What is the pyramid of learning, and how to use it at work

Key takeaways:

• The pyramid of learning is a layered model that shows how foundational sensory and motor skills support higher-level thinking and academic performance.

• Each layer builds upon earlier developmental stages, moving from concrete experiences to more abstract understanding.

• The model is widely used in education and occupational therapy to identify learning readiness and developmental needs.

• Strong foundational skills are essential before focusing on academic tasks, as they influence attention, reasoning, behaviour, and overall learning success.

Recent reports highlight that Malaysian employers now look for job seekers who combine formal education with practical, applied abilities and a commitment to lifelong learning.

The pyramid of learning helps explain why these foundational skills matter. It shows how complex thinking and academic performance are built on earlier layers of sensory, motor, and experiential development, forming the base of how we learn throughout life.

This article breaks down the learning pyramid and explains why strong foundations matter. With this understanding, you can make better training choices and strengthen your professional growth.

• What is the pyramid of learning?
• Why the “retention percentage pyramid” is a myth
• How the learning pyramid really works
• The foundation of learning: Hands-on experience
• Higher-level learning: Observation and symbolic understanding
• Active learning skills that boost career growth
• How to use the pyramid of learning in the workplace
• How to learn faster using the learning pyramid
• Building a stronger foundation for lifelong learning
• FAQs

What is the pyramid of learning?

The pyramid of learning refers to a popular diagram used to explain how people learn, and it is often known by several names, including the “cone of learning”, “learning pyramid”, or “cone of retention”. 

All of these variations trace back to Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience, introduced in 1946, which was designed to show different learning methods arranged on a continuum from concrete to abstract experiences. 

Rather than ranking techniques by effectiveness, the original model simply illustrated how closely different learning activities resemble real-life experience.

Why the “retention percentage pyramid” is a myth

The popular version of the “learning pyramid,” which assigns neat retention percentages to different learning activities, lacks scientific evidence. Often circulated as infographics on social media or corporate training slides, this corrupted version claims that people remember fixed amounts of information depending on the activity. 

However, none of these figures were ever part of Edgar Dale’s original model, and no credible research supports them.

Common versions of the myth typically present figures such as:

• 10% of what you read

• 20% of what you hear

• 30% of what you see

• 50% of what you see and hear

• 70% of what you say or write

• 90% of what you “do” or teach

How the learning pyramid really works

The Cone’s purpose is to help educators understand how different media relate to one another, not to predict retention or prescribe a strict sequence of activities. As learners move upward through the Cone, experiences gradually lose sensory detail, and learners shift from active engagement to observation.

How the Cone functions in practice:

• It illustrates a continuum, placing methods from concrete (hands-on) to abstract (symbolic).

• The arrangement reflects sensory richness, not learning difficulty or expected performance.

• Learners become spectators rather than participants as experiences grow more abstract.

The foundation of learning: Hands-on experience

Learning is strongest when it begins with concrete, first-hand experiences that engage multiple senses such as sight, touch, movement, and observation. These foundational experiences sit at the base of the authentic learning pyramid because they allow learners to interact directly with real tasks, tools or environments. 

• Direct purposeful experiences: The most concrete level, where learners perform real tasks using multiple senses to build a deep, hands-on understanding.

• Contrived experiences: Simulations, mock-ups, or models that simplify reality and help learners grasp complex concepts through structured practice.

• Dramatic participation: Roleplay activities that recreate real-world situations, allowing learners to experiment safely, practise decision-making, and strengthen communication skills.

• Skill development through action: Participating actively often leads to better understanding and more durable learning than relying only on passive activities like reading or listening.

• Safe experimentation: These experiences let learners try new behaviours, receive feedback, and adjust their approach without risking real workplace outcomes.

Higher-level learning: Observation and symbolic understanding

As learning moves upward through the Cone, experiences become less hands-on and more observational or symbolic. These levels involve watching, listening and interpreting information rather than directly performing tasks. 

Although more abstract, these forms of learning remain essential because they help learners understand concepts, recognise patterns and make sense of ideas before applying them. 

• Demonstrations: Visual explanations that show how a process works, allowing learners to observe steps and clarify misunderstandings before trying it themselves.

• Study trips: Real-world observations that give learners exposure to authentic environments, even if they participate only minimally.

• Exhibits: Displays or curated materials that help learners examine information visually, often prompting reflection and comparison.

• Still pictures, radio, and recordings: Visual and auditory media such as images, podcasts, or audio clips that Dale placed at similar abstraction levels, highlighting that different media can play comparable roles in learning, rather than one sense always being superior.

• Verbal symbols: The most abstract level, where words and text represent ideas without resembling the real objects at all, such as reading the word “apple” instead of encountering the actual fruit.

Active learning skills that boost career growth

Job seekers and working professionals increasingly face fast-changing workplaces, and employers place high value on people who can learn continuously, adapt quickly and apply new skills with confidence. 

The Cone of Experience highlights how richer, more purposeful learning experiences sit closer to real life, supporting the idea that adults benefit from active, meaningful engagement rather than relying only on passive methods. For anyone looking to advance their career, choosing active forms of learning can make a measurable difference in skill development, confidence, and long-term employability.

Developing lifelong learning habits that employers value

Employers consistently seek individuals who show curiosity, initiative, and readiness to learn, making lifelong learning (LLL) a top employability trait. Active learning experiences provide opportunities to practise teamwork, communication, and problem-solving in realistic scenarios, helping you demonstrate the behaviours employers want.

Choosing hands-on, purposeful training experiences

Career-focused learners should prioritise training that involves simulations, practical tasks or role-based scenarios rather than relying solely on manuals or lectures. These formats mirror the Cone’s more concrete layers, allowing you to apply knowledge directly and develop job-ready skills faster.

Using adult learning principles to guide your growth

According to adult learning theory, adults learn best when the content helps them solve real-life problems or build competence for immediate use. This aligns with the Cone’s emphasis on meaningful, experience-based learning, making problem-focused activities especially valuable for career advancement.

Leveraging technology to create realistic learning opportunities

Modern tools such as VR, AR, and gamified training can safely and efficiently replicate hands-on environments. These immersive, contrived experiences give job seekers and employees a chance to practise tasks, build confidence, and stay motivated while learning skills that translate directly to the workplace.

How to use the pyramid of learning in the workplace

The best training blends experiences that engage the senses, encourage interaction, and help employees connect new knowledge to real workplace situations. 

Design learning that prioritises interaction and engagement

In the workplace, instructional designers should focus on creating training that encourages active employee participation. This often means using audiovisual materials, demonstrations, group activities or practical simulations to create vivid, memorable learning experiences.

Balance concrete practice with essential abstract concepts

The Cone encourages trainers to mix hands-on tasks with more abstract forms of learning, such as reading, discussion or visual explanations. A balanced approach helps employees understand the “why” behind a concept while also giving them opportunities to apply it.

Create training aligned with how adults learn best

Constructivist and adult learning theories show that people understand information more deeply when they build meaning through experience. This supports the Cone’s emphasis on experiential learning, where real-world tasks, problem-solving, and reflection strengthen workplace competence.

How to learn faster using the learning pyramid

Learning becomes significantly faster when you move from passive consumption to active engagement. The authentic learning pyramid illustrates that people build durable knowledge when they experience concepts through action, interaction, and reflection.

These methods strengthen neural pathways, improve retrieval, and help you apply skills more effectively at work. 

Below are evidence-informed techniques that align with the principles behind the Cone of Experience and support accelerated skill development.

Use hands-on practice to strengthen memory

Hands-on practice anchors information through physical and cognitive involvement, which creates richer neural encoding than reading or watching alone. When you perform a task, your brain integrates sensory input, decision-making, and problem-solving simultaneously, leading to faster mastery and better recall under pressure. 

This approach is especially effective for tools, processes or communication skills that require fluency rather than theoretical understanding.

• Do mock interviews: Recreate realistic interview dynamics to improve thinking speed, clarity and emotional control.

• Practise job tools: Use the actual software or equipment you need for work to build familiarity and reduce future errors.

• Simulate real tasks: Break down workplace scenarios into small practice segments to strengthen confidence and performance.

Discuss ideas to deepen understanding

Discussion forces you to articulate your thinking, challenge assumptions, and process information at a deeper conceptual level. When you verbalise ideas, the act of explanation strengthens working memory and encourages synthesis rather than surface-level recall. 

Conversations also expose you to alternative interpretations, helping you refine your judgment and broaden your understanding of a topic.

• Join study groups: Exchange interpretations to form a more complete mental model of complex topics.

• Share reflections: Talk through insights after training sessions to reinforce what is most important.

• Ask questions out loud: Clarifying uncertainties verbally accelerates comprehension and retention.

Teach others to reinforce your knowledge

Teaching compels you to reorganise information and make it coherent for someone else, which is one of the most cognitively demanding forms of learning. This process strengthens retrieval pathways and reveals gaps in your understanding that passive study may conceal. Teaching also cultivates leadership behaviours such as clarity, empathy, and patience.

• Summarise what you learned: Turn new knowledge into a concise explanation to validate your understanding.

• Guide a colleague: Walk someone through a process to reinforce your own procedural knowledge.

• Record short explanations: Create simple voice or video notes to practise structured communication.

Combine multiple learning methods for stronger retention

Combining methods produces a compounding effect, as each mode contributes a different layer of cognitive processing. Watching a demonstration builds a mental model, practising embeds procedural memory, discussing strengthens conceptual understanding, and reviewing notes consolidates long-term retention. 

Using multiple approaches ensures more robust learning and reduces the risk of forgetting.

• Watch and practise: Observe a skill first, then apply it immediately to reinforce the sequence.

• Review and reflect: Capture key learnings after practice sessions to integrate them with existing knowledge.

• Discuss and refine: Use conversation to correct misconceptions and stabilise your understanding.

Track your learning to build consistency

Consistent learning creates compounding progress, and tracking your development makes the process intentional. By monitoring what you practise, how often and what results you produce, you strengthen self-regulation and metacognition. 

This reflective loop helps you identify which techniques work best for you and reduces wasted effort on ineffective strategies.

• Use a weekly checklist: Monitor your practice habits to maintain steady momentum.

• Set small goals: Break skills into achievable steps that you can complete regularly.

• Review progress: Evaluate what improved each week to refine your strategy and stay accountable.

Building a stronger foundation for lifelong learning

The actual value of the learning pyramid lies in recognising how early, sensory-rich experiences form the base for more advanced thinking. When learning begins with meaningful interaction and real-world engagement, it becomes easier to develop higher-order abilities such as creativity, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving.

Continuous improvement is a lifelong journey, and you can explore more ways to advance your skills, expand your opportunities and grow both personally and professionally through the learning resources available on Jobstreet.

FAQs

1. What is the pyramid of learning?

The pyramid of learning is a widely circulated diagram that attempts to explain how people learn. Still, the accurate version is actually Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience, not the one with retention percentages. Dale’s model arranges learning methods along a continuum from concrete, hands-on experiences to highly abstract symbolic activities.

2. Is the learning pyramid accurate?

No, the popular learning pyramid with retention percentages is inaccurate because the numbers have no scientific basis and were never part of Edgar Dale’s work. Research shows that the percentages originated in early educational folklore and have fluctuated for more than a century.

3. What is the best way to learn a new skill or information?

The best way to learn a new skill is to use active learning methods that involve doing, practising, discussing and applying information in real contexts. Hands-on experiences, simulations, role-play, reflection, deep understanding, linking new ideas to prior knowledge, and setting clear goals all help you learn faster than passive methods.

4. How does it differ from Taylor and Trott’s pyramid of learning in occupational therapy?

The learning pyramid discussed here is based on Edgar Dale’s Cone of Experience, while Taylor and Trott’s pyramid of learning is a separate occupational therapy framework. Dale’s model focuses on levels of abstraction in instructional media, whereas Taylor and Trott’s pyramid relates to developmental and therapeutic skill-building, which are two very different purposes.