Bitesized training is becoming increasingly popular in the world of online training. Anecdotally, it is considered more engaging, more effective and more aligned to the way we currently consume information and media. But what is the thinking behind these claims? What is the evidence that says we retain information more effectively if it is delivered to us in several short bites rather than in one longer course?

The ’Multi-Store Model’, devised by Atkinson and Shriffin in 1968, is a theory of memory that suggests we have three memory states – sensory, short-term memory and long-term memory.

The sensory store contains a vast amount of information about our environment – the majority of which decays because we don’t need it. Information that we do remember passes into the short-term memory.

Short-term memory data can be held there for a few seconds, minutes, or even hours, but it is very fragile – distraction or the passage of time can mean the memories are lost. Additionally, the short-term memory has limited capacity – Psychologist George Miller suggested that the average number of objects an individual can hold in their short-term memory at any one time is about 7 (plus or minus 2).

Information that is not lost through the short-term memory, passes into the long-term memory. An unlimited amount of information can be stored in the long-term memory for an unlimited amount of time. Therefore, in order to learn effectively, we need to commit training content to the long-term memory to ensure that the knowledge remains with us.

If we can only store a limited amount of information in the short-term memory at any one time, then it is unlikely that all the learning points in a long and detailed training course are going to be held in the short-term memory. A smaller piece of learning is more likely to be held in in the short-term memory and progress into the long-term memory to be stored forever.

This thinking is supported by John Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory which deals with the idea that the human brain has limited memory resources. The working memory is easily overwhelmed when processing large amounts of new or complex information which is why training information isn’t retained. The cognitive load is simply too much.

Cognitive Load Theory focuses on aligning cognitive science with teaching methods to ensure the most effective learning outcomes. Chunking, integration of visual aids, and clear instructions are just a few of the suggestions Sweller makes to create training that sticks. And of course, not overwhelming the brain with too much information in the first place is key. All of which can be applied to bitesized training.

Another key component in the journey to knowledge retention is repetition. Identified by German Psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus in the 1880s, the ‘Forgetting Curve’ found that within an hour of learning information people tended to forget up to 50%. Within 24 hours this could increase up to 70%, and by the end of the week, people had only retained about 25% of what they had been taught. We can assume that this is because 75% of the learning information hadn’t made it to the long-term memory.

His extensive research into memory retention discovered that ‘repetition and reinforcement are critical for retaining information over time.’ In order to increase the chances of learning content being retained in the long-term memory, we need to revisit the same information over and over again.

In summary therefore, training needs to be focused, concise, visually appealing, and regularly repeated. Training that delivers on these factors maximises the chances of knowledge entering the long-term memory and being retained.

However, for the training to even have a chance of entering the memory, we need to make sure that people actually do it. It’s all very well having a training style based on neurological understanding, but if no one does it, what’s the point?

There are two stages to driving people to carry out training. Firstly, they need to start the training, secondly, they need to complete it. This may sound obvious, but as in life, it is not guaranteed that if someone is motivated to start something, they will finish.

The chances of finishing the training are greatly increased with bitesized training. If the time taken to complete the training is short, then once started there’s a good chance it will be completed as there is less time for distraction and loss of motivation. Another tick in the box for bitesized training!

Trying to get people to do it in the first place is more of a challenge. There are three key tactics that SkillGate employs to encourage engagement with training:

• Nudging
• Obligation
• Tangible reward

We’ll start with nudging. Nudge Theory is a behavioural science theory that suggests people can be influenced to behave in predictable ways by considering how we present the choices to them. If nudge theory is applied effectively to training, the idea is that people can be encouraged to carry out the training required of them through subtle nudges in the right direction.

For example, SkillGate’s ‘SmartCafé’ learning hub, in the SkillGate LMS, publishes optional self-development training bites every day. Users can visit the SmartCafe and browse the training content at their convenience. However, due to the amount and variety of content, and the requirement to actively log in to the LMS, engagement isn’t always as high as expected.

To remedy this, once a week we send an email directly to users. The email is carefully crafted to cherry-pick the most relevant and useful training published that week, with catchy headers and engaging summaries designed to pique the users’ interest. Links in the email take users directly to the highlighted training bite, therefore nudging them to complete, while still offering the choice to browse if desired.

Arguably a stronger motivation to complete training is through obligation. In an ideal world, we want people to want to do training for themselves, but, feeling that you will be letting somebody else down if you don’t complete it adds another dimension.

SkillGate’s Traffic Light Compliance Management software has been created with this thinking in mind. It is set up to ensure that line managers take responsibility for their team’s mandatory training. Line managers will only appear as compliant on their training if all their team members are also compliant. This inevitably means that line managers will personally chase up their team if they have training outstanding to ensure their own compliance.

Assuming there is a respectful relationship between the two parties, the team member will feel guilty because their manager is non-compliant due to their non-compliance, so they will feel obliged to complete their training for their manager’s sake.

Finally, we come on to the idea of tangible reward. People are motivated by results. Holding a Certificate in your hand, or adding a Qualification to your LinkedIn profile, is motivational because they can be presented to others and understood. They are tangible results that say something to others about your knowledge and ability.

This is why Certificates, CPD Points, Badges, and accrediting bodies, are so vital to training providers. If people feel that they will be rewarded with something tangible on completion of training they are motivated to complete.

The argument with bitesized training is that the lesson is too short to warrant a tangible reward. Applying bitesized training completion to progress tracking connected to a tangible outcome solves this problem. The content within a Certificate course can be delivered in a series of bites, with the Certificate rewarded on completion of the full programme. CPD points can be allocated to relevant bites and contribute towards an overall training award.

In conclusion, therefore, while bitesized training is potentially a more effective way of training, simply adopting this style of training isn’t enough to motivate users to complete. We still need to think about how we motivate people to do the training. Nudging, obligation and tangible reward are a few key tactics that, if used effectively, can help to direct learners in the right direction and get them engaging with online training.