Forgetting can be infuriating, especially when attempting to learn something new. We’re good at remembering the things that we need to know. It is also easier to remember experiences that trigger powerful emotions – such a surprise, fear, success, or relief. As a result, sometimes what we want to learn, or that others expect us to recall, are forgotten all too easily. When you understand why forgetting so easily happens, you can take steps to prevent it, and make sure that what you learn, sticks.
This is the Forgetting Curve, and unless we take action to keep what we learned filed safely in our memories, it will slip out of the files over time.
Ebbinghaus, 1885: “Über das Gedächtnis (Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology)”.
Here are 5 ways to combat the Forgetting Curve.
1. Use “Spaced Learning” – Revisiting and recalling information over time is vital. The steepest drop in memory happens rapidly after learning. Having regular reviews built into the learning will help to reinforce what was taught. Leaving longer and longer gaps between review sessions is an effective strategy known as “Spaced Learning.”
2. Make content interactive – People retain information better when they are actively engaged and not just passive observers. Adding interactivity such as polls, knowledge checks, and gamification helps learners focus, engage, and hopefully enjoy the training!
3. Make Information meaningful – clearly state the WIIFM (What’s In It for Me) and make it clear, relevant, and purposeful. The more relevant the training, the easier it is to remember.
4. Reduce distractions – keep the message, whether textual or graphic, relevant by connecting content to real-world situations and removing content that does not support the learning objectives defined.
5. Design with “just in time” learning as a goal so that the learner is highly engaged and ready to learn (where / when/ how they want).
