Easy Way to Boost Learners' Memories AFTER the Training!

Whew! If you are like me, you breathe a big sigh of relief at the end of your training sessions and check off some boxes:

      Participants were engaged
      Content was covered
      Objectives were met




​During the session, we have some control over the learning that is happening, but afterwards? Unless we are supervising or coaching the participants, how can we influence their memory of the new material?


​Researchers Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain explain that retrieval practice, the process of actively trying to recall information from the recent past weeks, helps to cement memory and understanding. Their new book, Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning, includes many concrete ideas for how to facilitate retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving and feedback. 

Here’s what I’ve begun to do differently as a result of their recommendations.
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1. When I contract with a client to provide a presentation or training, I explain that I will provide them with some bonus material to be emailed to participants in the month after the original session.
2. I create email content to be sent one week after the session. It includes two or three review questions about the content, with the answers listed at the very bottom of the email. In between the questions and the answers, I provide links to one or two excellent resources related to the topic, and one new idea.
3. I also create content to be sent out three weeks after the session. The structure is very similar to the first, starting with a few retrieval questions, then two new links and a bonus idea, followed by answers to the questions.
4. I send both of these emails to my client and ask them to distribute them to participants within the suggested time frames. 

​Now, even though I may not have direct contact or connections with the participants after my session, I am increasing the likelihood that they will remember and apply the concepts I shared. Plus, clients feel great about getting something extra!  

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