The Forgetting Curve: What to remember when developing impactful learning experiences

As instructional designers, we want our learners to remember and apply what they learn from our eLearning courses. However, research shows that most people forget between 60-80% of what they learn within 24 hours. This phenomenon is known as the Forgetting Curve, and it poses a significant challenge for eLearning design. To help IDs mitigate the impact of the forgetting curve, we will explore what the curve is, why it matters, and how we can design eLearning experiences that help learners retain and transfer knowledge.

What is the forgetting curve?

The forgetting curve is a concept developed by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century. He conducted experiments on himself to measure how much information he could recall after different intervals of time. He found that his memory declined rapidly in the first few hours after learning, and then gradually over time. He plotted his results on a graph that showed a curved line descending from 100% to near zero.

Consistent research findings on the forgetting curve suggests that, without any reinforcement or review, people quickly forget most of what they learn. The rate of forgetting depends on several factors, such as the difficulty, relevance, and interest of the material, the amount and quality of attention and repetition, and the interference from other information.

Why does the forgetting curve matter for eLearning design?

The forgetting curve has important implications for eLearning design. If we want our learners to achieve meaningful and lasting outcomes from our courses, we need to consider how to help them overcome the effects of forgetting. Otherwise, we risk wasting time, money, and resources on creating content that does not stick.

Fortunately, there are proven strategies that can help us boost retention and transfer of learning. These strategies are based on the principles of cognitive psychology and neuroscience, and they aim to enhance the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information in the brain.

How can we mitigate the effects of the forgetting curve?

Here are some tips on how we can design eLearning experiences that help learners remember and apply what they learn:

• Connect learning to real-world scenarios: Learners are more likely to engage with and remember information that is relevant and meaningful to their goals and challenges. We can use scenarios, case studies, stories, and examples to show how the content relates to their context and needs.
• Chunk information into manageable units: When designing instructional content, it’s important to remember that our audience can only process a limited amount of information at a time. We can help them avoid cognitive overload by breaking down complex topics into smaller chunks that are easier to digest and recall. We can also use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and visuals to organize and highlight key points.
• Make learning accessible: Each learner has different preferences, abilities, and constraints when it comes to accessing eLearning content. We can make our courses more inclusive and flexible by following the principles of universal design for learning (UDL).

This means providing multiple means of representation (how we present information), action and expression (how learners interact with and demonstrate learning), and engagement (how we motivate and support learners).

• Plan for regular revisions and reinforcement: Learners need repeated exposure and practice to consolidate new information into long-term memory. There is copious amounts of research that confirms the positive impact of regular, spaced, and targeted review, revision, and reinforcement.

We can use techniques such as spaced repetition (reviewing information at increasing intervals), interleaving (mixing different types of content or skills), and retrieval practice (testing or recalling information) to strengthen memory traces and prevent forgetting.

• Use extensive interactivity: Learners learn best by doing, not by passively consuming information. We can make our courses more interactive by incorporating activities such as quizzes, simulations, games, discussions, reflections, and feedback that require learners to actively process and apply information.

The most critical anti-forgetting-curve strategy of all, however, for instructional designers to remember, is that of creating a culture of continuous learning across the organization. This means that IDs must appreciate “learning” as a process – not a single event (module, course, program) or a milestone (certification, qualification, passing a test).

Learning does not end when the course is over. We can help learners sustain and improve their performance by creating a culture of constant learning and development in the organization. This means providing frequent and ongoing opportunities for learners to share their insights, ask questions, seek feedback, access resources, and collaborate with peers and experts.

6 Training strategies that help reduce the impact of the forgetting curve

In addition to the general tips highlighted above, there are a few useful training strategies that IDs can incorporate in their fight against the forgetting curve. Below, we’ll discuss six such strategies that can help us design eLearning experiences that counteract the forgetting curve:

1. Microlearning: Microlearning is a training approach that delivers bite-sized chunks of content focused on a specific learning objective or outcome. Microlearning can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by providing them with frequent, short, and relevant learning opportunities that fit their busy schedules and attention spans.
2. Nano Learning: Nano learning is a subset of microlearning that delivers even smaller units of content that are typically less than five minutes long. Nano learning can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by providing them with quick and easy access to just-in-time information that they can use immediately in their work context.
3. Gamification: Gamification – the use of game elements and mechanics, such as points, badges, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards – helps enhance the engagement and motivation of learners. Gamification can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by making learning more fun, competitive, and rewarding, and by providing them with immediate feedback and recognition. Because it’s so much fun, learners eagerly keep coming back for more – more practice, more repetition, more review and revision.
4. Mobile Learning: Mobile learning is a training approach that leverages the features and capabilities of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to deliver learning content and support. Mobile learning can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by enabling them to access learning anytime, anywhere, and on any device, and by allowing them to use features such as cameras, microphones, GPS, and sensors to enhance their learning experience.
5. Adaptive Learning: Adaptive learning is a training approach that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to personalize the learning content and path for each learner based on their unique preferences, performance, and progress. Adaptive learning can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by providing them with optimal levels of challenge and support that match their needs and goals.
6. Social Learning: Social learning is a training approach that leverages the power of social interactions and networks to facilitate and enhance learning. Social learning can help learners overcome the forgetting curve by providing them with opportunities to learn from and with others, such as peers, mentors, coaches, and experts, and by fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

When it comes to leveraging these strategies to build a “remembering curve”, it’s important for IDs to remember that no single approach works best. Ideally, L&D teams should use a combination of strategies to develop a range of learning tools and content, including quick-start templates, interactive PDF’s, user guides, and “How to…” videos. Providing “Learning on demand”, “Just-in-time learning”, and “Learning at the time and place of need” are three other principles for IDs to remember when battling the forgetting curve.

Final thoughts

Because of how our bodies work, especially the mind, with its peculiarities around long, intermediate, and short-term memory, we tend to forget things. The forgetting curve is a reality that we cannot ignore as instructional designers. If we want our eLearning courses to have a lasting impact on our learners’ knowledge and skills, we need to design them with the forgetting curve in mind. By applying the strategies and tips discussed in this blog post, we can create eLearning experiences that help learners remember and apply what they learn.

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