Advice for the Late-Life Learner

Perhaps you’re pursuing an advanced degree at age 50. Or you’re starting with a new company, and a new job description, at age 60. Or you’re a 70-year-old finding that your job has ever-changing expectations for learning new technology.

Here are some tips based on the science of learning and memory:

1. Make time for learning. It might seem obvious that we cannot learn without making learning a priority. After all, learning requires focus and effort (van Gog, Hoogerheide, & van Harsel, 2020). But it can be easy to slide into bad habits—reviewing your notes at the last minute, or toggling between social media and the application you need to learn how to use. These pitfalls can be particularly likely to arise when we need to balance learning goals with family and workplace responsibilities; often, we approach our learning goals at the end of a long day, with little energy left to devote to them.

   To avoid these pitfalls, set aside time each day—ideally, at a time when you feel at your mental best—to tackle the material that you hope to better understand. During this time, reduce distractions: Find a quiet place; turn off the TV or radio; if you’re learning on the computer, close all other applications and browser tabs. If you notice your mind wandering, take a moment and a few deep breaths, and then bring your attention back to the information you are trying to learn.

2. When possible, be the director of your own learning. Often, we set out to learn information because someone, the instructor in a course we’re taking or our boss, tells us we need to learn it. This is usually the person who also sets the timeline for our learning; there is a set exam date or next check-in at which we are expected to understand the information.

   But learning is most effective when we feel in control, and that may be especially true as we get older. Seek to control what you can about your learning environment: when, and where, and how you choose to review material. Consider the big-picture: Why do you want to learn the information, beyond someone telling you that you must learn it. Concretely imagine when you would use the information. Think about what parts of your job or daily life might become easier, or what career opportunities might open for you after you grasp the material. Set your own goals and timelines for learning the material.

3. Watch a training video. In our research, we have found that although late-life learners often report preferring to read a manual to learn new technology, watching a video can be more effective for robust learning. In addition to reading the online manual, find a video that walks you through the various functions and uses of a new software package or piece of hardware. More generally, it's important to review the information in multiple formats, including a visual format (ref. our research supported by the Retirement Research Foundation).
4. Don’t stress over learning plateaus. The learning process will always include plateaus. At some point, we all put in focus and effort, and yet our understanding doesn’t seem to be progressing. When you hit those plateaus, it can be useful to think about how you can vary your learning. Is there someone you can talk to about the material? Is there a video you can watch that demonstrates key features that you are trying to understand? Is there a new way that you could attempt to apply the material, in an effort to understand it better?

   Try to remain calm during the plateau you have reached or during an occasion when you can’t retrieve the information when you need it. High-stress levels are harmful to the learning process, and also can make it harder for you to bring information to mind at the appropriate time (Schwabe & Wolf, 2010). If you feel your stress levels rising, consider temporarily pivoting from your learning goals toward making stress reduction your goal: take a walk, listen to music, grab a cup of tea with a coworker. Return to your learning goals after you feel your stress levels lowering.

5. Apply your knowledge. Generating content yourself is a robust way to solidify your learning. The “testing effect” demonstrates that quizzing yourself on material leads to better learning than just re-reading material (Roediger & Butler, 2011). After you’ve reviewed how to look up a purchase order in your company’s new software application, go into the application and carry out the steps. Then, walk through in your mind how you would describe the steps to someone; if you get stuck, go back and review the material.
6. Keep at it. No one learns everything on the first try. Think about how many times a child attempts to tie a shoelace before getting it right. Approach your learning with that recognition: It will take time, and focus, and effort, and in many cases, you will not succeed right away. But if you keep at it, you can conquer the material you need to learn, and you can bring the information back into mind when you need it.

In the new year, we will delve into the science behind each of these pieces of advice. For now, we hope you’ll give them a try and see if they can help you to meet your learning goals.