The course's effectiveness is often evaluated based on how well trainees retain the information they acquire. Retaining information is crucial for applying it in real-life situations. German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus introduced the forgetting curve theory, which investigates human memory through experimental approaches.
Employee courses emphasize the importance of retaining information for the long term so that trainees can recall it when needed and use it during their daily tasks.
When trainees quickly forget the acquired information, resources, efforts, and time are wasted. This raises an important question: How can we address the forgetting issue?
The solution requires implementing strategies and techniques that scientific studies have proven effective in retaining acquired information.
This two-part article explores various strategies and techniques that improve retaining the information obtained from training courses.
Retention Acquired Information
Retention information refers to an individual's ability to store information acquired during training in long-term memory. This ability allows trainees to recall and apply the acquired information when needed.
Effective information retention is crucial for recalling and applying learned concepts over time.
Poor retention results in knowledge being stored only in short-term memory, hindering employees from mastering vital skills and concepts at work.
Information retention strategies are based on the forgetting curve theory, which assumes that the human brain forgets incoming data quickly.
Dr. Tomás Ryan, an assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin's Department of Neuroscience, states:
“Memories are encoded in neurons called 'engram cells,' and retrieving them necessitates activating these cells. Forgetting happens when engram cells remain inactive without stimulation. So, memories are stored but cannot be accessed—like having information locked away in a safe but forgetting the password.”
Information Retention Strategies’ Mechanism
Effective retention enhances the brain's capacity to absorb, remember, and apply information when needed. Courses fall short of their objectives if the information absorption is temporary rather than lasting.
Information retention techniques improve the training experience because they ensure that knowledge and skills acquired are accurately applied in the future.
Factors Influencing Trainees' Ability to Retention Information
Several factors enhance trainees' ability to retain acquired information, and your job requires to ensure these factors are present in training courses.
The following are four main factors that influence information retention:
1. Interest and Enthusiasm
An individual's enthusiasm and interest in the training topic are correlated with their ability to retain information. Research indicates that when a course considers the trainee’s interests and personal motivations, the information is more likely to stay in their memory for a longer time.
This result can be explained by the way the human brain functions: it prioritizes data that interests it and stores it in long-term memory.
2. Repetition
Repeating is one of the most significant factors affecting information retention. Repetition and practice increase trainees’ ability to master skills, perform tasks, and solidify them in memory.
For example, school students often struggle to memorize their daily schedule, so they usually write it down and review it periodically throughout the day.
3. Practical Application
A trainee's ability to retain information longer increases when they understand the material’s benefits and real-world applications.
When trainees see how their performance will improve once they have mastered a particular skill, their comprehension, retention, and recall abilities all improve.
4. Learning Styles
People have different learning styles, including visual and kinesthetic learning styles. Therefore, to help trainees enhance their retention abilities, it is necessary to choose a presentation method that considers these differences.
Memory Retention Improving Techniques
There are several proven techniques to improve memory retention, whether you are working with young children, teenagers, or adults. Here are 10 techniques to boost memory retention:
1. Spaced Repetition
Repeating information increases the course’s effectiveness. Scientific studies have shown that the spaced repetition technique enhances trainees’ retention abilities in the long term.
This challenges the hypothesis that studying in-depth once is sufficient for memorizing information and mastering acquired skills. Training outcomes improve when acquired information is repeated over spaced intervals.
So, the course can be broken up into brief units or sessions separated by intervals that allow employees to review and memorize the information.
Ask employees to review these units several times over the following days or weeks to improve their ability to retain, recall, and apply the information in practical life.
2. Microlearning
Microlearning relies on breaking content into short, intensive, and easily digestible units. This can include videos, quizzes, games, presentation slides, or infographics.
These short units are considered enjoyable, flexible, and convenient for trainees because they adapt to different learning capacities and work pressures, allowing trainees to access and study them regardless of their workload.
The microlearning technique can be implemented using a mobile-friendly Learning Management System (LMS). This enables trainees to watch a short video explaining how to complete a specific task or search for the information they need within employee work guides from anywhere on their smartphones.
3. Video Training
Videos are becoming increasingly popular on social media platforms, prompting companies to adapt to these trends and incorporate videos into employee training courses.
Videos hold viewers' attention and make it simple and quick for them to learn new information. Research has revealed that the human brain processes large amounts of visual information more quickly and effectively than other content formats and types. This improves the experience and helps trainees retain learned material long-term.
Employees prefer watching videos over textual content, whether in onboarding programs for new hires or compliance training.
Therefore, ensure to include videos in your current and future employee training courses.
4. Blended Learning
Blended learning combines real-world and virtual training methods to increase experience efficacy and memory retention.
This blended approach helps meet various learning styles and considers all employees’ preferred training methods and techniques. Diversifying training approaches aim to engage the trainees in as many senses as possible, which improves retention and memory consolidation.
In Conclusion
The course’s quality depends on the acquired information retention rate. This article's Part I offered in-depth details on retention definition, how it functions, what influences it, and a set of techniques that help enhance it. Part II will discuss the remaining techniques.
