How Humans Learn and Why It Matters

Learning how people (not machines) learn is not something we're taught in school, or what we were told is not backed by scientific evidence. Understanding how we learn, from a scientific point of view, helps us better communicate information to others so it will be understood and remembered.

We'll start with laying down an evidence-based foundation by looking at how we take in and process information in working memory and, if we're lucky, gets stored in long-term memory. Getting the information into long-term memory is a struggle, so we'll see ways to make that process easier by having images and words work together instead of fighting each other.

We'll then learn why forgetting is a good thing; mixing things up instead of cramming makes improves remembering; and attack some of the myths of learning. We'll find out there's the good way of making brains work hard during learning as well as bad ways, and see how learning is similar to isolating muscles when strength training.

You'll see examples along the way that will demonstrate applying this research and you'll come away with solid tips to confidently improve technical documentation, training manuals, video courses, and presentation slides.