With complex learning units, you burn time and money: If your participants are bored or do not understand the content, you can save yourself the work. That is why Learning Nuggets based on the microlearning principle are THE method for sustainable learning. Read the article to learn how to think big in small terms.
These are Learning Nuggets
A Learning Nugget is a small learning unit. The focus is 100% on one topic or one message. Similar to an Elevator Pitch, a Learning Nugget is meant to convey a single statement as compactly and understandably as possible. To ensure long-term learning success, a Learning Nugget should also be attractively structured and spark interest in more. (👉 How to build complete online courses from small units)
In short, a Learning Nugget should:
a short learning unit
many formats possible (text/image/quiz/video, etc.)
convey a single statement
be clear and understandable
spark interest in the topic
end with a call to action
If you use many Learning Nuggets in a row, you should also pay attention to the following:
Make a connection to the previous Learning Nugget.
Refer to the next Learning Nugget.
Group related Learning Nuggets into chapters.
Vary the format (text/image/quiz/video).
Why is a learning unit called a Learning Nugget?
In German, we use the term mainly for small pieces of chicken (Chicken Nuggets). Originally, a nugget is a small lump of pure gold. Either way, a nugget is above all one thing: small! For use in e-learning, the analogy to chicken pieces works in that your learning units should be as tasty as possible (to be taken with a wink). And the gold analogy fits insofar as your learning units contain valuable messages.
That’s what we imagine when we think of nuggets: pieces of chicken and gold nuggets. Both share one thing: They are small parts of a larger whole.
How short can a Learning Nugget be?
In principle, a Learning Nugget should be as short as possible and as long as necessary. In the context of e-learning or blended learning, this means: Each nugget should be fully graspable within a maximum of 2 minutes.
By the way: The blink.it learning platform consists of individual Blinks that work exactly like a Learning Nugget. Read more about it in this article: What is a Blink? The 2-minute learning concept
However, you should not be overly meticulous about a very specific amount of time. If you want to shorten existing learning content, ask yourself instead: What is the message you want to convey? You should be able to formulate each message in one sentence.
Rule of thumb: If you find multiple messages in a learning unit, you can create multiple Learning Nuggets from it.
A good Learning Nugget could look like this:
(2 sentences) Introduction from the previous topic / Learning Nugget
(2 sentences) Description of the problem
(1 sentence) Message
(2 sentences) Significance for the learner
(1 sentence) Call to action: What should the learner do now?
You can see: A total of eight sentences probably won’t even fill two minutes. Don’t orient yourself by the clock, but by introduction – message – call to action. This will automatically make your Learning Nugget as short as possible and as long as necessary!
Examples of Learning Nuggets
A Learning Nugget can take many forms. Besides text or video, a mini-quiz or part of a larger quiz is also possible. Or you can let images speak for you and add only a short call to action to the image along with your message. The rule "Adapt the format to the goal" (and not the other way around) is especially important for Learning Nuggets.
To give you vivid examples of Learning Nuggets, I’ll next show you excerpts from the Rocket Pack – the blink.it card game for blended learning. Like Learning Nuggets, it is based on the microlearning principle and contains 40 methods on 40 cards.
Example 1: A Learning Nugget as an image
This is what a Learning Nugget could look like if it contains an image as its main content. Think of the components of a Learning Nugget: introduction – message – call to action.
Example 2: A Learning Nugget as a quiz
This is what a Learning Nugget could look like in quiz format:
Example 3: A Learning Nugget as a video
Finally, here is an example of a Learning Nugget in video format:
YOU design your Learning Nuggets!
Let’s take a small detour on the topic of Learning Nuggets: Do you use X (formerly Twitter)? The microblogging service X is based on the concept of short messages. That means: All posts are limited to 280 characters. Even so, there are successful and unsuccessful tweets.
What I mean is this: Brevity alone is not enough. When thinking about all your "nugget messages," keep your audience in mind: What do you want to tell them? How can they understand the message most easily? And how should they deal with the message (call to action)?
3 ultimate tips for using Learning Nuggets
So that this article also fits the Learning Nugget concept, I’d like to end with three concise tips. This is how you can successfully use Learning Nuggets in training:
The right learning platform
Practice, practice, practice
Get feedback
1st tip: The right learning platform for Learning Nuggets
Not every learning platform is suitable for using Learning Nuggets. When choosing one, make sure you can create several short pieces of content one after another. Grouping them into chapters is also very helpful for Learning Nuggets. Last but not least, good customer success support helps you design your learning content to be concise and sustainable.
2nd tip: Practice, practice, practice
This tip is as obvious as it is important: Creating Learning Nuggets also takes time and practice. Just start by shortening your content down to messages. Then add the introduction and call to action. In the meantime, do something else. And then come back to your Learning Nugget with a fresh mind: Can you shorten it even more, is anything missing? Plan several passes for each Learning Nugget.
And remember: It is a high art to break down complex content in a simple way!
3rd tip: Get feedback
In line with the previous tip: Get feedback from colleagues or friends! An outside perspective is extremely helpful. Does the person you’re speaking to understand what you want to say? Do they know what needs to be done next? Especially with your first Learning Nuggets, we recommend showing them to several people before you use them in training. Ask specific questions such as: "What is the message you read/hear?" or "What would you do right after that?" – this way, you test your Learning Nugget against the points mentioned above.
Conclusion
Sustainable learning success does not come from long content, but from clearly structured, focused learning units that convey one message and lead directly to action.
Learning Nuggets force you to think big and formulate small. That is exactly where their strength lies. Instead of stretching content out, you focus on one clear statement, understandable context, and a concrete call to action.
Microlearning works not because it is short, but because it is precise. When each learning unit serves a clear purpose and is deliberately designed, a structured, sustainable learning system emerges step by step.
So review your training regularly: Are you conveying knowledge in compact, understandable units with a clear message? Or are you hiding valuable content in learning units that are too large?
Those who can think big in small terms create training that is understood, retained, and applied.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
What is a Learning Nugget in e-learning?
A Learning Nugget is a short, clearly focused learning unit that conveys exactly one message. The goal is to make content quickly understandable and to prompt learners directly to take a specific action or reflect on it.
Why do small learning units often work better than long content?
Short learning units reduce overwhelm and help learners focus on one central statement. As a result, content is easier to understand, better remembered, and faster to apply in everyday life.
How long should a Learning Nugget ideally be?
A Learning Nugget should be as short as possible and as long as necessary. In digital learning, the rule of thumb is often that a unit should be fully graspable within about two minutes.
Why does a good Learning Nugget need a clear call to action?
A concrete call to action helps learners actively think through what they have learned or apply it directly. This keeps the learning unit from being purely consumptive and supports sustainable knowledge transfer.
Updated on 05/08/2026
