How can adult learners best retain training information?

-Active Engagement: Actively participate in learning through discussions and practical applications. -Real-World Connections: Relate new information to real-life examples for better relevance and retention. -Visual Aids: Utilize charts, diagrams, and visuals to enhance understanding and memory. -Repetition and Practice: Repeat key concepts and practice retrieval to reinforce learning. -Diverse Learning Approaches: Mix learning formats, set goals, and use mnemonic devices for a well-rounded and effective learning experience.

In my experience, adult learners are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job. Make all courses and material practical and relevant, tell them exactly how the material and information is useful to them. Include the 4 critical elements that must be addressed to ensure the participants learn and they are: Motivation, Retention, Reinforcement (the positive and Negative) and Transference (the positive and Negative). In conclusion- adult learners prefer to be free to direct themselves. Actively involve them in the learning process and serve as a facilitator for them.

As shown in my personal email: "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."?-Benjamin Franklin. So it boils down to communication - that's so simplistic but it takes much work to drill down and figure out the best method to reach your audience, and in a multitude of ways. Listen carefully; observe mindfully; create; and deliver. Then, make sure that the information is absorbed.

Adult learners can optimize retention of training information through various strategies. Firstly, fostering active engagement by encouraging participation in discussions, case studies, and practical applications enhances comprehension. Additionally, incorporating diverse learning techniques, such as visual aids, interactive sessions, and hands-on activities, caters to different learning preferences. Regular review and reinforcement help solidify knowledge over time. Furthermore, creating posts-training opportunities for information to be applied in real-life scenarios allows adult learners to exchange insights and promotes a deeper understanding of the material.

"Use it or lose it" is the truth for most adult learners. After learning anything, USE it as soon as possible and repeat using it as often as possible until it natural. If there is too much information in a training to use all of the information right away, prioritize that which is most important and/or most immediately useful, and use those as soon as possible post-training. Maintain a list of the things you do not immediately adopt, and know whom to contact to ask questions so that you can re-train yourself or get re-trained on whatever you couldn't adopt sooner.

Adult learners possess a unique advantage in their ability to set realistic and impactful goals for their future. With a wealth of life experiences and a clearer understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses, adults can craft goals that are not only specific but also rooted in practicality. Their maturity allows for a more realistic assessment of what is achievable, considering current commitments and resources. This realistic goal-setting empowers adults to make meaningful progress in their personal and professional development. By leveraging their life experiences, adult learners can set a course for success that aligns with their aspirations and the demands of their unique circumstances.

You should allways remember this: ” a human doesn’t learn if he don’t understand” => make the training easy to understand! Don’t try to complicate the training trying to show your ”briljant” expertice!

As I work with adult learners, one of the most significant reasons people fail to retain or achieve their development goals is overcommitting (setting too many goals). Resist this urge and distill your intentions into one very specific goal. Next, break that goal into actionable behaviors that can become new habits or muscle memory, which will continue to benefit you long after the goal has been achieved.

Remember, the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) is a useful framework for setting goals. Applying these principles helps increase the likelihood of achieving what you set out to accomplish. Example: Vague Goal: "I want to get better at writing." Specific and Realistic Goal: "I will improve my writing skills by completing one online writing course within the next two months, dedicating at least one hour per day to practice, and submitting one article to a blog for feedback."

Focus on learning in more than one way. Instead of just listening to a podcast, which involves auditory learning, find a way to rehearse the information both verbally and visually. This might involve describing what you learned to a friend, taking notes or drawing a mind map. By learning in more than one way, you’re further cementing the knowledge in your mind. According to Judy Willis, “The more regions of the brain that store data about a subject, the more interconnection there is. This redundancy means students will have more opportunities to pull up all of those related bits of data from their multiple storage areas in response to a single cue. This cross-referencing of data means we have learned, rather than just memorized.

I agree, however I would take it a step further. One of the best ways I’ve coached my clients to engage in Active Learning is for them to verbally provide a real life example of how they would apply a concept. I have them either choose a current or past situation at work. For example. If someone says their organization is Hybrid (Waterfall & Agile) and still uses “Lessons Leaned” at the the end of a project, I have them walk me through how they are going to use a retrospective after the current release. How it would have been beneficial on the current sprint or iteration. When I do this exercise they have immediate Aha moments of the Benefits. Actionable Implementation of Learning.

I've found that active learner engagement is very important with adult learning. How so? Adults come with varied backgrounds, experiences, practical knowledge and expertise. An experienced facilitator can guide the discussion/activity to ensure all necessary learning objectives are achieved while empowering the learners to be actively engaged. This is especially beneficial when learning is conducted in a group setting. Peer to peer sharing/teaching enriches the learning experience and helps to build relevant contextual connectivity to practical use of the knowledge or skill gained. We retain more of what we see, hear, and do(action)...

In the process of Active Learning & to continue to do so - Always try to do a few assignments in the newer way that you learned recently. - Follow the 80/20 rule, Complete 20% of the tasks thru what you learned recently. -Be mindful and open to change or take corrective actions and for the better results.

Learning becomes more 'sticky' when watching and listening are combined with doing. It's one thing to hear a concept explained, or see someone perform a task. Having the opportunity to complete a related activity - especially if the assignment involves thinking through a real world application - serves multiple purposes. Most immediately, it keeps the mind on track. More importantly, it deepens understanding, stimulates memory and creates connections that last.

In my experience, the best way for a learner to retain information is having them engage in active learning. The practice of going through the motions to put new information into action helps the content 'stick'. They hear it being said, see it being done, and the two help create a stronger memory. If the topic is not conducive to active learning, providing easily recognizable, real-world examples in story form and / or images works well to help the learner remember a past experience where the new content you're delivering might have been applicable.

Reviewing and repeating information is a beneficial strategy for solidifying learning. Whether it's through summarizing key points, self-quizzing, or explaining concepts to someone else, these practices reinforce memory and enhance understanding. Regular review sessions help prevent forgetting and contribute to long-term retention. Consistency in reviewing information over time is key to mastering and internalizing the material.

Normally humans tend to forget things on the 4th day, so it is recommended to review and repeat the lessons learned on the 3rd day. By doing this, the review time is faster and the information or lessons learned will remain in your conscious mind. Try it, review it, and repeat for two times on the same content and you will never forget it.

An effective way to recall information is by using your learning in frequently in conversation, ideally with subject matter experts who can then help you refine your understanding and consolidate your knowledge.

Asking someone to teach another person what they’ve learned is a way to imprint the lessons in memory. Teaching is one of the best ways to learn.

When reviewing and repeating information, space the review sessions so you can sleep at least once in between each review. When we sleep our brain prunes out the information it feels is unnecessary, which is a good way of gaging what you still need to learn. Ideally identify how soon before you need to recall the information (a week, month, few months, a year) and space your review sessions about 1/3 of the time apart.

One of the clearest indicators about how well someone knows a concept is how well they can explain it to others who don't have the deep skilled knowledge. Practice trying to teach someone else the thing you learned. Make them explain it back to you. If it seems like you communicated it well enough for them to know it too, you not only confirmed that you know it well, you also shared the knowledge.

Leading teams you quickly realize feedback is a two-way street. An effective leader not only seeks feedback but they apply it to their leadership style when able. Additionally, leaders have the most effective teams when they are clear, concise, timely, and consistent with feedback to their teams (collectively and individually). It allows teams and leaders the opportunity to pivot when necessary or make long term changes to individual thought leadership. A leader cannot grow without feedback in some capacity. This is applicable both on personal and professional spaces.

Feedback and support are transformative forces in learning, steering your approach and methods toward success. Constructive feedback acts as a compass, guiding improvements and refining your strategies. Meanwhile, seeking support creates a foundation for collaborative learning, providing invaluable resources and perspectives.

Seeking feedback is such a great way to learn & gain insights. However, having the opportunity to get support through asking questions in particular and having an active dialogue with the party you’re learning from is invaluable because you’re able to reinforce & deepen your understanding of the topic by way of your own curiosity.

I love feedback! Asking for feedback is my favorite tool for learning. As I mentioned earlier, I am visual and kinesthetic learner. I create materials that I can share with others. This is a great way to ask for feedback. It is a tangible process that I can then ask others how I did. What did I do well and what need improvement? The key is to always assume positive intent with feedback. Understand that people are giving you feedback to help you improve and be better. Feedback that is asked for and received with positive intent is a powerful tool!

One thing I have found helpful is maintaining the “Keep it simple stupid” idea. In my attempts to communicate to the older generation for example, I’ve lost them at “Acronyms” new tech tools and “ impatience.” It’s also important to read the room and ask questions to assess if all is understood. A step further would be to share a follow up ,take-home video tutorial or document that may help with better understanding, including external resource links that may compliment the idea you’re trying to drive home. I love butterflies, but using butterfly illustrations and fairytale concepts were not going to work for the engineers in the room. Understanding your audience and being agile with your training content will make for great experiences

Don't leave a training without one or two actions that you can immediately apply. If you're struggling to come up with ways to apply the learning, ask your fellow participants. As a facilitator, I would much prefer to alter my delivery or remove content to have more engaging conversations that aid participants in applying the concepts.

In androgynous learning, people need to understand the purpose of the training and how it impacts the overall goals of the organization. As Simon Sinek puts it, you need to "Start with Why." If the "why" is sufficient, the learner will be open to new information. If it is not, it will likely trigger change resistance.

I have found adult learners retain information better when they are allowed to apply it directly to real work. Practice exercises are great, but when the work means something to them, and they see how it all fits together; THAT is when we see the "Ah HAH!" moments.

Show up prepared and ready to learn. Sit near the front of the room. Apply mindful listening skills. Take notes. Ask questions. Afterwards review your notes. Meet with others and discuss takeaways. Start applying what you learned!