The Psychology of Learning - How to Make Your Courses Actually Stick
Learning isn't just about pushing information into someone's brain; it's about creating lasting memories and helping learners retain knowledge long-term. So, what makes something truly "stick" in the mind of a learner? How do we design courses that not only engage but also ensure retention and real-world application?
At Anthowise, we believe in blending cutting-edge AI technology with learning psychology to build training courses that resonate and stay with your audience. Here's how the science of learning can guide you in making your courses memorable and effective.
1. Active Learning: Don't Just Passively Deliver Information
One of the key principles in educational psychology is active learning. The brain retains information much better when learners are actively involved in the learning process rather than passively absorbing information.
How to implement this:
- Use interactive activities, such as quizzes, discussions, and hands-on projects.
- Build scenarios and simulations into your courses that mimic real-world challenges.
- Use AI-powered assessments with instant feedback to keep learners engaged and reinforce learning.
Anthowise Tip: Our AI can auto-generate quizzes and interactive assessments based on course content, allowing you to engage learners right from the start.
2. Spaced Repetition: Reinforce Key Information Over Time
It’s no secret that the forgetting curve is steep — meaning that learners forget a lot of what they’ve learned in a very short period. That’s why spaced repetition is a powerful technique for improving retention.
How to implement this:
- Break content into bite-sized chunks and revisit key concepts at regular intervals.
- Design your training program to revisit core topics periodically, such as through refresher quizzes or challenges.
Anthowise Tip: Use our AI-powered course delivery system to schedule spaced repetitions automatically and ensure learners keep revisiting critical knowledge.
3. Emotion & Motivation: Connect Emotionally to the Material
Psychologists agree that emotion plays a huge role in memory retention. If learners feel emotionally connected to the material, they’re more likely to remember it.
How to implement this:
- Tell stories that help learners relate to the content.
- Use real-world case studies and examples that provoke emotions like empathy or excitement.
- Provide positive reinforcement and rewards when learners make progress or master difficult concepts.
Anthowise Tip: Our customisable feedback system provides instant recognition of learner achievements, offering a motivational boost that helps them stay engaged.
4. Self-Testing: Active Retrieval Boosts Retention
Research has shown that self-testing — the process of retrieving information from memory — is one of the best ways to reinforce learning and boost long-term retention.
How to implement this:
- Encourage learners to test themselves regularly with quizzes, flashcards, or mini-assessments.
- Create knowledge checks throughout the course so learners can assess their own understanding and identify gaps in their learning.
Anthowise Tip: Anthowise’s quiz generator can help create diverse testing formats, including multiple-choice, short answer, and case-based questions, ensuring learners get ample opportunities to practice retrieval.
5. Personalized Learning: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Every learner is different, and so are their learning styles. The one-size-fits-all approach rarely works when trying to make learning stick.
How to implement this:
- Offer personalised learning paths based on learners’ skills, knowledge, and interests.
- Use adaptive learning techniques that adjust the difficulty of the content based on how the learner performs.
Anthowise Tip: Anthowise AI analyses learner data and personalises course recommendations, ensuring each learner gets a unique, tailored experience.
In Conclusion: AI-Enhanced Learning that Sticks
Making a course stick requires more than just engaging content; it requires understanding the psychology of learning and integrating strategies like active learning, spaced repetition, and personalisation.
At Anthowise, our AI-powered Learning Management System (LMS) is designed to help you create smarter, more engaging training programs that tap into these principles. From automated course creation to real-time analytics, we ensure your content doesn’t just get delivered — it gets remembered.
Ready to make your courses actually stick? Try Anthowise today and see how our AI can revolutionise your training programs.