Contact

8 minute read

Why PTEC Instructors Changed Their Minds About Microlearning

David Hirsch

Let me guess: your inbox is full of emails about “revolutionary” ed-tech platforms. Your LMS has features you’ve never used. And the last thing you need is one more digital tool to figure out while prepping for classes, grading assignments, and explaining distillation for the third time.

We get it. When we contact instructors about the Process Equipment Microlearning library, their first reaction is: Not another thing, I am already overloaded!

So why do they end up taking a closer look anyway?

“We Don’t Have Time to Learn New Software”

That’s Fair. They don’t:

What wins them over is that these aren’t built on a proprietary platform that requires learning a new system. They’re modules that drop directly into whatever LMS they already use, whether its Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle, it doesn’t matter.

No login. No separate platform. No “please complete this 45-minute tutorial before you can access your content.” Pick the modules you want (more on that below), we work with your LMS administrator to upload them once, and they live in your course alongside everything else.

The actual time investment: Less than 20 minutes to preview a module and decide where it fits in your course. That’s it.

“My Students Won’t Watch Videos”

It’s true, most students won’t watch 45-minute lecture recordings, but the Process Equipment Microlearning is different.Each module runs 3-5 minutes. That’s shorter than a TikTok scroll, but with actual learning objectives and interactive exercises.
Here’s the critical difference: These aren’t lectures or animated PowerPoint slides. They’re 3D animations where students can see inside equipment. Watch fluid flow through a heat exchanger. See vapor rising in a distillation column and liquid falling across trays. Observe how a centrifugal pump impeller actually moves the fluid.
 
Students can’t build and retain mental models from 2D piping diagrams. They need to see equipment in operation. These animations do what the textbook cannot, show the invisible. And because each module includes built-in interactive exercises and multiple-choice comprehension checks, students can’t just passively watch. They have to engage.
 

“This Won’t Map to My Curriculum”

Actually, once they see that Systran has already mapped the curriculum, we have taken away a major concern and made implementation even easier. Our library was built specifically to align with the NAPTA (North American Process Technology Alliance) learning outcomes for:
• Introduction to Process Technology
• Process Equipment
• Process Systems
If you’re teaching PTEC courses at a community college or a Basic Operator Training program, there’s a strong chance your program already follows NAPTA standards or something very close. Which means these the Process Equipment Microlearning is built around the same competencies you’re already teaching toward.
 

The Objection: “We Can’t Afford to Replace Our Curriculum”

They don’t have to. And they don’t have to buy things they won’t use.
Here’s the pricing model: one-time purchase, open selection. They only pick the equipment modules their courses actually need. Teaching an intro course that focuses on pumps, heat exchangers, and distillation? Buy those. Don’t need the pharmaceutical batch reactor modules?
 
Don’t buy them. They pay once for exactly what you need, use it as long as it’s relevant.

What this means practically:

• A program teaching primarily refining can focus on that equipment
• An oil and gas program can emphasize upstream and midstream modules
• A general PTEC program can select core equipment across categories
• Corporate training programs can buy operator-specific content

 

How Instructors Are Actually Using These (The Stuff That Works)

Forget the marketing fluff about “transforming education.” Here’s what instructors tell us actually works:

  1. Pre-Class Visualization (Cuts Explanation Time in Half)
    Assign the equipment microlearning module as homework before class. Students show up having already seen how the equipment operates. Instructors spend 5 minutes answering clarifying questions instead of 20 minutes explaining which part is the impeller and why it matters.

    One instructor described it this way: “Students arrive at the class with a mental picture instead of a blank slate. We can skip straight to learning more details because they have the basics.”

  2. Flipped Classroom Without the Burden

    The dream of flipped classroom fails when instructors have to create all the pre-class content yourself. These modules do that work for them.

    Students watch the 3-5 minute module on their own time, complete the built-in comprehension check. Instructors see the LMS results before class and know exactly which concepts need reinforcement. Class time goes to teaching operations and application that requires instructor expertise.

  3. Assessment That Doesn’t Add to Your Grading Pile

    Each module includes multiple-choice questions that auto-grade in your LMS. These aren’t high-stakes exams, they’re self-checks that tell you who’s ready to move forward and who needs help. You get the data. The LMS does the grading.

Who This Actually Makes Sense For

Strong fit if:

  • You teach NAPTA-aligned PTEC courses (Intro, Equipment, Systems)
  • You’re tired of re-explaining basic equipment operation
  • Your students struggle to visualize internal equipment components
  • You want to flip your classroom but lack time to create content
  • Your program needs scalable content for distance/hybrid learning
  • You have operator training programs alongside degree programs (same content serves both)

Next Steps (If You’re Curious)

  1. Review the full equipment library
    Visit systraninc.com or scan the QR code [INSERT QR FROM PRODUCT LIT] to see exactly which modules exist
  2. Request Systran’s Free Implementation Guide
    They mention this in their materials—get specifics on LMS integration before committing
  3. Ask about preview access
    Before purchasing, see if they’ll let you preview modules relevant to your courses. You need to see the quality yourself. (We have one for preview HERE if you’re curious)

The Bottom Line

The Process Equipment Microlearning solves a specific problem: students can’t visualize equipment operation from textbooks and static diagrams, and you’re tired of explaining it repeatedly.

If you’re spending significant class time drawing pumps on whiteboards and explaining what’s happening inside heat exchangers, these modules will give you that time back. If your students consistently fail to understand equipment concepts until they see them in action, these modules build the mental models they need.

Does it replace good teaching? Absolutely not. Does it handle one piece of your curriculum efficiently so you can focus on the complex stuff that actually requires your expertise? Yes. It does.

Ready to bring these concepts into your classroom? View the complete module list to see what fits your curriculum. Click HERE.