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Within the last 25 years we’ve seen an increasing revolution in the techniques used for study and learning - no more so than within the area of complex and conceptual study such as IT training.
Research and development has greatly focused on the parts of the brain that are used to comprehend new ideas, and more importantly retain them long-term. This research has culminated in the study strategy that looks to map learning with known brain functions. The result is learning and training methodology that is more tailored to the individual person, and more flexible in its approach than techniques that have been traditionally adopted.
Gone are the regimes of studying at a desk from 9am to 5pm, and learning by rote within a large classroom environment. Gone are the days of educational processes more commonly recognised within Charles Dickens’ lifetime. In come new innovative techniques and forums involving clever use of technology such as the internet and remote training facilities. Now the student chooses when and where they study as a response to how they actually feel; within their own training programme, rather than a scheduled methodology set arbitrarily by a third party.
Incredible results have been seen with this formula in both the increase in development and ultimately in the results achieved by students themselves. Countries where there’s a barrier between the source of education and the student - whether it’s natural or geographical - have seen an increasing dependence on remote education systems. Both New Zealand and Sweden, for example, have used teleconferencing techniques to deliver high quality instructor training directly to remote students in their homes. Both have experienced increasing results - certainly more so than the average performance worldwide.
Long term studies by the USAF (US Air Force) and comparative studies by the US American Football Association have centred on the question - “When is the student most proficient at studying?” Whilst all the studies accept the individuality of humans based on their personal factors and circumstances, a number of clear similarities have occurred. The benefits realised have subsequently been adopted into new and powerful training techniques.
One of the first discoveries was the fact that during the morning period - or when the person awakes from sleep (obviously different if you work nights to days) - the functions of the brain are mainly dominated by survival. The parts of the brain working most effectively deal with centering the person within their location, identifying the temperature of the day and so forth. Equally this part of the brain that’s dominant (so to speak) at this time is closely linked to short-term memory.
As the day passes, there’s a change in dominance within the brain. The short-term memory - or survival - settles down, and the functions of the long-term memory become more powerful. This is most likely to be as the person begins to realise that they’re no longer likely to be attacked by a sabre tooth tiger! This process, on average, begins around 11am, and settles at 2pm in the afternoon (again assuming we’re dealing with a Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm working cycle). At about 2pm, the functions of the brain are closely linked to long-term memory retention. Consequently it’s around this time that both the USAF and the American Football Association have had the most success in teaching their students complex manoeuvres, whether these are low level flying skills, dog fighting skills or complex set team pieces on the football field.
These lessons have successfully translated across a wide arena of other disciplines and industry sectors. Some companies in the UK have successfully incorporated this philosophy into their IT training systems. Here, students have access to the highest quality of teacher resource on a 24×7 basis. Models exist that allow students to pick and choose when and where they study, so that they can find their own 2pm ’sweet spot’ and select the best environment to encourage the long-term memory function of the brain.
Traditional educational models are by their very nature difficult to adjust and more restrictive. However, there’s good evidence of a move away from these educational structures, including a reliance upon pens and paper, and the summation of an individuals knowledge into one single exam - as the evidence has exposed that not everybody shines in a pure exam environment, and the question as to the timing of the exam may help some students more than others.
With an ever increasing route to information and the pool from which we drink new ideas, we’re seeing more personalised training programmes emerging as the norm. People are seeking the methods, times of day and source of material that best suits their lifestyle, their budget and their aspirations. Whether this is through an individual approach or via a formalised training program, ultimately the intention is to be able to achieve more. Early indicators suggest that this is indeed the result.
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