Brain-based Principles for Engagement and Retention
If you design or deliver training for the virtual classroom, you'll want to draw from the neuroscience of learning for techniques to engage participants' attention and to help them retain critical information. Two brain-based learning principles described in this newsletter can lead to much greater effectiveness for virtual learning.
One Engagement Principle
Scientists have noted that "Neurons that fire together wire together." Stories, metaphors, and examples provide rich fodder for learning. If you want your sessions to engage participants with lasting content, wrap your key points in vibrant stories. Think about the most memorable learning experience you've attended recently. Chances are good that when you recall that experience, it comes with the memory of a speaker or a colleague in the class sharing a compelling story. As you retrieve those stories from your memory, you also access the core concepts of the training.
Encourage trainers and facilitators to share personal experiences that support the key learning points. Also write juicy questions that elicit success stories and challenges from participants. Go beyond rote memorization and repetition of information by adding storytelling to the mix and get those neurons firing and wiring.
One Retention Principle
Besides keeping their attention, we also want participants to remember and apply core skills. That means we have to help them move information from short-term memory to long-term memory. The problem is that our amygdala often acts as a filter, blocking information that it perceives as unnecessary or redundant. We have to bypass the "I already know that" filter, in other words. Storytelling is one way to do that, of course. But the brain-based principle to get the whole process started is called "prime the pump."
What are you doing BEFORE your participants arrive in your virtual classroom to engage their interest and attention? You want to ignite their desire to learn and prepare them for something new before they log in. Think about using a short video, a puzzling on-the-job challenge, or a self-assessment. Imagine telling the first part of a dramatic story in a web cam video, and then inviting them to come to the web workshop to get the rest of the story.
If you would like to know more about brain science and learning, plan to attend our next one-hour, complimentary webinar, Brain-based Learning in the Virtual Classroom, on Wednesday, August 16, 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT.
Download our latest infographic on these first six brain-based learning principles.
We love partnering with our clients to ensure effective virtual workplaces. We have built a thriving company through repeat business and referrals. Now I've got a favor to ask: If you've worked with us in the past, or you've benefited from our complimentary webinars, ebooks, videos, and infographics, would you be willing to refer us to others in your network who might want to know more about our programs and services?
Just have them complete a short survey and add your name as the person who referred them. We will add them to our mailing list so they receive the same value you've gained from being in our network.
As a thank you, we will send you and your referred contact each a $5 Starbucks gift card so you can both have a cool beverage on us!
To make it easy for you, we've even written the text of a sample email you might copy and share:
When I find out about a good thing, I want to share it with my friends and colleagues. In that spirit, I want to let you know about a company we've worked with, NetSpeed Learning Solutions. Their focus is improving the virtual workplace. They help build better virtual design and facilitation skills for virtual learning. They increase communication and conflict resolution skills for virtual workers. They build the skills of virtual leaders who manage remote teams. And they ensure that emerging leaders are capable and confident as they supervise their first teams.
Take one minute to
complete a brief survey and we'll both be rewarded with a $5 Starbucks gift card.
Brain-Based Learning Principles for Maximum Retention in the Virtual Classroom
Experience interactive activities that model the principles presented. You will change the way you design and deliver learning experiences as you leverage the neuroscience of learning to ensure on-the-job behavior change and application of new skills.
Fall will be here before you know it, so start to plan your Fall season now!
You've seen Cynthia Clay in action month after month. Now it's your turn to rock the virtual classroom! This wildly popular course, a deep-dive into best practices for virtual facilitation and design, opens September 5th.
Achieving Maximum Retention: More Brain-based Principles for the Virtual Classroom
Without some kind of reinforcement, people forget 90% of what they've learned in the classroom within one week! In this engaging webinar we'll explore six brain-based principles that result in maximum learning retention, transfer, and application
In our latest three-minute video, we review the framework for transforming the way a team works with each other, improving communication practices and reducing conflict in the virtual workplace.
If you design or deliver training for the virtual classroom, you'll want to draw from the neuroscience of learning for techniques to engage participants' attention and to help them retain critical information. Two brain-based learning principles described in this newsletter can lead to much greater effectiveness for virtual learning.
Hear Cynthia Clay,
