The conversation around the growing talent gap in the region and the need for a learning culture has been part of the regional narrative for a while. The challenge still remains as there is a growing realisation there isn’t a single solution to the problem.
That’s why the launch of GnowbeLearn in Singapore from microlearning leaders Gnowbe comes at an interesting time in the region’s struggle with talent. With the restrictions easing up in some markets and with forced digitalisation being the norm in many countries, a digital learning solution that requires just ten minutes a day seems to have a lot of potential.
To find out more, we spoke to So-Young Kang, Founder and CEO of Gnowbe, about their new product and what it means for the region. She has an impressive background and is a global speaker as well as an author.
We look at the state of edtech in the second half of 2021
We delve into the mechanics of microlearning and how Gnowbelearn is positioned to help with upskilling in Singapore and the rest of the region.
How does GnowbeLearn work?
Unlike the typical e-learning course, Gnowbe focuses on a shared learning experience. It’s designed to help busy people and the mobile workforce engage with relevant topics in fun, engaging and social ways right from their phones. It’s about empowering people to learn at their pace, in their way and in their time. It’s designed in 10-minute bites. After a few bites, you can earn a digital certificate to display on your job and skills profile to show employers that you are curious, relevant and willing to try new things. The topics range from digital marketing to data analytics to how to protect the oceans. They are focused on relevant topics that employees need today to stay relevant tomorrow.
Think social media meets a structured learning journey on future-relevant topics all from your pocket. GnowbeLearn is reinventing how people engage with content that goes beyond watching videos and being tested on how good your memory is. You are encouraged to participate in a shared learning experience to get the most out of it. Chat with others from around the world, see what they think, reflect on how you would apply this at work and try applying your new skills on the job.
It’s simple to get started. Just subscribe, pick a topic you are keen to explore and start engaging. True learning is not designed to be a passive, lonely experience. It’s meant to be a social and active one. GnowbeLearn is a social, active experience on topics you ‘must know’ to stay relevant.
Could you share how 10 minutes a day is enough for someone to upskill?
People’s attention spans are short and 10 minutes provides enough time to learn 1 new concept. By piecing together multiple bites together, learners can have a full meal and develop a new skill. GnowbeLearn shared experiences are made up of multiple 10-minute bites to help learners break down (even very difficult) concepts into smaller bites so it’s easier to understand and apply. Gnowbe uses a proprietary experiential learning methodology called “Know-Think-Apply-Share” which is focused on helping people go beyond just knowing things. Unlike traditional Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), GnowbeLearn presents users with an experiential learning journey that is not just about videos.
Each microlearning journey includes a wide variety of actions that are designed to be engaging, reflective and social. Microlearning actions are powerful, bite-sized activities like uploading videos, sharing reflections, taking polls, and answering open-ended questions that help facilitate knowledge retention and skill acquisition within a short period of time. Our learners have also shown 10 – 15x higher completion rates compared to other unicorn learning platforms, clearly reinforcing a strong demand for, and recognition of, our learning experience.
Gnowbe transforms content into powerful learning experiences.
How do you see GnowbeLearn help Singapore employees be more competitive?
Gnowbe is not about providing thousands of courses for employees to sift through. It’s a highly curated library of topics that are relevant today for the future of work. Employees today are more challenged because employers are looking for employees who can not just do their current job but have the adaptability to learn future skills as things evolve. Gnowbe’s learning methodology encourages employees to go beyond passive learning to developing critical thinking and collaboration skills. It encourages learners to be more active and agile in their learning experience. Employers want people who are proactive and creative. A digital certificate on Gnowbe means the learner is willing to participate and engage in their learning and not be passive. That’s likely to translate into how they work on the job.
What other markets in Southeast Asia do you see the most potential for the product?
Given the content is currently primarily in English, we see the greatest potential in markets like India, Indonesia and the Philippines while we see Vietnam as a high potential. Southeast Asia is a large region with young, hungry and passionate people who want to remain competitive. ASEAN is a great target for us as we have clients across the region including Myanmar.
What’s next for Gnowbe?
We continuously invest in transforming content into powerful social experiences by making authoring super easy for anyone to create awesome digital experiences even from their phones. At Gnowbe, we believe in making content and tools accessible to all so Gnowbe is free for anyone to download and try digitizing content. We believe that learning comes not just from knowing but also from doing and by teaching. Gnowbe seeks to keep partnering with inspiring content leaders and empowering anyone to create, learn and engage anytime anywhere.