Comprehending, Retaining and Applying Educational Material

Steve Raybine:

Blog #91:

Comprehending, Retaining and Applying Educational Material

Three issues that have caused me great concern about the educational process are the comprehension, retention and application of knowledge. It is distressing how many students tell me that they no longer retain information that they once learned in a variety of classes. Why is this so? Although the student(s) may have initially comprehended the material on a certain level, he or she was unable to retain the information over time. If the student had been taught how to apply the information in a useful and practical manner, chances are they would have had a better grasp of the information.

In order to retain information, you must first be able to comprehend it. If the instructor presents the material in a haphazard and non-functional manner, chances are the student will never truly grasp the information. Alternatively, if the instructor presents his or her material in a logical and insightful manner, the student should have a much better chance of comprehending the information. However, that doesn't always mean the student will be able to cognitively retain the material that was presented during class. I contend that it is of critical importance that once comprehension has been achieved, practical application of the material must occur in order to truly achieve long-term retention. For instance, with my jazz students, I not only present the principles of jazz theory and harmony to them, but I show them systematically how to apply it within a musical context. The presentation of information that doesn't include a thorough and comprehendible application process will undoubtedly decrease the likelihood of long-term retention.

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