Recalling Material Is Part of Learning
You have read the product training materials repeatedly, yet struggle to explain the features to a customer. Alongside reading, you can practice explaining the material with the document closed.
Recalling learned material without looking at it is called retrieval practice. Research suggests that the act of recall can support later memory. That makes reading and recalling different activities to consider when designing a review session. (Research on retrieval and conceptual learning)
In Experiment 1 of Roediger and Karpicke's 2006 study, 120 Washington University undergraduates in the United States learned science passages. After an initial reading, they either reread a passage or wrote what they remembered without viewing it. (2006 memory experiment)
| Final test delay | Rereading | Writing from memory |
|---|
| 5 minutes | 81% | 75% |
| 2 days | 54% | 68% |
| 1 week | 42% | 56% |
These are mean percentages of 30 idea units correctly recalled. Rereading performed better immediately; recall practice performed better at both longer delays. Practice tests provided no answer feedback. (Experiment 1 methods and results)
Answering at the end of training and remembering the following week measure performance at different times. A successful answer immediately after rereading leaves that difference unresolved.
Does Retrieval Practice Help Beyond Memorizing Words?
Benefits also appeared on questions requiring connections between ideas. In Experiment 1 of Karpicke and Blunt's 2011 study, 80 undergraduates learned science texts. Recalling, rereading, and recalling again outperformed making concept maps while viewing the text on explanation and inference questions a week later. Learning time was equal for these two activities. (2011 conceptual learning experiment)
This gives trainers a reason to include explanations of relationships and reasons in recall practice, alongside remembering the words in a document.
Practice the Explanation a Customer Will Need
One way to adapt retrieval practice to training is to prepare a question that asks for an explanation. The following is a proposed application to product training.
After learning about two service plans, learners close the material and write which plan they would recommend to which customer, and why. Answering requires connecting usage limits and required features with the customer's needs, beyond naming the plans.
Learners then compare their answers with the material. If they confused a usage limit, they add the correct figure. If they could not explain their recommendation, they reread how customer needs relate to features. Include another opportunity to explain that part without the document.
This makes the difference between following a written explanation and producing one yourself concrete. It also identifies what to reread: the missing explanation, rather than the entire set of pages again.
Keep Reference Materials Available During Customer Work
Closing the material serves a purpose during recall practice. During actual customer work, employees should continue checking current prices and usage limits against official documentation. Memory practice can coexist with the reference checks needed for accurate answers.
Explaining a procedure also differs from operating equipment. These studies measured memory and understanding of texts. Training for equipment use needs hands-on practice as well.
Add Explanation Practice to Reading
Include time to close the document and explain a customer recommendation or its reasoning. Comparing the answer with the material then identifies what needs to be learned again.
For training providers, course descriptions can explain both what participants will read and what they will practice explaining or doing. This gives prospective participants a concrete picture of the course.
SpreadSite is a no-code website builder that lets you create, publish, and update a website from Google Sheets using ready-made templates.
To create a website explaining your course content and practice activities, give SpreadSite a try!
Build a website with SpreadSite →
