Growth tips 30 seconds to business enlightenment.

The best way to teach and learn

10-Nov-2011

Many of us acquire our dominant learning habits through our experiences as students.  However, those experiences we had in the classroom do not mean that this is the best way to teach and learn topics now.

New studies in education contain key lessons that can be applied to the business environment.

You will probably be pleased to hear that the quantity of study is not important – it is the quality.  Interestingly, the amount of time students spend on homework has risen over the last 3 decades – but the level of educational attainment has not risen with the increased workload.  In fact, traditional homework assignments in science, English and history have been shown to have “little to no impact” on student test scores.  What a waste of time!

Fortunately, in recent years, brain research has uncovered better ways to absorb, retain and apply knowledge.  Applying these new techniques in the classroom has been shown to lift exam scores by 13-25%.  

As a business leader, you need to be aware of this new research, and apply it to the way you teach your staff on the job skills.  Here is an overview:  

Spaced repetition.

This technique has a proven positive impact on learning. Instead of studying a topic, then moving onto the next topic as most training modules do, it is far superior to review the same materials over and over in a series of brief sessions spread over a longer prior of time.  

When we are re-exposed to the same information frequently, we are forced to use the same neural pathways over and over – and the content becomes burned into our brains and retained.  

So while we might roll our eyes at having to do yet another training session on how to use our CRM program – brain science suggests that we do in fact benefit.

Retrieval practice.

Rather than one big exam, a series of smaller exams that force us to retrieve the same information over and over are far superior. Reading and making notes on a subject doesn’t impact learning very much, but every time we are forced to retrieve a memory in an exam situation we make it stronger and more lasting.  Hurray – more exams!  

How can you continually test your staff to enhance their learning?

Make them work for it.

Interestingly, if we make the subject too easy, our brains discount the information as not being worth remembering.  We need to make people work for it.  The extra effort signals our brains that the knowledge is worth keeping.  This can be achieved by creating different scenarios that force people to revisit the topic from a variety of different angles.

Your homework assignment:

How can you apply this research to the way you train and induct new staff?  How can you use it to reinforce and upgrade the knowledge of your existing staff?

 

Stephen Lynch

Chief Operating Officer - Global Operations - RESULTS.com

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