---
title: The Learning Pyramid Explained
description: Explore the Learning Pyramid and what it means for instructional design, retention, practice-based learning, and creating more effective software training.
image: https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Q%26A-1.png
---

[![iorad](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Iored%20Theme%202021/Images/iorad%20logo%20DONT%20DELETE.png)](https://www.iorad.com/)

- Product
  
  #### Individual
  
  [Tutorial Privacy Control who views your tutorials](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/tutorial-privacy) [Mask Data Control who views your tutorials](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/mask-data) [Basic Audio Text-to-speech & custom voiceovers](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/basic-audio)
  
  #### Team
  
  [Branding Add custom branding](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/custom-branding) [Premium Audio Neural voiceovers and CC](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/premium-audio) [Collaboration Co-edit and publish tutorials](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/team-collab) [Analytics See tutorial performance](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/analytics)
  
  #### Enterprise
  
  [Translations Automatic language translation](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/translations) [Team Accounts Allocate separate accounts](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/team-collab) [Encrypt & Anti-Track Strict compliance & additional data protection](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/feature/encrypt-and-anti-track)
  
  [All plans & Features →](https://www.iorad.com/features)
- Resources
  
  #### Support
  
  [Help Center](https://www.iorad.com/resources/help-center) [Learning Hub](https://learning.iorad.com) [Schedule Demo](https://www.iorad.com/demo)
  
  #### Customers
  
  [Testimonials](https://www.iorad.com/testimonials) [Case Studies](https://learning.iorad.com/customer-stories?_ga=2.48225895.1718347252.1788801042-1263284910.1780521832)
  
  #### Marketplace
  
  [Partnerships](https://www.iorad.com/partner-programs) [Integrations](https://www.iorad.com/connectIntegrations) [Services](https://www.iorad.com/services)
  
  #### Company
  
  [Privacy Policy](https://www.iorad.com/privacypolicy) [About Us](https://www.iorad.com/meet-the-team)
- Use Cases
  
  [EDU](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/education) [Customer Training](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/customer-training) [Sales Enablement](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/sales-enablement) [Learning & Development](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/learning-and-development)
  
  [HR](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/human-resources) [Product Management](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/product-management) [I.T.](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/information-technology) [Operations](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases/operations)
  
  [All Use Cases →](https://www.iorad.com/use-cases)
- [Pricing](https://www.iorad.com/pricing)

[Try it Free](https://www.iorad.com/signup) [Sign In](https://www.iorad.com/login)

# Format Determines What Learners Remember

[Learning Hub](https://learning.iorad.com/) → [Thought Leadership](https://learning.iorad.com/thought-leadership) →  Format Determines What Learners Remember

![Q&A-1](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Q%26A-1.png)

The Learning Pyramid is a framework for understanding knowledge retention rates across different training formats. At the top of the pyramid: lecture, where learners retain roughly 5% of content. At the bottom: practice and teaching others, where retention climbs to 75-90%. The format of your training determines how much employees actually remember and apply. iorad builds interactive tutorials that move learners from passive reading toward active practice. Users click through real steps in the software rather than watching someone else demonstrate them, which places iorad-based training higher on the retention curve than video or slide-deck instruction.

For years, enablement and L&D teams have battled the gap between *training completion* and *actual adoption*. On paper, the training is “delivered.” In reality, workflows still break down, sellers still escalate basic questions, and new systems take months to stick.

The reason is simple:  
Most corporate training relies on **passive formats**, while learning science overwhelmingly shows that **active, experiential methods produce dramatically higher retention**.

The *Learning Pyramid* (page 1 of your PDF) illustrates this clearly. It suggests that learners retain:

![Screenshot 2025-11-25 at 4.33.57 PM](https://learning.iorad.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-11-25%20at%204.33.57%20PM.png?width=2148&height=1116&name=Screenshot%202025-11-25%20at%204.33.57%20PM.png)

 

While these specific percentages have been debated in academic circles (see the *National Training Laboratory debate* below), the underlying principle is strongly supported by decades of research:

> **Learning becomes durable and transferrable when learners actively do something with the information.**

This is the foundation of experiential learning, active learning, cognitive science, and adult learning theory.

Let’s break it down with research-backed evidence.

---

## **Why Passive Training Underperforms: What the Research Actually Says**

### **1. Adults don’t learn by absorbing — they learn by doing**

Malcolm Knowles, the father of **adult learning theory (Andragogy)**, argued that adults learn best when:

- The learning is **self-directed**
- It's **immediately applicable**
- It connects to **real-life tasks**
- It involves **active participation**

Source:  
Knowles, M. (1973). *The Adult Learner.*  
https://infed.org/mobi/malcolm-knowles-informal-adult-education-self-direction/

This mirrors the lower tiers of the Learning Pyramid where practice, discussion, and teaching dominate.

## **2. Active learning significantly improves outcomes**

A landmark meta-analysis of 225 studies in STEM education (Freeman et al., 2014) found:

- **Active learning increases exam performance by 6 percent**
- **Students in passive lecture environments are 1.5 times more likely to fail**

Source:  
“Active Learning Across Disciplines.” PNAS.  
[https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1319030111](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1319030111)

Why does this matter for enterprise training?  
Because the same cognitive mechanisms apply. When employees only watch or read, the learning never makes it into long-term memory.

## **3. Cognitive Load Theory: Too much information = zero behavior change**

John Sweller’s **Cognitive Load Theory** shows that the brain can’t absorb more than a few elements at once. Dense wiki pages, 40-minute videos, and long PDFs overwhelm working memory.

Source:  
Sweller, J. (1988). “Cognitive Load During Problem Solving.” *Cognitive Science.*  
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1207/s15516709cog1202\_4

Interactive tutorials reduce cognitive load by:

- Breaking down workflows step-by-step
- Sequencing information
- Allowing learners to focus on **one action at a time**

This dramatically reduces complexity and increases retention.

## **4. Mayer’s Multimedia Learning Theory: multimodality improves retention**

Richard Mayer’s research proves that learning improves when information is delivered through:

- **Visuals + narration**
- **Layered steps**
- **Interactive elements**

His multimedia principles show that people learn better from words and pictures than from text alone.

Source:  
Mayer, R. (2009). *Multimedia Learning.*  
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511811678

This supports why **interactive, multimodal tutorials** outperform static documents.

## **5. Chi’s ICAP Framework: More interaction = deeper learning**

Professor Michelene Chi’s ICAP model categorizes learning behaviors from least to most effective:

- **Passive** (watching, reading)
- **Active** (clicking, highlighting)
- **Constructive** (explaining, writing)
- **Interactive** (dialogue, collaboration, guided practice)

Source:  
Chi & Wylie (2014). “The ICAP Framework.” *Educational Psychologist.*  
[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00461520.2014.965823](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00461520.2014.965823)

Interactive tutorials land in the **active-to-interactive** zone — where durable learning happens.

# **Why Interactive Tutorials Fit the Learning Pyramid**

Even though the precise percentages in the pyramid have been debated (here’s a good overview: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/31/that-learning-pyramid-youve-seen-maybe-isnt-based-on-actual-science/

), the *hierarchy* aligns with every major learning theory:

- Higher retention comes from **more active engagement**
- Lower retention comes from **passive consumption**

Interactive tutorials are one of the few digital formats that sit in the high-retention range because they allow learners to:

- **Observe** the workflow (demonstration)
- **Practice** in a simulation
- **Apply** in the live system
- **Create** tutorials (teaching others)

This naturally matches the bottom half of the Learning Pyramid.

## **Bringing the Learner Adoption Journey Into It**

In your Learner Adoption Journey framework, learners move through:

1. **Exposure**
2. **Orientation**
3. **Guided Doing**
4. **Independent Execution**
5. **Mastery / Teaching**

This mirrors:

- Kolb’s **Experiential Learning Cycle**  
  (Concrete experience → Reflective observation → Abstract conceptualization → Active experimentation)  
  https://www.simplypsychology.org/kolb-learning-styles.html
- Merrill’s **First Principles of Instruction**  
  (Demonstration → Application → Integration)  
  https://mdavidmerrill.com/Papers/firstprinciplesbymerrill.pdf

Interactive tutorials fit naturally into the *guided doing* and *independent execution* phases — where nearly every model says the real behavior change happens.

## **Let’s Add Some Hard Metrics**

### **Active practice improves retention by 2–3x**

National Institutes of Health research shows active participation dramatically improves both long-term retention and the ability to recall steps under pressure.  
Source:  
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28009746/

### **Hands-on simulation reduces time to competence by 40–60 percent**

ATD (Association for Talent Development) studies show structured practice environments cut onboarding time significantly.  
Source:  
ATD Research Report: *2019 State of the Industry*  
https://www.td.org/research-reports/soi-2019

### **Learners forget 70 percent of passive content within 24 hours**

Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve principle.  
https://fs.blog/ebbinghaus-forgetting-curve/

### **Interactive walkthroughs reduce errors by up to 80 percent**

Gartner Digital Adoption research highlights that guided workflows dramatically cut user mistakes in complex systems.  
Source:  
Gartner, *Improve Employee Proficiency with Digital Adoption Solutions*  
[https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3986982](https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3986982)

None of these numbers require referencing iorad specifically — they support the category of interactive, guided, multimodal learning.

## **Why the Industry Is Shifting Toward Multimodality**

Learning science, adult learning theory, cognitive psychology, and digital adoption research all agree:

- People don’t learn from reading alone
- Videos don’t create competence
- Demonstration without practice doesn’t transfer
- Context matters
- Doing beats watching
- And teaching others beats everything

This is why the industry is moving toward:

- **Interactive simulations**
- **Step-by-step guided workflows**
- **Multi-format learning assets**
- **Practice-first onboarding**
- **In-app support** rather than out-of-app reference material

And yes — this is why companies in our space (iorad included, but not exclusively) focus on multimodal, interactive learning experiences.

It’s not because it’s trendy.  
It’s because learning science makes it unavoidable.

![Company Logo](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/iorad%20icon.png)

#### Support

- [Help Center](https://www.iorad.com/resources/help-center)
- [Learning Hub](https://learning.iorad.com/)
- [Schedule Demo](https://www.iorad.com/demo)
- [Releases](https://www.iorad.com/release)
- [FAQ](https://www.iorad.com/faq)

#### Pricing

- [Business](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/business)
- [Education](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/education)
- [Non-Profit](https://www.iorad.com/pricing/non-profits)

#### Company

- [About](https://iorad.com/about)
- [Leadership](https://www.iorad.com/leadership)
- [History](https://www.iorad.com/history)
- [Culture](https://www.iorad.com/culture)
- [Careers](https://www.iorad.com/careers)

#### Explore iorad

- [What is iorad](https://www.iorad.com/tutorialbuilder)
- [Features](https://www.iorad.com/features)
- [Compare iorad](https://www.iorad.com/compare)
- [How to use iorad](https://learning.iorad.com/use-cases)
- [Testimonials](https://www.iorad.com/testimonials)

#### Connect

- [Partners](https://www.iorad.com/partner-programs)
- [Integrations](https://www.iorad.com/connectIntegrations)
- [Helping Hands](https://www.iorad.com/helping-hands)
- [Services](https://www.iorad.com/services)
- [Adoption Curve](https://learning.iorad.com/the-adoption-curve)

#### Fine Print

- [Terms of use](https://www.iorad.com/termsconditions)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.iorad.com/privacypolicy)
- [Cookie Policy](https://www.iorad.com/cookiepolicy)
- [Accessibility](https://www.iorad.com/accessibility)
- [System Status](https://status.iorad.com/)

© Copyright 2026 – iorad Inc. All rights reserved.

[![LinkedIn](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Icons%20(iorad)/LinkedIn.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/iorad) [![Facebook](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Icons%20(iorad)/Facebook.png)](https://www.facebook.com/iorad) [![Instagram](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Icons%20(iorad)/Instagram.png)](https://www.instagram.com/iorad) [![YouTube](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Icons%20(iorad)/YouTube.png)](https://www.youtube.com/@iorad) [![Twitter](https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Icons%20(iorad)/Twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/iorad)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Raymond Chuma-Onwuoku",
    "url" : "https://learning.iorad.com/author/raymond-chuma-onwuoku"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-06-18T00:25:38.544Z",
  "datePublished" : "2026-05-08T12:43:23.000Z",
  "headline" : "The Learning Pyramid Explained",
  "image" : [ "https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/Q&A-1.png" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://learning.iorad.com/thought-leadership/the-learning-pyramid-explained",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://learning.iorad.com/hubfs/iorad_logo_colour_2021%20(1).png"
    },
    "name" : "iorad"
  }
}
```