“What will a one-hour training actually change for the learner?”

This question comes up frequently in training and learning projects. To answer it properly, we first need to distinguish between two concepts that are often confused: training duration and learning time.

Training Duration: A Potentially Misleading Number

When a client asks for “one hour of training,” they are referring to the training duration. On the surface, this seems simple and objective. In reality, it is more complex.

Does that hour include supplementary resources such as documents, videos, or optional links? If learners are encouraged to review them, is that additional time taken into account? Does the learner need to complete the training in one continuous session, or can it be broken into shorter segments, for example three sessions of twenty minutes?

In the latter case, the cost of interruptions must also be considered. Research by Mark et al. (2008) at the University of California, Irvine shows that after an interruption, it takes an average of 20 to 25 minutes to regain the original level of focus. This does not directly extend the official training duration, but it does increase the total time required from the learner, who must switch between training and other work tasks.

TABLEAU A METTRE EN ANGLAIS

Actual Training Time

It is essential to distinguish between the time invested by the client and the actual time experienced by the learner in front of a computer, a mobile device, or a virtual reality headset.

The invested time refers to the design and development effort. The actual training time refers to the real duration of the training as experienced by the learner. These two are not always aligned.

• Example 1 – High invested time, stable actual duration. A 60 minute training made entirely of original content such as text, interactive activities, and storytelling. For the design team, this represents a significant effort. For the learner, it remains a 60 minute experience.

• Example 2 – Lower invested time, stable actual duration. A training composed of 30 minutes of original content and 30 minutes of client provided videos. The design effort is lighter, but for the learner, the training still lasts 60 minutes.

• Example 3 – Actual duration exceeding invested time. If additional videos or podcasts are added late in the project, the extra development effort is minimal. However, for the learner, the actual training time increases and can easily exceed the originally planned 60 minutes.

This is why clearly defining and communicating the expected real training time is critical to avoid frustration and poor planning.

Learning Time: Beyond the Stopwatch

Even when the actual training time is clearly defined, learning is not guaranteed. Completing a one hour training is one thing. Learning is another.

Learning is a process that requires time, practice, and effort. A learner may leave a one hour training with new information, but true mastery requires much more.

The four stages of learning model illustrates this clearly:

• from Unconscious incompetence “I don’t know what I don’t know”
• to Conscious incompetence “I become aware of gaps”
• then Conscious competence “I perform correctly with effort”
• up to Unconscious competence “I master skills without conscious effort”

The Role of Reflection Time

As Ariane Dumont highlights in her podcast Pédagoscope, reflective pauses are essential. They allow learners to make connections, integrate new knowledge, and transform it into real skills.

This is not wasted time. It is valuable time that supports long term learning retention.

A Strategic Investment

Offering “one hour of training” does not guarantee one hour of learning. The actual experience depends on several factors:

• Interruptions,
• Supplementary learning resources,
• Instructional design choices,
• Planned reflection time.

Most importantly, learning always takes more time than attending training. Moving from incompetence to real mastery requires revisiting content, practising, and reflecting. In other words, offering one hour of training should not be limited to one hour of screen time. Learners also need the time and conditions required to anchor knowledge sustainably.

Training is not about counting minutes. It is about creating the conditions that make every minute count.

Sources

• Broadwell, M. M. (1969). The Four Levels of Teaching.
• Burch, N. (1970s). Conscious Competence Model. Gordon Training International.
• Mark, G., Gudith, D., and Klocke, U. (2008). The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress. University of California, Irvine.
• Dumont, A. (2019, November 7). Pas si simple d’apprendre de manière efficace! Podcast episode. Pédagoscope.