Liftology 7: The role of retrieval (using information)

We have two real tasks: getting information into long-term memory, and then getting it out. We’ve talked about how to do the former, but how do we do the latter? Further, it’s not just getting the information out, it’s getting out in the way that it’ll be used! That’s a nuanced, but important distinction. 

We can (and should) get information into long-term memory that guides what we do. The ability to perform, after all, is an interaction between the information we already know and the current context, leading us to determine a successful course of action. At least that’s the intent!

The way we demonstrate ability to do is, frankly, to do. That is, we need to be put into the situations we’ll encounter, and do what we need to. This is scaffolded, of course. First we are given ‘safe’ practice, where the consequences of getting it wrong don’t matter. Thus, we can get it wrong, if we don’t understand, and we have a chance to get feedback that illustrates what we did wrong and what the right answer should be. Gradually, we move from scaffolded practice to real performance. Here, we should have sufficient knowledge to provide our own evaluation of what we did wrong or right (feedback should be gradually faded so that we internalize this self-correction). Finally, we observe the change that’s occurred in us, and what the effects are on the situations we encounter. 

The information we have, about how the world works, is useful to the extent it guides what we do. If there’s a mismatch in the information, we may not perform as intended. Further, if there’s a mismatch between what we’re doing in practice, and what we need to do in action, we can also undermine the effectiveness of what we’re trying to accomplish. It’s the alignment between what we need to do, the information we have about how to do it, and the practice and feedback we get, that develops us. 

An important element of this practice, first simulated, then real, is that it’s repeated over time. And it has to be real performance. If we’re being asked questions about the performance, but not actually performing, we develop the ability to answer questions, but not to perform! Expecting questions about the material to lead to ability to perform is a common mistake we see in corporate training. But when we practice what we need to perform, and repeat that appropriately across time and contexts, we develop a real ability to do. And, that, ultimately, is what we need to do.