Simulated Training and Overcoming The Forgetting Curve

What is the Forgetting Curve?

The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve depicts how information gets lost during the course of time if you do not make an attempt to retain it. The curve shows the relationship between time and memory retention. If you plot it on a graph then it depicts that knowledge retention will halve in a matter of days if there is no effort to retain it. But with a conscious effort, the likelihood of embedding knowledge in the learner’s long-term memory is high.

The curve is steep initially but eventually levels off. For example, your learner may forget most of what was taught but whatever little he retains, he will remember it for many days afterward. This downward slope can be softened by repeating the content at particular intervals.

How to overcome the forgetting curve with simulations?

#1: Spaced repetition
One way to combat the forgetting curve is through spaced repetition. The more you repeat information, the better the chances to remember it. Every time you repeat information, the retention goes back to 100%. Of course, the brain will forget, but at a decreasing rate. The forgetting curve becomes less steep with each review. The first repetition should be within 24 hours after the initial training. Simulations allow your employees to practice whenever they wish to. There is no constraint. You have the option to space learning out into smaller chunks rather than overwhelming the learner at once.

#2: Interactive learning
Learning becomes more effective when the learners have a chance to practice the skills they have learned. Recalling content is not as effective as applying it. Simulations are highly interactive. It gives the learners an opportunity to practice and fine-tune their skills. They are more likely to remember and apply these skills as they have applied it. They are experiencing things themselves in the virtual environment. The immersive experience keeps them engaged.

#3: Meaningful information
When the information taught is meaningful, the learners are bound to remember it. You can customize your simulations to replicate the learners’ job role and make it pertinent to them. You can recreate their work environment and embed situations that they can identify with. That way they will find the material relevant.

#4: Presentation
It is important to present information in a way that is easy for your learner to understand and assimilate. Simulations are immersive in nature and fun to engage with. It stimulates the learner’s memory while learning. This helps in the recall of information.

No matter how much you invest in your corporate training, everything that you teach has a chance of being forgotten. Since your employees will forget what they have learned, there is no way they can transfer the new knowledge to the workplace and enhance productivity. The speed at which your learners forget information depends on factors like how complicated the material was, how it was taught, what kind of mood they were in at that time, and so on. But you can combat the forgetting curve with business simulations.

Unlike traditional training, simulations have made an impact in every field. They provide an immersive learning experience to the learners that keep them hooked to the content. The more they are engaged, the better they learn, recall, and apply the skills.

At Designing Digitally, Inc., our talented instructional designers have been creating cutting-edge simulations for corporate education for decades. They range from a complete 2D simulated software experience to a 3D immersive virtual experience. We approach the simulation with a learner-centric perspective and provide a solution that provides promising results.

To learn more, get in touch with our team today and find the solution best for your training needs.

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