Achieving Maximum Retention: More Brain-Based Principles

© 2017 NetSpeed Learning Solutions. All rights reserved. 1
Achieving Maximum
Retention
More Brain-based Principles
for the Virtual Classroom
October 12, 2017

Webinar Objectives
• Apply six principles from
neuroscience to virtual classroom
designs
• Prepare learners’ brains to receive
and act on new information
• Leverage brain-based practices that
help learners break old habits and
enhance their skills
• Reinforce and extend learning beyond
the virtual classroom to the job

Neuroplasticity
• Brains adapt and change
• More connections between neurons = faster
processing speeds

Quiz #1
Moving short-term memory to long-term memory
occurs in which region of the brain?
• Amygdala to the neocortex
• Ventral system to the amygdala
• Hippocampus to the neocortex
• Neocortex to the ventral system

Quiz #2
How many hours of repetition are required for the
brain to form new synapses?
• < 1 hour
• 1 hour
• 1.5 hours
• 2 hours
• 2.5 hours
• 3 hours
• 4 hours

Quiz #3
The amygdala is the brain’s _______________
system?
• Detail
• Reward
• Fear
• Physical functions

Quiz #4
The ventral system is the brain’s ___________
system?
• Detail
• Fear
• Physical functions
• Reward

Quiz #5
The hippocampus helps us make sense of our….
• Environment (Where am I? What’s important?)
• Emotions (What am I feeling?)
• Safety (What are the threats?)
• Rewards (What will I gain?)

Quiz #6
The neocortex (3/4 of the brain) helps us
generalize…
• Human emotions
• Factual information
• Electrical signals
• Kinesthetic learning

Expectations Poll
What do you want to know or be able to differently
as a result of participating in this webinar?

Learning Process
Learn it
Encode it
Recall it
Apply it

Learning Retention
“an ability to retain things in mind; specifically : a
preservation of the aftereffects of experience and
learning that makes recall or recognition possible”
Merriam Webster

Brain-based Retention
Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Mix it Up
Use it
or Lose it
Test
and
Retest
Sleep on it

Prime
the Pump

Learner Readiness
How do you prepare
participants for the
learning experience?

ABCs of Preparation
CognitiveBehaviorAttitude
Positive
Statements
Terminal
Objectives
Knowledge to
be Gained

ABCs of Preparation
CognitiveBehaviorAttitude
Welcome Email
or Text
Role Model
Video
Test or Case
Study

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down

Chunk it Down
What is the ideal length of a content segment?
– 5 minutes
– 10 minutes
– 15 minutes
– 20 minutes
– 25 minutes

“Rising Tide was founded by a family affected by autism
in an effort to empower individuals with this diversity by
giving them the tools to be elite car wash professionals.”
Sample Exercise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7t7_zx6n04

What is the most important
takeaway for you as you think
about your team’s motivation?
Motivation
Sample Exercise

For many people, work has
little value unless it
contributes to a higher
purpose
Purpose-Driven
Sample Exercise

How will you adapt your actions as a virtual leader
to help people understand the purpose of their work?
Understanding Purpose
Sample Exercise

In Your Own Words
Reflect on the design and
delivery of the activity we just
completed.
How would that lead to learning
retention and transfer?

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Mix it Up

Mix It Up
What does this
brain-based
principle suggest to
you about how to
design learning for
maximum retention?

• Novelty
• Variety
• Mixing
• Spacing
Mix It Up

Mix It Up
Increase the creativity and novelty of the
exercises you design for the virtual classroom.

Mix It Up
Use a variety of interaction tools:
• Chat
• Polling
• Emoticons
• Annotation/Drawing
• Video and Audio
• Streaming Video

15 fast balls
15 curve balls
15 change ups
Mix It Up
Which is better:
Blocked or
Interwoven?

Two hours of
repetition to form
new synaptic
connections.
Mix It Up

Mix It Up
• Slower progress
• Greater long-term
retention
• More neural connections
Learning two languages:

Mix It Up
Fast learning (amygdala)
Short term memory
Degrades over time
Spacing

What have you
learned in your own
words?
Mix It Up

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Mix it UpSleep on it

Sleep on it

Sleep on it
The waking brain ENCODES memories.
The sleeping brain CONSOLIDATES
memories.

Sleep on it
• Allow the brain to consolidate information
• Move it from the hippocampus to the
neocortex.
One hour of slow-wave sleep will:

Sleep on it
How can you design virtual programs to
capitalize on the brain-based method of
“sleeping on it?”

Reinforcement Tools
Job Aid Card
Electronic Magazine

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Test
and
Retest

Information retrieval

How can you make testing FUN?

Test and Retest

Blazing Coach

Time for your Retest!
Test and Retest

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Test
and
Retest
Use it
or Lose it

49© 2017 NetSpeed Learning Solutions. All rights reserved.
Use it or Lose it
Source: National Training Laboratory Institute for Applied Behavioral Science
Lecture
Reading
Audio/Video
Demonstration
Discussion
Practice by Doing
Teaching Others
Immediate Application On-the-Job

Use it or Lose it
Create opportunities to apply and report back.

Use it or Lose it

Use it or Lose it
Social Collaboration Site (Class Blog)
Name

Prime
the Pump
Chunk
it Down
Mix it Up
Use it
or Lose it
Test
and
Retest
Sleep on it

Our Programs and Services
• We license programs that leverage brain-
based principles to:
– Develop the skills of virtual leaders
– Prepare emerging leaders for frontline
management
– Manage conflict and difficult co-workers
– Deliver dazzling customer service to clients

• We partner with clients to design virtual
and blended programs that capitalize on
brain-based learning principles

• We develop the skills of virtual trainers,
facilitators, and designers

Virtual Facilitator Training
• Deep dive, comprehensive course
• Focused on virtual design and delivery
• Public courses offered six times/year
• Customized for private delivery in your web
conference platform

Action Planning
What will
you do
now?

Achieving Maximum Retention: More Brain-Based Principles

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