Why Learners Forget Understanding the Forgetting Curve and How to Overcome It

Why Learners Forget: Understanding the
Forgetting Curve and How to Overcome It
The Forgetting Curve and Its Relevance for Trainers: How to
Combat Learning Loss with Smart Interventions
In the world of corporate training and professional development, knowledge is only as
valuable as it is retained. Unfortunately, the human brain isn’t a perfect storage system.
German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus demonstrated this over a century ago with
his pioneering research on memory, leading to the formulation of the Ebbinghaus
Forgetting Curve. For trainers and L&D professionals, understanding this curve is vital
to ensuring that training programs don't just deliver content—but foster lasting learning.
Understanding the Forgetting Curve

The Forgetting Curve illustrates how information is lost over time when there is no
attempt to retain it. Ebbinghaus found that learners forget up to 50% of new
information within an hour, 70% within 24 hours, and 90% within a week. The
curve slopes steeply downward, showcasing a dramatic decline in memory retention
shortly after learning.
This presents a fundamental challenge for trainers: delivering knowledge is not enough.
The real goal is sustained knowledge retention and recall, especially when
employees must apply what they learn in real-time decision-making and performance.
Why Trainers Must Pay Attention
Modern training programs invest significant resources—time, money, and effort—into
content creation and delivery. But if 90% of that knowledge is forgotten within a week,
the return on that investment is minimal.
Here’s why the Forgetting Curve is especially relevant to today’s trainers:
● Training Without Retention Is Training Without Impact: A one-time workshop
or onboarding session without reinforcement results in short-lived memory. This
affects compliance, safety, and productivity.
● Performance Tied to Recall: For employees to perform well, they need to recall
critical knowledge, procedures, and skills when it matters most.
● Retention Gaps Can Lead to Risk: In industries like healthcare, finance, or
manufacturing, forgetting procedures or regulations can result in costly errors or
even legal consequences.
Factors Influencing Forgetting
While the Forgetting Curve offers a generalized pattern of memory decay, several
factors influence how quickly we forget:
● Complexity of Material: More complex or abstract content is harder to retain.
● Learner’s Prior Knowledge: If learners have no context or foundation,
information is more easily lost.

● Presentation and Engagement: Passive delivery methods (e.g., long lectures or
slide-heavy webinars) lead to lower retention.
● Lack of Reinforcement: If there's no repetition or practice, memories fade
quickly.
Understanding these factors gives trainers strategic entry points to counteract
forgetting.
Strategies to Combat the Forgetting Curve
While forgetting is natural, it's not inevitable. The key to defeating the Forgetting Curve
lies in well-timed, evidence-based interventions that help refresh knowledge and
transfer it to long-term memory.
1. Spaced Repetition
One of the most effective ways to improve retention is spacing out reviews over
increasing intervals of time. For example, reintroducing material after one day, then
three days, then a week, helps move the information from short-term to long-term
memory.
Modern platforms like MaxLearn automate this process using AI-powered learning
reinforcement, ensuring that each learner reviews content at the optimal time based on
their unique forgetting curve.
2. Microlearning Bursts
Traditional training overwhelms learners with too much information at once.
Microlearning platform breaks content into bite-sized, easily digestible chunks that
are easier to process and retain.
Microlearning aligns perfectly with the Forgetting Curve by offering just-in-time
reinforcement without overwhelming learners. Tools like MaxLearn deliver short,
focused modules that learners can access on demand, right when they need them.
3. Active Recall and Retrieval Practice

Passive reading or watching is less effective than actively retrieving information.
Encouraging learners to recall knowledge through quizzes, scenario-based
challenges, or flashcards significantly improves memory retention.
MaxLearn’s adaptive questioning engine uses this principle by presenting learners
with frequent low-stakes challenges that require active engagement.
4. Gamification to Sustain Engagement
Learning that is fun and interactive is more likely to stick. Gamified elements—points,
levels, badges, leaderboards—encourage repeat engagement and make learners more
willing to revisit training content.
Gamification, when applied to reinforcement, not only motivates participation but also
encourages repetition—the key to fighting forgetting.
5. Personalized Learning Journeys
Different learners forget at different rates. Adaptive learning platforms like MaxLearn
personalize reinforcement schedules based on each learner's performance and pace,
ensuring high retention with minimal redundancy.
This ensures that learners are neither bored by repetition nor left behind by content they
forgot.
The Role of Learning Technology
Technology plays a critical role in transforming these evidence-based strategies into
scalable solutions. AI-powered learning platforms, such as MaxLearn, monitor learner
performance, detect when memory decay is likely to occur, and deliver personalized
interventions that reinforce key knowledge.
Instead of guessing when to send reminders or refreshers, these platforms rely on
learning analytics and smart algorithms to do the heavy lifting—ensuring the right
knowledge reaches the right learner at the right time.

Beyond Retention: Building a Culture of Continuous Learning
Addressing the Forgetting Curve isn’t just about training design—it’s about shaping an
organizational culture that values ongoing development. When learners expect and
welcome reinforcement as part of the learning journey, they begin to see it not as a
chore but as a growth opportunity.
Encouraging frequent knowledge checks, micro-coaching, and peer-to-peer learning
interactions can help normalize reinforcement and improve performance across the
board.
Conclusion: Don’t Let Learning Fade
The Forgetting Curve may be an unavoidable aspect of human cognition, but its effects
can be mitigated—if not entirely neutralized—through intentional design and smart
delivery. By embracing spaced repetition, microlearning, active recall, and adaptive
reinforcement, trainers can transform fleeting knowledge into lasting competence.
Platforms like MaxLearn are built specifically to combat forgetting, leveraging AI and
microlearning to ensure your training investments deliver measurable impact. In today’s
fast-moving, high-stakes business environment, helping learners retain and apply
knowledge isn't just beneficial—it’s essential.
Ready to break the forgetting cycle? Learn how MaxLearn can help you build a
smarter, more retention-friendly training program.