A Systematic Review of Reviews on Micro-Learning

Micro-Learning (ML) is an emerging pedagogical approach gaining popularity in education, as it enhances student motivation, engagement, and knowledge retention. As an accessible and flexible technique, it enables learners with varying commitments to the material to engage in short, focused sessions by breaking content into small, manageable segments. This study conducted a systematic review of reviews (an umbrella review), examining systematic reviews, literature reviews, and meta-analyses focusing on the effectiveness, pedagogical nature, and theoretical basis of ML. This systematic review of reviews on ML was based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Using online databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, ERIC, and Semantic Scholar, 15 review articles published between 2010 and 2024 were retrieved. Findings highlight that ML is an effective technique across various educational contexts and can serve as a facilitative pedagogical technique in the teaching learning process. However, there is a notable lack of theoretical foundations in most ML studies and reviews. The findings of this review can create a roadmap to facilitate the adoption of ML. Moreover, the findings of this study could facilitate educators and instructional designers in rethinking their teaching techniques and methods, while providing future direction for researchers to engage in grounded theory research on ML.