Date: July 27, 2022
In a world where the lag between institutional education and market skills is increasing daily, learners are gravitating towards a new format for learning: the micro-course.
Learning research is increasingly pointing to evidence of the effectiveness of “microlearning” – short-term, focused study – in increasing the retention and confidence of learners. These findings are somewhat counterintuitive in the context of traditional education paradigms that stress extended commitment to topics and in-depth study.
While semester and year-long courses are undoubtedly critical to foundational learning, at Kira Learning we are excited about the potential of more compact learning experiences that expose students to new concepts and build their confidence and curiosity for deeper exploration.
"We are excited about the potential of more compact learning experiences that expose students to new concepts and build their confidence and curiosity for deeper exploration."- Kira Learning
The pandemic and long spells of online learning, in particular, have shown us the fatigue that prolonged remote classes can induce in students and educators alike.
Access to and equity in subjects like computer science are exacerbated because many young learners struggle to develop a sense of identity and belonging in the field of study. We believe the challenge, however, is less a function of the medium, and more how the medium is being deployed. Specifically, much of the shift to online learning that took place during the pandemic simply transposed the traditional classroom experience to a digital setting.
Because of the urgency in the shift to online learning, student learning experiences were not reimagined. We believe online education presents new and unique opportunities, particularly for computer science.
Micro-learning is a recipe for instilling life-long learning
Regular iteration in education promotes well-roundedness in every learner. It’s a result of absorbing various foundational concepts and being prompted to follow curiosity while always being offered pathways to new experiences and opportunities.
We need to equip every K-12 learner with the skills needed to thrive in a digital world, and microlearning is the best option to supply learners with multiple foundational skills while also preparing them to contribute to a professional landscape requiring constant adaptation.
Kira’s Senior Director of Product, Jagriti Agrawal, argues that knowledge of CS and AI is becoming fundamental to every sector of society.
“In today’s world, topics such as computer science and AI are a part of almost every application out there from medicine to space exploration to social media," said Agrawal. "It is becoming increasingly important that students understand the fundamentals of CS and AI so that they can make informed decisions about how they want to impact the world to make it a truly better place. That is why the Kira Learning micro-course introduces such topics along with the many industries and applications that are built from them.”
"One of the reasons I love teaching introductory CS is because I get to see students instantly go from being apprehensive to saying 'Wow, look what I can do!”- Dr. Christopher Gregg, Kira’s Head of Computer Science Education
After learning foundational skills like how to create simple software programs in a micro-course, students may feel more comfortable pursuing STEM topics more rigorously.
Or, they may become curious about a topic they hadn’t been exposed to before and decide they want to learn more about it - that is where long-term study can come into play.
“One of the reasons I love teaching introductory CS is because I get to see students instantly go from being apprehensive to saying “Wow, look what I can do!” They immediately want to learn more, and their confidence skyrockets. I have never seen that transformation from students in any other subject,” shares Dr. Christopher Gregg, Kira’s Head of Computer Science Education. Dr. Gregg has taught CS at all levels, ranging from high school introductory classes to Stanford graduate students.
Kira Learning believes that in order for CS and AI content to reach a wider audience, students and instructors will need tools and support that allow them to embrace micro-learning. Getting students to understand the power of CS and AI in their lives through micro-courses is the first step in nurturing the digital literacy that will serve them throughout their lives.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our AI Mini-Course and consider signing up!
The Kira Learning Team
