New knowledge is worthless if it is not transferred into everyday life! One of the main tasks of trainers is to initiate this transfer through transfer impulses – especially in digitally supported training. We explain, based on scientific results, how effective digital transfer impulses really are and how to use them correctly.

Everyone who works in the continuing education sector has probably heard of the term “transfer impulse.” Particularly in the context of digital learning methods, the term appears repeatedly: The less personal contact there is between trainer and participant, the more important good impulses are to remind participants of what they have learned and motivate them to apply it!

Annika Griese's master's thesis delves into the concept of transfer impulses. We summarize the results of her work:

• What is a digital transfer impulse?

• What makes a good transfer impulse?

• How effective are transfer impulses in blended learning?

• How do trainers effectively implement transfer impulses in training?

Lots of money spent, nice catering, a lovely day spent in a hotel. But what happens to what you learned? The learning process is not over with that! (Annika Griese)

Annika Griese studied Technical Editing and Multimedia Documentation at the University of Applied Sciences in Hesse and worked freelance for the HAUFE Academy during her studies, where she created e-training modules, for example.

She was so interested in the topic of digital learning that she extensively addressed the topic of competency development for specialists and managers using blended learning in her master's thesis.

The high sustainability and diverse application possibilities make blended learning one of the best learning methods in professional continuing education for her.

You can download the complete master's thesis for free here.

Transfer impulses call for action

The term “transfer impulse” is known to every learning expert – albeit often under different terms: transfer impulse, transfer building block, implementation aid, microlearning – just to name a few terms that many learning experts associate with it.

All these terms ultimately serve the same function: What has been learned must be actively applied and reinforced in everyday life, otherwise, continuing education is not successful! In meaning, all terms are similar:

• It is a stimulus or push that calls for action.

• It refers to small sections or building blocks of new knowledge.

• Through an action, new knowledge should change behavior in the long term.

As a trainer, your formula for transfer impulses therefore is:
New knowledge + active application = behavior change

Digital impulses: Short, compelling, and multimedia

This alone doesn't bring you much in practice, of course. To develop a good transfer impulse, three characteristics for good digital impulses have proven effective:

1. A good transfer impulse is short!

The participant should understand the content and the action instruction within two to a maximum of ten minutes. The length depends on how often impulses are offered: very short impulses multiple times a week or a slightly longer impulse once a week.

2. A good transfer impulse calls for a specific action!

Good transfer impulses clearly and actively prompt for action and provide all the information needed for the implementation of concrete actions. An action does not necessarily have to involve interaction – even self-observation or reflection on what has been learned can be an action.

3. A good transfer impulse uses appropriate media!

In the field of digitally supported training, there is a huge selection of media! Proven formats include learning and explanatory videos, checklists, observation protocols, and self-tests. The key is that the media are chosen consciously.

The following diagram illustrates where good transfer impulses are implemented: Transfer impulses apply what has been learned – thus enabling new actions.

Diagram: new learning content is only reinforced by multiple transfer impulses and applied after successful transfer. Presented by: Annika Griese

Practical implementation in blended learning

In face-to-face training, the trainer or coach is permanently present with the participant, can observe and motivate them, but only for a short period. This is different for purely e-learning courses, where content is delivered over a longer period and hardly any individual support is possible.

Blended learning combines in-person with online training, providing a broader range of possibilities for transfer impulses: both digital and “analog” methods in direct contact between trainer and participant.

Learn more on our information page: Blended Learning in Practice

What role do digital transfer impulses play in blended learning?

Digital transfer impulses are crucial for initiating behavior changes in blended learning, but they are not solely responsible for the success or failure of a training! For the most comprehensive transfer into everyday life, various transfer methods should be combined to make full use of blended learning's possibilities.

Digital transfer impulses are especially effective when used as regular digital reminders. Participants should simply be reminded of key content from the training to help them sustainably store it by frequently recalling it.

The combination of digital and analog transfer impulses is also very promising: For example, role plays in in-person training can help to change behavior long-term in everyday life – if you, as a trainer, also remind participants digitally about the exercises.

Tips for trainers: Using transfer impulses correctly

When using digital transfer impulses in blended learnings, the following three tips can help you achieve optimal results:

1. Align the impulses with your target group!

“Throwing around fancy multimedia impulses doesn’t help at all if they don’t fit the target group!” (Annika Griese)

This means: Analyze who your participants are and what changes they really need for their daily lives before developing the transfer impulses. Set appropriate priorities in your content: For example, impulses about “Giving good feedback” may look completely different for a group of experienced managers than for a team of newcomers.

2. Adapt the impulses to your participants’ competencies!

“You can do a lot with digital impulses – but if they don’t resonate with the participants, they unfortunately won’t work.” (Annika Griese)

This particularly refers to media competencies: Can your participants actually understand a video? Do they have comprehension problems with texts? Choose the media that make the content most accessible to your participants. If your target group is comfortable with various media – then utilize the digital variety to create diverse impulses.

3. First develop a concrete concept!

“Spent a lot of money, nice catering, a lovely day in the hotel. But what happens to what you learned?” (Annika Griese)

First, consider what the goal of the training or coaching actually is: What exactly should participants learn? What should change? Once you’re sure you’ve grasped the core point, move on to the next step: Develop impulses that specifically aim at these goals. No goals, no good transfer impulses!

With these three tips, you will be able to create goal- and participant-oriented transfer impulses that make your blended learning sustainable in the long term – and offer your participants a varied and exciting learning process.

Are you new to the world of blended learning or want to improve your existing concept? Then get our free guide for trainers now and take the first step!