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establish goals, and let them know you expect them to meet those goals. Motivate students by
providing positive reinforcement as they proceed from success to success. That is the basis of
the law of effect.
LAW OF PRIMACY
Based on the law of primacy, students retain information they learn for the first time longer
than they retain information they must relearn. Unlearning incorrect procedures (or bad habits)
is always more difficult than learning the correct procedures in the beginning. Therefore, the
law of primacy plays an important role in Navy training. Navy training courses allow a limited
amount of time for learning do not include time for students to relearn improperly taught
information. Make sure you teach the correct information and procedures the first time;
proceed from the simple to the complex, from the known to the unknown. Clarify
misunderstandings and errors before moving on. Remember, your students must be ready to
learn new material.
LAW OF EXERCISE
This law is based on the old maxim that practice makes perfect. It has been proven that
students learn best and retain information longer when they have meaningful practice and
repetition. The key here is that the practice must be meaningful. It is clear that practice leads
to improvement only when it is followed by positive feedback. That means that as an instructor,
you need to follow upon every homework assignment, every lab exercise, and any other student
activities you assign. Students must have supervised practice in applying new skills to reach the
required level of expertise to master course objectives.
That is how the transfer method of
learning takes place; from the information you teach, to the students’ use of it.
LAW OF INTENSITY
The law of intensity states that a vivid experience is learned better and retained longer. Make
your instruction powerful enough to have a strong, positive effect on your students by getting
them actively involved in the lesson.
Instruction that allows students to sit passively in the
classroom doesn’t have much intensity. You can talk about the effects of tear gas all day. But
talking will never have the same impact as putting students in a controlled environment and
letting them experience tear gas without a gas mask. That is Intensity.
Use the best instructional media available, including the real thing. Use examples, analogies,
and personal experiences to make learning come to life. Make learning interactive by initiating
and controlling your students’ involvement in the learning process.
FACTORS AFFECTING LEARNING
Many factors affect learning. Everyone does not learn in exactly the same way or at the same
rate. Each is subject to a variety of negative and positive influences in the overall process. You
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