The Cone of Learning illustrates that people learn more when they:

The Cone of Learning concept suggests that retention rates of information increase dramatically when individuals engage in active participation rather than passive forms of learning. When learners actively participate in the material, such as through discussions, hands-on activities, or teaching others, they are more likely to internalize and remember the information compared to mere listening or reading.

Active participation allows learners to process the information more deeply, as it often requires them to think critically, ask questions, and apply what they’ve learned in real-world scenarios. This engagement fosters stronger connections between new knowledge and existing understanding, leading to enhanced retention and recall.

In contrast, passive forms of learning, such as listening to a lecture or reading text without engagement, typically result in lower retention rates. This emphasizes the importance of creating interactive learning environments where participants can actively engage with the content to maximize their learning experience.