CALMet Commons

Strategies for Enhancing Learner Retention (Brad Snyder, Meteorological Service of Canada)

This is designed as a follow-up from the workshop on “Strategies for Enhancing Learner Retention” at CALMet XI, as a way to summarise the findings and hopefully inspire other summaries and further exploration.

It is common for learners who participate in training to forget much of the material in weeks -or even days- after it is given. It is in everyone’s best interest to maximize learner retention and minimize what learners forget. This workshop was designed to give participants an understanding of various types of learner retention strategies and to consider how they can be incorporated into different learning solutions. An ignite presentation introduced some of these strategies (in addition to what was presented in the Booster Question plenary talk).

The following is a summary of learner retention strategies based on Brown et al (2014)

1. Pre-course reading – spreading out learning by incorporating elements of instruction before formal training.

2. Flipped classroom - Lectures on line followed by Exercises (Homework) in the classroom

3. Times for reflection during class – forcing student to retrieve and reflect on information, often in the form of writing or oral exercises.

4. Quizzes and feedback - quizzes are more effective than restudying material. Feedback helps correct or guide students in the right direction.

5. Interleaving topics – studies have shown that interleaving or mixing related topics together (as opposed to topics given sequentially) helps build retention.

6. Post-course reflection – similar to during the class, refection (in the form of exercises or webinars) helps the retrieval process and hence retention.

7. Booster questions - Questions sent to students after training – in the form of quizzing to practice retrieval and increase retention.

The short workshop had participants assess the effectiveness and/or potential use of these seven strategies for the following modes of delivery.

1. Online (asynchronous)
2. Online (synchronous)
3. Classroom
4. Blended Course

Participants assigned ratings for each strategy/mode of delivery; 1 being least effective, and 3 being most effective. The table below summarises the findings from 4 break-out groups (according to mode of delivery) at the conference:

Mode of Delivery

Strategy	Online Asynchronous	Online Synchronous	Classroom	Blended
Pre-course reading	3	3	1	3
Flipped Classroom	2	2	3	3
Reflection -during	3	1	2	3
Quizzes/feedback	3	2	3	3
Interleaving	1	3	3	3
Reflection - post	2	1	2	3
Booster questions	3	3	2	3

In terms of those strategies which were considered effective, Quizzes/feedback during training and Booster questions following training, ranked highest. The strategy considered least effective was probably post-course reflection.

In terms of mode of delivery considered most effective for these strategies, it was a blended approach (not too surprisingly). Online synchronous was believed to be least effective (slightly) in adopting these strategies.

Had there been more time, it would have been worth discussing the relative merits amongst all participants to get consensus and ensure clarity. What is clear is that there are strategies that we can adopt now to help improve learner retention. It is hoped that this information will inspire trainers to incorporate these strategies in future courses.

Reference

Brown, Peter C., Henry L. Roediger, Mark A. McDaniel. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Belknap Press. 2014. Print.