Nanolearning is often called “the future of learning”. Yet, many students and educators still have no idea what the term means. Still, even without knowing, most people are already engaged in the process on a daily basis. 

And they love it, too: busy students google “write my essay for me” every time they’re breaking a deadline, employees who don’t want to waste the hours of their commutes… Even parents on a family leave.     

So, what is it, exactly? And how does it work? In this article, we’re going to answer these and other questions concerning this relatively new educational technique.      

What Is Nanolearning? 

The term consists of two parts: “nano” and “learning”. “Nano” comes from physics where it is used as a prefix to describe one billionth of something. Outside of science, this prefix indicates that something is extremely small – in our case, the bits of information a person consumes during one session. 

So, it’s not like you need to listen to a long speech https://essayservice.com/buy-speech that will bore you to death. In essence, nanolearning is “bite-sized” learning delivered in text or sound “bites”. One session typically takes around two minutes (sometimes up to ten minutes) and focuses on one skill or concept within a given objective.

Another essential quality of nanolearning is that it is delivered online via social media, messengers, or specialized platforms. 

How Does It Work? 

As we’ve already mentioned, most of us are already engaged in nanolearning. Here’s how exactly. 

Billions of people around the world have accounts on one – or all – of the following social media channels:

• YouTube;
• Instagram;
• TikTok;
• Twitter, and others. 

Additionally, they use messengers like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, etc., for communication, and follow public channels there. 

So, every time they read an informative social media post or a text message or watch a short video explaining something they didn’t know before, they learn.    

Who Is It For? 

Good news: it is for everyone! Though it is often promoted as an employee training method for companies struggling to keep their workers engaged, the technique is perfectly applicable to any other situation where no deep knowledge of the subject is required. 

Therefore, some experts believe that it can also be suitable for teaching general subjects to students. Their point is, the method is 100% capable of providing the amount of general knowledge necessary for life.

However, nanolearning might not be good for small kids, experts say. Though young children do consume information in small bites, they also have less basic knowledge and, thus, need more precise explanations. Still, if applied carefully, the method can be beneficial for this age group, too.    

Pros and Cons of Nanolearning 

Now, when we know what it is and how it works, let’s look more closely at the main pros and cons of this educational technique. 

Pros:

• Budget-friendly. 

You don’t need to pay tuition fees to watch instructional videos on YouTube or TikTok. Even specialized courses cost much less than a traditional degree program. 

• Convenient. 

You can study anytime, anywhere: during your commute, while waiting in a queue, having a cup of coffee at a cafe… the possibilities are endless. 

• Engaging.

Quality content for nanolearning is not only informative but also highly engaging. It usually starts with a hook and quickly gets to the point – so, boredom doesn’t stand a chance. 

• Doesn’t require long attention spans. 

Attention spans are growing increasingly shorter – so, sitting a 1.5-hour lecture can be a real torture. Content for nanolearning doesn’t require long periods of concentration, so it perfectly suits the way in which modern people consume information. 

• Helps set measurable goals.

When you read a textbook unit, it’s often hard to see at the end of the session if you’ve actually achieved your goals. You might retain some information, but not all of it, and you wouldn’t even know. But when the session is short, it’s easy to check the results.  

Cons: 

• Superficial.

Not necessarily so, but such content can often be superficial. Many concepts and skills cannot be taught in such a short time. Besides, educators often sacrifice depth for the sake of creativity and engagement. 

• Fragmented. 

Unless you buy a professionally tailored course, this method can only provide fragmented, unstructured knowledge. There’s nothing wrong with it if you only need to attain a specific skill or fill in the gaps – but if you need to grasp something complex, this should probably not be the method of choice. 

• Hard to verify. 

When you’re in academia, everything is clear: all of the staff members have their credentials, and you can be sure they know the subjects they teach. The students, in their turn, sit the exams and are assessed according to the results. 

But what credentials do the bloggers you’re following have? It’s often unclear. You can’t use that information to write a good dissertation PaperWritingService would provide you with. Besides, no course can provide anything equal to an academic degree. 

• Relies on technology. 

It is usually not an issue for developed countries, but in other parts of the world, a smartphone or a laptop with a stable internet connection can be a luxury. As nanolearning content is delivered via online platforms, it can often be unavailable for families that are less well off.   

Summing Up    

To sum everything up, nanolearning is a cutting-edge technique utilizing online platforms to deliver bite-sized, laser-focused, and highly engaging bits of educational content. It is relatively cheap, accessible, convenient, and suitable for practically everyone, so it is often called the future of learning. 

However, the method has its pros and cons and certain limitations, so it cannot be used as a substitute for traditional education.