“No problem can be solved by the same state of consciousness that created it”
Often (though questionably) attributed to Einstein, this quote makes perfect sense when we design learning pathways. Many adults who found themselves in the role of teacher—whether by calling or by chance—have had at least one frustrating experience as students. An experience they would rather not repeat now that they are on the teaching side.
Por isso, é importante repensar muito do que aprendemos a associar com educação, antes de montar um treinamento.
1. Understanding isn’t learning
One of the biggest flaws in the educational model most of us were raised with is its greater focus on testing than on actual learning.
We learned to memorize (the night before) facts and information that we would forget a month after the test. And because this was the reference point for most people, it’s often assumed to be the “correct” model of education to replicate.
But this method, named as Banking Model of Education by Paulo Freire, barely works in early childhood education—and proves even less effective with adults, whose beliefs, values, interests, and life experiences are already well-formed.
According to Bloom’s revised taxonomy, learning unfolds across six cognitive levels.
Understanding and remembering are at the base of the pyramid. They matter—but real learning really happens when we’re able to integrate that knowledge and, at the highest level, create something new from it. That’s why, if we truly want students to learn, we need to design the learning journey based on what we expect them to be able to create.
2. Duration is not a measure of quality
Another common mistake in course and lesson planning is to equate quality with duration—300 hours, 48 weeks, 24 months… as if the amount of content automatically meant retained learning. It doesn’t.
For information to truly become learning, it’s essential that the course duration—along with its entire structure—be designed around the objectives that need to be achieved.
Moreover, there’s an ongoing discussion about how our attention spans have shrunk—largely due to social media and the overwhelming amount of information we’re exposed to daily. Based on that, many argue that content should be delivered in bite-sized formats—some of which resemble more to a reels than an actual lesson.
While attention is a real issue to consider when defining the length of a content block, it’s important to remember that this hasn’t stopped people from binge-watching TV shows, for example. Quite the opposite.
If we consider that—even in the midst of this battle for increasingly fragmented attention—major entertainment producers and streaming platforms continue to invest in binge-worthy formats and are rolling out a flood of new TV shows that could have been a single movie, with episodes lasting up to two hours, it becomes clear that lesson duration can’t be arbitrary—neither too long, nor too short.
In other words, whether a lesson is long or short—it all depends on the strategy behind it!
3. Simple tools work
And they can be far more effective than that fancy app or sleek PowerPoint!
I know—it often feels like every class or subject needs a slide deck, whether it’s to “present the content” or just to help the facilitator remember everything they need to say.
But in practice, it takes more time than it’s actually worth.
In the case of slides, creating a good presentation—one that doesn’t cause Death by Powerpoint, requires a good deal of energy to filter the most relevant information and images, as well as the skill to move beyond the generic templates found on Canva and similar tools.
In addition, as David JP Phillips explains, it actually requires more slides than most people typically use.
Online apps and tools, which have become widely used in remote courses and trainings, often fall into a similar trap.
First, you have to sift through countless options. Then comes the learning curve, the need to prepare students to use the tool, the tech requirements to make everything run smoothly—and on top of that, the cost of licensing.
Here at TrinaXP, we’re not opposed to using these support tools. In certain cases, they can be quite useful.
But we believe they should be used strategically—supporting content delivery and streamlining the preparation time for each learning journey.
4. A theoretical lesson can be engaging
Many people believe that the only way to handle theoretical lessons is through the classic “sit-down-and-power-through” approach,—reading texts that are nearly incomprehensible and listening for hours to a lecture where not even the tone of voice changes.
Every now and then, reading dense, complex texts will be essential. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to guide students through the learning process.
If the goal is to share knowledge we believe is meaningful, not just to pass the torture along, "just because ‘that’s how it was in my day and I survived", then student-centered strategies need to be part of the approach.
Methods like problem-based or inquiry-based learning, for instance, can be far more effective for content retention.
5. Application is just as important as content—if not more
If you went into the humanities, you probably don’t remember the formulas you repeated endlessly on math tests—let alone ever used them as an adult. But without them, much of what we rely on in our daily lives wouldn’t even exist!
If a theory or technique is essential for those taking your training, it’s important to provide examples that make its relevance as clear as possible. The closer it is to the learner’s reality, the greater the attention it captures—and, as a result, the better the knowledge is retained..
And if you truly want to engage your students, step out of the role of knowledge-holder and into that of a facilitator: present real cases to be solved and take on a supportive, guiding role—instead of simply lecturing on the topic.
Looking to create experiences that turn content into true learning? Discover how we can support your journey!
