Article Overview:
In this article Rod Webb considers the importance of review sessions within learning events, and offers some ideas for engaging and energising exercises that will help make learning stick.

Opening Words:
The periods set aside for review within any learning event are some of the most important. If you doubt this, consider for a moment that without review, up to 80% of the detail of what we learn is lost within 24 hours . Participants however, don’t often appreciate the impact the review periods have on their overall learning. Simply asking participants to spend 15 minutes reviewing what’s been covered so far might be an approach that works for reflectors, but it is unlikely to engage activists, or indeed pragmatists.

A bland review session can suck energy from a session and dampen enthusiasm for the learning event. On the other hand, a well planned and presented review session can be engaging, involving and in many cases energising. Indeed, combining energisers with review is an extremely effective use of the periods in an event where attention starts to flag and lethargy begins to creep in. Always remember, monotony and learning are not good bedfellows – irrespective of what the Victorians thought!

Useful Reading For:
All trainers.