In May, I began volunteering for Rumie Learn, an e-learning nonprofit that publishes microlearning content that teach soft skills and other useful information. The name of their microlearning lessons are called "Bytes"and they are mostly targetted at youth and young adults. I just finished my 10th Byte. Here they are:
My most recent Byte is "How do I deal with a procrastinating coworker?" I was inspired to write this Byte after reading Neil Fiore's The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play, and most of the information in the Byte comes from the final chapter in the book. Content-wise, I feel this is one of my best Bytes -- thanks to the book -- and I have decided to build an e-learning game based on what I have learned.
I also think the content of "Want to take your business to the next level? 📈 Use a SWOT analysis to strategize success!💰" is very strong. I had never used a SWOT analysis when I wrote this (I have since, however!), but I feel I did a great job teaching how to do one. I am especially proud of the scenario I used at the end of the quiz. I think it does a great job of putting the learner in the shoes of a business owner and making them think critically about strategizing in the market.
One of my favorite Bytes is "Is the theory of learning styles a reality or myth? 🤔" This is the type of content my master's in instructional design comes in handy for.
"Need to give better feedback to a coworker? Add to your communication skills toolbox with these 5 strategies 🗣️🧰" was exactly the type of content I planned to write when I first started with Rumie Learn as I wanted to fill up my portfolio with lessons on workplace soft skills. It was very fun to write and I'd like to return to this type of content in the future, but right now I am having too much fun doing a wider variety of topics.
My second Byte was my aimed at high school or college students who need a better studying strategy. The best part of "Having trouble making information stick? Use spaced practice to help you ace your next exam! 🗓️", in my opinion, is the Harry Potter-based scenario at the end.
"Looking for adventure after graduation? Consider these 3 unconventional jobs 🎓" is the Byte that is most me! It is built off of my own career path, as two of the jobs listed are those I have done for the past 10 years and the third job is one I will begin next year. It felt really good to author a Byte based on my own unique experiences. I hope I have inspired some people to follow a similar path!
With "Why does the moon appear to change shape? 🌒", I wanted to practice explaining a process that I am not an expert at. Instructional designers need to be able to take topics they are not experts in and make the information easily digestible and understandable. Since the target audience for this one was young kids, I decided to spice it up with moon puns throughout. It is one of my favorite Bytes.
I decided to get a little political with "Why should I join an employee union? ✊" My 11th Byte will be a follow up that explains the rights of U.S. workers to organize.
My least favorite Byte is "A friend reached out to me about their abusive relationship. How do I support them?" Rumie staff were happy with this one and even nominated it for an award. I chose to do it for the same reason I chose the moon Byte: because I wanted to explain something I wasn't familiar with. However, I feel like maybe I should have let someone closer to the topic write it.
My first Byte was "How to answer 'Tell me about the impact of an error in judgment you made' in a job interview." From the very first GIF, I knew I was going to love writing for Rumie Learn.