Which educational technique is more likely to enhance retention in program participants?

Involving participants in an activity is an effective educational technique that significantly enhances retention among program participants. This method fosters active learning, which engages individuals more deeply in the educational material. When participants are actively involved—whether through discussions, hands-on activities, or collaborative projects—they are more likely to connect personally with what they are learning. This leads to greater understanding, increased motivation, and improved recall of the information.

Active engagement helps create a meaningful context for knowledge acquisition and allows participants to apply what they've learned in real-time situations, reinforcing their understanding. This experiential learning approach is grounded in educational theory, which suggests that learners retain information better when they are not just passive recipients but active participants in the learning process.

In contrast, techniques such as simply meeting in a classroom setting or using PowerPoint presentations can often lead to passive learning experiences, which may not promote high levels of retention. Covering different issues in each session, while potentially broadening knowledge, can overwhelm participants and hinder the opportunity to reinforce and solidify their understanding of key concepts through active involvement.