new world—one where global birth rates are steadily declining with an aging population about to retire. [2]

In other words, we’re losing more experienced workers than we can replace, leaving companies without the “tacit knowledge” built over years.

World population growth graph

The annual growth rate of the world’s population is steadily declining. Source: UN Population Division

This tacit knowledge—the insights and expertise carried only in a person’s mind—is what separates an experienced worker from a novice. Now, with an entire generation leaving the workforce, enterprises are facing a brain drain. It’s like losing the recipe to your favorite family dish just before the holidays.

So, there are fewer workers to do the work, and now they also have to juggle learning about and working with AI. According to the World Economic Forum, 23% of jobs will be impacted by AI by 2027. [3] But the truth is we’re already impacted.

Companies lose critical expertise and institutional knowledge

We’re losing experienced employees quicker than new workers can fill their roles. This significantly widens the skill gap as companies lose critical expertise and institutional knowledge. Source: US Bureau of Labor

Sixty-one percent of employees have tried AI at work at least once, and yet it’s highly likely the majority are learning on their own time. [4] Research performed by Docebo showed that 70% of workplace learning happens off the clock.

It’s a little like expecting an athlete to train and prepare on their own, and then, when the big game comes, perform flawlessly. And if they don’t? Well, they might start looking for a coach who’ll meet them where they are—during work hours.

Without opportunities to learn in the workplace, 67% of employees are more likely to switch to a new employer. [4] Upskilling has never been more important, and employees see it as a differentiator.

Today’s employees also have heightened expectations for meaningful work experiences, including personalized learning and development.

The corporate learning landscape is also expanding. Enterprises are investing in educating not just employees but also clients and partners—expanding their learning audiences beyond traditional boundaries.

Data from Docebo shows that companies have doubled their external training efforts. A recent study by Brandon Hall Group indicates that over half of organizations now offer learning to external, non-employee groups such as customers, channel partners, distributors, resellers, and franchisees. [5]

Enterprises are also expanding learning use cases

According to Docebo’s customer data, enterprises are also expanding learning use cases. In the span of ten years, many organizations have more than doubled their external training through customer education and partner enablement. Source: Docebo

How, then, can organizations adapt to these challenges?

The Role Of AI In Transforming Learning At Work

This is where AI-powered learning platforms could shine.

Imagine a world where the virtual assistant on your computer isn’t just guiding you through content but personalizing your entire experience. Advanced AI tools are cataloging, sorting, and suggesting the content you need most, much like Netflix serves up the next series to binge.

With AI-driven deep search and auto-tagging, learning materials are no longer buried; they’re just a click away.

Imagine the grind behind content creation: it can take over 100 hours to produce a single hour of training material. But with AI, this process speeds up dramatically. [6]

AI-driven analytics can pinpoint gaps in knowledge, allowing training to target real needs while also transforming that elusive tacit expertise into organized, searchable insights that foster collaboration.

Yet, AI isn’t flawless. Its decisions can be opaque, sometimes even “hallucinating” or mirroring biases.

That’s why a solution like Docebo’s, which takes a pedagogy-first approach, insists on AI that’s transparent, explainable, and reliable. Reflecting this commitment, Docebo partnered with TEDAI Vienna to explore AI’s transformative impact on society alongside global thought leaders.

Let’s explore how one company harnessed AI to redefine its approach through a case study.

Real-World Success With AI: The Booking.com Case Study

Before switching to Docebo’s AI-powered learning platform, Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, faced a mountain of manual work, from sending emails to managing calendars for over 15,000 employees.

With Docebo, however, Booking.com consolidated their tech stack, with integrations like Google Calendar and Workday, automating notifications and personalizing learning efforts.

The results? They scaled learning programs by 30% and increased Subject Matter Expert training by 40%, without causing strain to their administrative overhead. In fact, administrative time dropped by 80%, saving more than 800 hours annually.

Conclusion: The AI-Powered Future Of Learning

So, can AI truly bridge the gaps it sets out to fill? Yes—but there’s nuance. Like many innovations, AI holds immense potential for clarity, insight, and transformation. But it can also introduce biases. That’s why it’s critical to prioritize building AI systems that are inspectable, explainable, and open to human oversight.

One thing is certain: in the workplace of the future, AI isn’t just a tool. It’s a partner. And it will be essential for supporting employee development and addressing skill gaps, labor shortages, and the increased demands of today’s enterprises. By offering personalized, data-driven learning paths, AI will enable employees to learn within the flow of work, promoting both productivity and adaptability.

References:

[1] The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

[2] Global fertility has collapsed, with profound economic consequences

[3] Why is the Reskilling Revolution needed?

[4] Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024

[5] Hidden Opportunities in Extended Enterprise Learning

[6] How Long Does It Take to Develop Training? New Question, New Answers


eBook Release: Docebo

Docebo

Docebo is the world’s most powerful learning platform, built for the business of learning.



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Dollar Tree CEO steps down

Dollar Tree CEO steps down


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Dive Brief:

  • Rick Dreiling stepped down as CEO of Dollar Tree on Sunday, the company said in an announcement late Monday. Dreiling also resigned from the company’s board. He is leaving due to personal health issues after leading the company for nearly two years.
  • Dollar Tree named Chief Operating Officer Michael Creedon interim CEO. The retailer said its board has initiated a search for a permanent CEO, which will include internal and external candidates.
  • Additionally, Ned Kelly was elected board chairman following Dreiling’s departure. Kelly joined the board in 2022 and was re-elected to the position for the past two years.

Dive Insight:

Dreiling’s departure comes as Dollar Tree is navigating several business challenges. They include a strategic review of its Family Dollar banner, plans to close about 1,000 stores — most of them Family Dollar locations — and financial performance that has fallen short of expectations. 

“With my health presenting some new challenges over the past two months, the time is right for me to step away and focus on myself and my family,” Dreiling said in an announcement. “I have been honored to serve the customers and associates of Dollar Tree and Family Dollar since 2022. Having worked side-by-side with Mike, I am confident in his strong leadership, deep passion for our business and ability to create value.”

Dreiling’s unexpected exit limits visibility on the company’s forward-looking strategy and execution and could affect key business decisions during the holidays and into 2025, analysts with Telsey Advisory Group, led by Joe Feldman, said in a Tuesday morning note. 

“We believe Mr. Dreiling’s experience in the dollar store industry played a key role in understanding the business, designing the strategy for both banners, and taking bold actions to revive the business,” Feldman said. Dreiling was formerly the CEO of Dollar General. 

Creedon joined the company in 2022 as COO. He took on oversight of merchandising and supply chain for Dollar Tree and Family Dollar in February. He joined the company from Advance Auto Parts, where his last position was executive vice president and president of U.S. stores.

Creedon’s annual base salary will rise to $1.1 million as interim CEO, according to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He will also receive long-term incentive awards with an aggregate value of $2.25 million and a cash bonus of $500,000 at the end of the 2024 fiscal year for assuming leadership during the Family Dollar strategic alternatives review process. The bonus is contingent on meeting certain performance objectives related to the Family Dollar review. If Creedon’s employment is terminated for cause or he resigns within three years, the bonus must be fully repaid.

Health issues caused Dreiling to miss the company’s Q2 earnings call in September, which Creedon led in his absence. As he steps into the interim CEO role, “Mr. Creedon is well-suited to lead the company, given his familiarity with the operations over the past two years and his active participation in designing the strategy and managing day-to-day operations,” Telsey’s analysts said. 

Dollar Tree on Monday also reiterated its commitment to complete a review of strategic alternatives for its Family Dollar segment. Telsey’s analysts said “the review is needed, given the company has tried reviving the segment multiple times and has failed to show much progress.” 

Based on its 2026 projections, Telsey estimated Family Dollar could obtain a valuation of $2.5 billion to $5.5 billion. “We believe a spinoff could be easier to execute, but a sale would be better to generate cash to invest and repurchase shares.” The company operated about 16,300 stores in 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of Aug. 3.



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Women’s Aid and Claire Throssell MBE take to Downing Street to urge the Government to end avoidable deaths as a result of unsafe child contact with petition supported by over 100,000 people

Women’s Aid and Claire Throssell MBE take to Downing Street to urge the Government to end avoidable deaths as a result of unsafe child contact with petition supported by over 100,000 people


Women’s Aid and Claire Throssell MBE take to Downing Street to urge the Government to end avoidable deaths as a result of unsafe child contact with petition supported by over 100,000 people

 

Claire Throssell at No.10

  • Two weeks after Claire Throssell MBE commemorates the 10-year anniversary her beloved sons’ tragic deaths, a petition with over 100,000 signatures, is handed into 10 Downing Street, urging the Government to put an end to avoidable child deaths and for family courts to centre child safety in all decisions.
  • The hand in was followed by a special parliamentary event aimed at encouraging representatives in the House of Lords, who previously blocked the asks of the Child First campaign, to support changes to the presumption of child contact in family court proceedings and better protect children who have experienced domestic abuse.

Yesterday, leading domestic abuse organisation Women’s Aid and Survivor Ambassador Claire Throssell MBE, delivered a petition calling for the Government to prioritise the safety of children by ending unsafe child contact with dangerous perpetrators of domestic abuse, supported by over 100,000 people to 10 Downing Street.

The petition, which is part of the Child First campaign, was handed in two weeks after the 10-year anniversary of Jack and Paul, Claire’s beloved sons, tragic deaths. The boys, aged just 12 and 9 at the time, were killed by their father after he deliberately started a fire during unsupervised child contact. This contact had been granted by the family courts because of the pro contact culture of the institution and the presumption that states children should have contact with both parents, despite Claire disclosing domestic abuse and warning that the boys were unsafe.

Initially, the petition was handed in back in 2017 with 42,000 signatures, and while it was well received, the House of Lords then blocked amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill (now Act) which would have removed the presumption of child contact in family courts, prioritising the safety of children and putting an end to unsafe child contact with dangerous perpetrators.

With an extra 60,000 supporters, the petition has been taken to the new Labour Government who previously committed to introducing a statutory framework which clearly states the presumption does not apply where there is domestic abuse towards a child or parent in their Violence Against Women and Girls Green Paper.

A special parliamentary event in the House of Lords followed the petition hand in, urging Peers to recognise the harm that the presumption of child contact causes, and encouraging support for changes to the damaging pro-contact culture of the family courts.

Powerful speeches were delivered by Sarah Hill, the Chair of the Board of Women’s Aid, Claire Throssell MBE, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs, and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, all highlighting the urgent need for change to an archaic and outdated presumption that put children in danger.

On the campaign and the need for change to save lives, Baroness Hazarika saidThe tragedy of so many cases of domestic violence is that the woman knew what lay ahead for her and her kids. She knew… in her bones… and she told people, and no one believed her. I really hope that we can get to a place where we can try to create a survival system which is designed for women and children.”

10 years on from the tragic killings of Jack and Paul, children continue to be put at risk though the authorisation of unsafe child contact with dangerous perpetrators of domestic abuse. Action must be taken now to reform the presumption of child contact and address the deeply harmful attitudes towards domestic abuse in the family courts which are putting young lives at risk.

The upcoming Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill presents a new opportunity for much needed reform to the family courts which will make the safety of survivors a priority. Likewise, a timeline on the delivery of the Harm Panel’s recommendations needs to be a key part of the upcoming VAWG strategy refresh, if the Government are committed to making tangible change for women and children going through traumatising family court processes.

Sophie Francis-Cansfield, Head of Policy at Women’s Aid, said “The family courts have long presumed that it is in a child’s best interests to have contact with both parents, and while this doesn’t apply where there is evidence of risk of harm to a child, the strong pro-contact culture – as found and confirmed by an independent government review – often hinders the required threshold being reached. Children are being put in direct harm by an outdated presumption that overlooks the dynamic of domestic abuse and actions of perpetrators and does not align with the legal recognition of children as victims in their own right.

Women’s Aid is honoured to be campaigning alongside Claire and stand in solidarity with her as she pushes for life-saving change, and all women and children who have been affected by the family courts. We are grateful to all the people who have signed the petition, showing the broad support for this urgently needed change to protect the lives of children.”

The post Women’s Aid and Claire Throssell MBE take to Downing Street to urge the Government to end avoidable deaths as a result of unsafe child contact with petition supported by over 100,000 people appeared first on Women’s Aid.



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