The Three Methods of Learning

Written by: Craig Twombly

Published: June 2010

While speaking with a client recently, I was asked to help train her leadership team on how to coach employees. Once we discussed what the needs were, the client asked, "Can we do it in two hours?" The answer to the question is fairly vague - yes and no. There are several factors to consider when training and one is the knowledge base of the audience and the other is the retention rate you wish to gain. While some training only needs engagement of the audience, others will only need knowledge transfer. The most important question I will often ask is, "How much do you want the group to execute on?" Each one requires a specific amount of time and will determine if time will allow.

Three methods Learning

Of the three methods Teaching can often be done in the shortest amount of time. Teaching is the transfer of knowledge necessary for completion of a prescribed curriculum or application. The instructor needs to have a lot of knowledge in the subject matter. It is a transfer and based in the knowledge of the instructor inside the given subject. Subject matter experts are examples of teachers who come in to train an audience on a new tool such as computer programs. One of the challenges often faced with teaching is the audience knowledge of the material beforehand. If the audience has some understanding of the subject, there might be frustration or confusion in the way the information is taught. In most situations this is a transfer of knowledge based on the need of the audience to learn how to complete the given task.  In the teaching model there is usually a test in which the answer needs to be given to show completion in that given task. One of the greatest challenges to teaching is the retention rate of the information. As adults we will relate to our own experiences to help us learn. In this method it has the "I need to know to pass" which has shorter long-term retention. In this method 90% of the time is teaching and 10% is participation.

The second method, Training, takes more time but has a higher retention rate. It is a learning transfer of a specific topic using lecture and interactive elements like role play, case studies, group discussions or group interactions. Training is a form of teaching. The instructor needs to have lots of subject knowledge and interactive techniques to engage the group in the process. This method will lead to more conversation and discussions from the interactive approach. Stick rate or how much of the material or knowledge is transferred and can executed by the participant after training at a higher level than with teaching. While training takes more time, it also uses past experience of the participant to retain more information, leaving the audience with, "I need to know to be successful." This process uses a 50/50 mix of lecture and participation.

The third and longest is Facilitation.  Facilitation is managing and setting up a process to assure successful execution.  Audience driven, it thrives on audience trust and is kinesthetic learning, which means the audience hears, sees, and touches learning in an application format. Of the three processes this takes the longest and will have the highest retention rate. There is much less reliance on knowledge of the facilitator and more learning from experience and history. Adult learners have previous experiences to pull from allowing them to reflectively time shift to prior experiences to aid in the learning process. The facilitation process is a kinesthetic learning process and gives the best chance for participants to apply immediately what is experienced. In the facilitation process it is 80% participation and only 20% facilitation.

The three different methods with adult learners can be summarized like this: 

• Tell someone something and they remember 20-25% of what they heard. (Teach)
• Tell and show them and they remember 40+%. (Train)
• Tell, show and have them participate in an exercise and they remember 70%. (Facilitate)
• Have them teach the topic and they remember 95+%.

The stressors of workloads often come into play when deciding on how much time and what style of training is needed.  When thinking about a style, it can often be broken down by the subject matter and retention you wish to have. You can teach in one to two hours, you can train in two to four hours, and to facilitate with retention of 70% or more, you need four to eight hours.

If you'd like to learn more of if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.