1.5 Learning and Retention

ChunkingThe process of taking single pieces of information and grouping them into larger units.  refers to the process of taking single pieces of information and grouping them into larger units. For example, consider this course. You are reading this book about organizational behavior. There is a lot of information to cover. At first, each definition, concept, or research finding may seem like a unique piece of information. Mastering all of it can feel pretty overwhelming. But if you start to learn more and more about organizational behavior, you can chunk this information into larger pieces, such as information about individuals, groups, and organizations. You may also think about each chapter as a chunk of information. You may begin to consider factors related to important outcomes, such as job satisfaction, performance, and turnover. Doing so allows you to be more efficient and to encode, retain, and recall more and more information over time. As you advance in your studies, you will become more and more efficient at doing this. One way you probably do this every day is by recalling your school ID. You rarely consider each number separately but instead think of them as one ID number. 

Repetition is a great way to learn a new skill or to master information on a topic. Learning and reviewing information over and over again over time is more effective when it comes to retaining information. While focusing on learning over a short period of time can be helpful for acquiring information, we’ve all seen how “cramming” for an exam is not conducive for long-term retention. Thus, studying over time is more effective than doing so all at once, especially when there is a lot of information to be covered. Another factor that matters for learning and retention is how often a learner will use the newly acquired knowledge or skill. For example, bank employees often overlearn procedures to be followed during a bank robbery. OverlearningContinued studying and practice after initial proficiency has been achieved. refers to continued studying and practice after initial proficiency has been achieved. In other words, they practice repeatedly even after acquiring the basic skills, because while an actual robbery is relatively rare, and hostages being taken is even more rare, the stakes are high to perform well during this type of situation.

When it comes to learning and retention, we know that learners expend more effort and are more effective when they find what they are learning to be meaningful. The more motivated you are, the better your learning will probably be. That is because when something is seen as meaningful, we are willing to invest more time and attention to it. As a student, you may have noticed that classes in your major tend to be more interesting to you and that you spend more time and effort on those classes. The key is understanding these points and being willing to invest time to master material even when you are not naturally as interested in the content. If you can come up with ways to make different material meaningful to you, perhaps by considering that it may be useful to you later on in your career, it can help you maintain interest and effort over time. 

Taking notes during lectures and on assigned readings is a common way for students to learn and retain information. Taking notes allows students to review the information, which is important for encoding information and related to higher performance in college classes. Thus, it is clear that notetaking is important. What is less clear is whether the manner of taking notes matters. A study comparing notes taken using a laptop versus notes written out in longhand found some interesting differences. Those taking notes on a laptop produced more notes than those writing them out longhand. However, those who wrote them out in longhand had better retention. The researchers posited that this is because typing allows for more verbatim (exact) quoting of lectures, while writing things out longhand forces notetakers to actually process the information and reframe it in their own words that are more meaningful to them. In another study, they found that it depends on the type of information that needs to be learned. If verbatim retention is needed, laptop notetaking may be better. But if the goal is to encode and retain information, taking notes in longhand may be preferred. One way to consider the best of both of these approaches is to take notes in longhand using a computer stylus on a laptop that accepts screen input. This allows you to obtain the benefits of both approaches. Another popular study technique is to highlight key words, concepts, and phrases. However, doing so is even more passive than typing out notes and should be supplemented with other, more active learning strategies.

We know that taking notes in longhand helps with learning and retention. We also know that repetition can help encode new information. However, it is really easy to read about new concepts and think that they “make sense.” It is tough to know if you can recall that information until you test the assumption that you have effectively integrated the new information into your memory. Thus, quizzing yourself and taking prepared quizzes are great ways to see if you know as much as you think you do. And if you find areas where your knowledge is not solid, you can focus more time and attention on studying those areas and less on areas where you’ve already mastered the knowledge. Consider making flashcards (writing them out by hand will help you learn the information) and asking someone to quiz you, as these are great ways to encode, retain, and test yourself all at once. Keep reviewing the cards you miss, and remove the cards you can answer correctly from the deck so that you are spending the most time on the items you need to work on. This can be an efficient way to learn about organizational behavior.

There is no substitute for hands-on experience as a way to learn. In addition, students who have more work experience are more successful in securing employment. We hear from undergraduate students all the time that a reason given when rejected for jobs they have applied for is their “lack of experience” either generally or in their area of study. This is unfortunate, because many job opportunities exist for students but become unavailable after they graduate. Both internships and practicums are ways for students to gain experience, and we encourage students to complete as many as possible while earning their degrees. For a college student, internships are often available that can serve to help students gain valuable experience and personal growth, land better jobs, and do better at those jobs. Internships are also a great way to try out a job, industry, or career before fully committing to it. Research shows that of the 2022 graduating college seniors who received at least one job offer, approximately 58 percent had taken part in an internship. In the same year, students who participated in internships received more full-time job offers compared with those who had no internship experience. You can also reinforce your learning by teaching others what you have learned.