The knowledge curve

Author: Katarzyna Hess-Wiktor Published on: August 13, 2024 Published in: From knowledge to competence

The knowledge curve

The knowledge curve

The main points of the article :

What is the knowledge curve?
How does the knowledge curve apply to learning?
Using the knowledge curve in training.
How microlearning platforms can help optimise the knowledge curve

Introduction to the knowledge curve

As a training professional, understanding the knowledge curve is crucial to optimising your learners’ learning. The knowledge curve graphically represents the progression of an individual’s understanding of a subject over time. Initially, this curve begins with a rapid learning phase, where new information is rapidly assimilated. It then enters a plateau phase, where the

growth in knowledge seems to stagnate despite the efforts made. Finally, it reaches a phase of continuous deepening, where understanding deepens and solidifies.

This curve is not just a theoretical abstraction, but a practical reality which, as a training professional, you are confronted with on a daily basis. In this article we will try to understand the underlying mechanisms of the knowledge curve. The aim is to enable you to design more effective training programmes and better support your learners throughout their learning journey.

Traditional training tools such as training booklets and PowerPoint presentations can sometimes be insufficient to guide learners through the different phases of the knowledge curve.

To overcome these problems, we are going to look at some simple solutions to help you optimise your learners’ learning and improve knowledge retention.

Introduction to the knowledge curve

growth in knowledge seems to stagnate despite the efforts made. Finally, it reaches a phase of continuous deepening, where understanding deepens and solidifies.

Traditional training tools such as training booklets and PowerPoint presentations can sometimes be insufficient to guide learners through the different phases of the knowledge curve.

To overcome these problems, we are going to look at some simple solutions to help you optimise your learners’ learning and improve knowledge retention.

Using the knowledge curve in training

Let’s dive into the world of the knowledge curve and its crucial implications for your training programmes. We all know that your ultimate goal is to ensure maximum knowledge retention among your learners, but it’s time to face up to a sometimes disconcerting reality: the drastic drop in knowledge retention after training.

The knowledge curve is a poignant illustration of this reality. After a period of intense learning, our learners reach a peak in knowledge, but once the training is over, this curve declines precipitously. This drop may be alarming, but it is all too common. This is where your challenge lies, and your responsibility as training professionals is to meet this challenge with determination.

It would be naive to simply hope that your learners retain what they have learned. Our human nature means that our attention span is only 8 seconds. So it’s hard to believe that learners listen from A to Z during training. This, coupled with the fact that our brains forget very quickly, means that freshly imparted knowledge is only retained for a very short time. That’s why it’s important to take action to reverse this trend and ensure long-term knowledge retention. This is where Microlearning platforms and Microlearning LMSs come in.

Microlearning platforms offer a concrete solution to combat the decline in post-training retention. By offering short, targeted learning sessions, they enable learners to regularly consolidate their knowledge, even after formal training has ended. Imagine your learners, back in the field, having small, ultra-practical modules that they can draw on to practise!

Faced with the reality of falling knowledge retention, you need to adopt a proactive approach and fully integrate the principles of the knowledge curve into your training strategies. The survival of your training programmes depends on it, and more importantly, the future of your learners.

Applying the knowledge curve to learning

Let’s take a look at the practical application of the knowledge curve to learning. As instructional engineers and trainers, you understand the challenges of assimilating and retaining information for your learners. The knowledge curve provides a valuable framework for addressing these challenges.

When we look at the knowledge curve in the context of learning,

we can clearly see the different phases that learners go through. At the beginning, they absorb new information quickly, enthusiastic about learning.

However, as time goes by, they reach a plateau where the growth of their understanding seems to slow down or even stagnate. Therein lies the challenge: how do you maintain engagement and stimulate progress despite this apparent plateau?

Review

As we said earlier, revision is the key – no matter how much they’ve followed, they can’t remember 100% of how to do it. So they need a little reminder. Today’s reminder is the powerpoint. The average post-training engagement on this type of support is around 10%. We can do better

Putting it into practice

Practical application is clearly the most important thing. You have trained your learners to improve professionally. Once they’ve left the training room, how do you get them to practice? One ‘simple’ way is to create step-by-step teaching activities to make sure you get it right from A to Z.

Do you already have them? Then you’re well on your way. But aren’t you using it?

Microlearning platforms

Microlearning offers a flexible, targeted approach to helping learners overcome the challenges of the knowledge curve. By offering short, interactive modules, they encourage continuous absorption of information, even when a learner reaches a plateau. What’s more, Microlearning LMSs allow precise monitoring of each learner’s progress.

Although switching to a blended learning approach may seem daunting, especially for those used to 100% face-to-face training, it is essential to recognise the benefits that such a transition can bring. By judiciously integrating microlearning platforms into your training programmes, you can not only improve your learners’ retention of information, but also create more dynamic and engaging learning experiences.

In the next section, we will explore in detail how Microlearning platforms can be integrated into your training strategies to optimise learning and overcome the challenges of the knowledge curve.

Applying the knowledge curve to learning

When we look at the knowledge curve in the context of learning, we can clearly see the different phases that learners go through. At the beginning, they absorb new information quickly, excited by the idea of learning.

Review

Putting it into practice

Do you already have them? Then you’re well on your way. But aren’t you using it?

Microlearning platforms

In the next section, we will explore in detail how Microlearning platforms can be integrated into your training strategies to optimise learning and overcome the challenges of the knowledge curve.

Optimising the knowledge curve with Microlearning platforms

How can you combat the drop in knowledge retention after your classroom-based training courses? The answer lies in the judicious integration of Microlearning platforms, such as Microlearning LMSs, into your learning paths.

We understand that you may be concerned about the complexity and accessibility of switching to blended learning with microlearning.

Microlearning. But let us reassure you: MicroLMS is the ideal solution for making this process simple, effective and accessible to everyone. With MicroLMS, setting up Blended Learning becomes child’s play, and the benefits for your learners’ retention of information are undeniable.

Thanks to short, targeted training modules, learners can maintain their commitment and avoid stagnation periods, thereby optimising the learning curve. What’s more, the flexibility offered by MicroLMS means your learners can revisit the content regularly, boosting their long-term retention.

Don’t let the fear of change hold you back. With MicroLMS, you have an accessible, simple and powerful solution to combat the retention curve and make your training courses more impactful than ever.

How does it work?

Step 1: You download your training material (2 seconds)

Step 2: It is generated in a microlearning format (2 minutes)

Step 3: You review and adjust the course. You can add images, videos and audio to make it fun (30 minutes).
Step 4: You make it accessible to your learners. (4 minutes)

A Microlearning course in 36 minutes and 2 seconds

You repeat the operation as many times as necessary

Want to give it a try? Creation is 100% free

Try now

En savoir plus sur MicroLMS

The knowledge curve

The main points of the article :

Introduction to the knowledge curve

Introduction to the knowledge curve

Using the knowledge curve in training

Optimising the knowledge curve with Microlearning platforms

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