Two ways you can increase your learning performance and gain longer-term retention of skills is to use the Task Variation and Task Interference techniques. Let’s look at these in more detail.
· Task Variation technique. This technique involves performing a task with certain variations. These variations are in context. They could occur during performance of the task. Examples may include varying a starting point, the method of achieving the objective, or changing the objective itself.
For example, variety in landing an aircraft may involve doing landings that are starting from too high or low, with the engine at idle, or on to a short runway. Another example may be docking a yacht under sail or under engine power, with help or without.
· Task Interference technique. This technique involves performing the same task but with contextual interference. The interference is from elements that do not necessarily vary how you perform the task, but may make it more difficult to complete.
Using the examples of landing the aircraft or docking the yacht above, interference may come in the form of rain, a low sun, or time pressure. You need to perform the same task while dealing with interference from any or many of those elements.
Task variety and task interference need to be “in context.” Use variations and interference from real world scenarios that are likely to occur during or after your training. For example, landing an aircraft in rough turbulence (right context) would improve performance whereas reciting lines from “Romeo and Juliet” (wrong context) may not.
Using task variety and task interference during training may have a temporary negative effect on training performance. The benefit however is better longer term performance and retention. What does this mean? Let’s assume the accuracy of landing an aircraft is scored on how close to the start of the runway you land. While you practice scenarios involving variety and interference, it’s probable that your scores are lower than if you just did normal landings. However, once you’ve completed these exercises your scores are likely to increase (and will stay higher), compared to doing the same number of normal landings.