With complicated learning units, you burn time and money: If your participants are bored or do not understand the content, you can save yourself the effort. That is why Learning Nuggets based on the principle of Microlearning are THE method for sustainable learning. Read the article to learn how to think big in small ways.
These are Learning Nuggets
A Learning Nugget is a small learning unit. The focus is 100% on one topic or message. Similar to an Elevator Pitch, a Learning Nugget should convey a single statement as compactly and understandably as possible. To ensure long-term learning success, a Learning Nugget should also be attractively designed and spark interest in more. (👉 How to build complete online courses from small units)
In summary, a Learning Nugget should:
a short learning unit
many formats possible (text/image/quiz/video, etc.)
convey a single statement
be clear and understandable
generate interest in the topic
end with a call to action (Call-to-Action)
If you use many Learning Nuggets consecutively, you should also pay attention to the following:
Establish 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 primarily use the term for small chicken pieces (Chicken Nuggets). Originally, a nugget is a small chunk of pure gold. Either way, a nugget is primarily one thing: Small! For application in e-learning, the analogy to the chicken pieces indicates that your learning units should be as tasty as possible (to be taken with a grain of salt). And the gold analogy fits in that your learning units contain valuable messages.
This is what we imagine when thinking of nuggets: chicken pieces and gold nuggets. Both have one thing in common: 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. Within the context of e-learning or blended learning, this means: Each nugget should be comprehensible within a maximum of 2 minutes.
By the way: The learning platform blink.it consists of individual Blinks, which function just like a Learning Nugget. Read more about it in this article: What is a Blink? The 2-Minute Learning Concept
However, you should not strictly adhere to a certain time. If you want to shorten existing learning content, rather ask yourself: 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 several messages in a learning unit, you can create several Learning Nuggets from it.
A good Learning Nugget might 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 learners
(1 sentence) Call to Action: What should the learner do now?
You see: A total of eight sentences likely won't even fill two minutes. Don't orient yourself to the clock, but to the introduction – message – call to action. This way, your Learning Nugget will automatically be as short as possible and as long as necessary!
Examples of Learning Nuggets
A Learning Nugget can have many formats. In addition to text or video, a mini-quiz or a part of a larger quiz is also possible. Or you let images speak for themselves and complement the image with your message with just a short call to action. The rule "Adapt the format to the goal" (and not vice versa) is especially important for Learning Nuggets.
To give you tangible examples of Learning Nuggets, I will next show you excerpts from the Rocket Pack – the blink.it card game for blended learning. It is based just like Learning Nuggets on the principle of microlearning and contains 40 methods on 40 cards.
Example 1: A Learning Nugget as an Image
This is what a Learning Nugget might look like, which has a picture as its main content. Think about 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, which has the format of a quiz:
Example 3: A Learning Nugget as a Video
Finally, an example of a Learning Nugget in video format:
YOU design your Learning Nuggets!
Let’s take a short detour on the subject of Learning Nuggets: Do you use X (formerly Twitter)? The microblogging service X is based on the concept of short messages. This means: All messages are limited to 280 characters. Nevertheless, there are successful and unsuccessful tweets.
What I mean is: Shortness alone is not enough. Think about your "nugget messages" regarding your audience: What do you want to tell them? How can they understand the message most easily? And how should they act on the message (call to action)?
3 ultimate tips for using Learning Nuggets
To make this article fit with the concept of Learning Nuggets, I want to conclude with three crisp tips. This is how you can succeed in using Learning Nuggets in training:
The right learning platform
Practice, practice, practice
Gather feedback
1. Tip: The right learning platform for Learning Nuggets
Not every learning platform is suitable for the use of Learning Nuggets. When making your choice, ensure that you can create multiple short contents consecutively. Also, summarizing in chapters is very helpful for Learning Nuggets. Last but not least, a good customer success team will support you in keeping your learning content short and sustainable.
2. Tip: Practice, practice, practice
This tip is so obvious and simultaneously very important: Even creating Learning Nuggets takes time and practice. Just start shortening your content to messages. Then add the introduction and call to action. Afterward, briefly engage in something else. And then take a fresh look at your Learning Nugget: Can you shorten it more, is there anything missing? Plan several iterations for each Learning Nugget.
And remember: It is a high art to break down complex content simply!
3. Tip: Gather feedback
In line with the previous tip: Get feedback from colleagues or friends! An external perspective is immensely helpful. Does your counterpart understand what you want to say? Do they know what to do next? Especially with your first Learning Nuggets, we advise you to show them to several people before you use them in training. Ask specific questions: "What is the message you get from this?" or "What would you do directly afterward?" – this way, you test your Learning Nugget against the above-mentioned points.
Conclusion
Sustainable learning success does not arise from long content, but from clearly structured, focused learning units that convey a message and lead directly to action.
Learning Nuggets force you to think big and formulate small. That is their strength. Instead of diluting content, you focus on a clear statement, an understandable context, and a concrete call to action.
Microlearning does not work because it is short, but because it is precise. When each learning unit serves a clear purpose and is consciously designed, a structured, sustainable learning system emerges step by step.
Therefore, regularly review your training: Do you convey knowledge in compact, understandable units with a clear message? Or do you hide valuable content in too large learning units?
Those who can think big in small terms create training sessions that are understood, retained, and applied.
Updated on 02/26/2026
