Designing for Memory Retention
Memory Retention
Create courses learners actually remember — in minutes with Mexty AI.
This guide shows how to turn any lesson into a retention-first experience using prompts, ready-made blocks, and lightweight analytics.
Quick Wins (Do These First)
- Chunk content into 3–7 minute blocks with clear goals.
- Add a 1–3 question recall check after each block.
- End every lesson with a 3-point recap + one reflection prompt.
- Schedule an auto review (24h / 7d) with a micro-quiz.
- Turn the final test into a gamified review rather than a one-shot exam.
Prompt to start
“Make this lesson retention-friendly: chunk into short blocks, add 2 recall questions per block, a 3-point recap, and schedule a 24h & 7d micro-quiz.”
Core Strategies & How to Prompt
Retention mechanics that compound
1) Spaced Repetition
- Revisit the same ideas with increasing intervals.
- Use micro-quizzes, flashcards, or quick scenarios.
Prompt: Create a spaced review plan (24h, 7d, 21d) with 5 flashcards per checkpoint.
2) Retrieval Practice (Active Recall)
- Ask learners to produce answers, not just recognize them.
Prompt: Turn this summary into 6 active-recall questions with immediate feedback and hints.
3) Dual Coding (Text + Visuals)
- Pair concise text with icons, diagrams, or mini-infographics.
Prompt: Add an icon and a one-sentence visual caption for each key idea.
4) Interleaving (Mix Topics)
- Mix similar concepts to improve differentiation and transfer.
Prompt: Reorder these blocks to interleave A/B topics and add a contrast exercise.
5) Story Anchors
- Wrap concepts in short stories or dilemmas to create emotional hooks.
Prompt: Create a 90-second story that illustrates concept X and ends with a decision question.
6) Gamified Review
- Convert revision into levels, points, badges, and timed challenges.
Prompt: Turn the end-of-module review into a 3-level challenge with hints and retries.
7) Elaboration & Connection
- Ask learners to link new ideas to what they know.
Prompt: Add a reflection: ‘Where would you use this at work?’ with an example answer.
8) Teach-Back
- Learners remember more when they explain.
Prompt: Add a ‘teach-back’ task: learners write a 3-step guide for a peer. Include model answer.
9) Micro-Reviews & Recaps
- Close each block with 3 key points + a quick check.
Prompt: Append a 3-point recap and a single best-answer question to each block.
10) Post-Lesson Reinforcement
- Follow up with push reminders, inbox recaps, or mobile micro-quizzes.
Prompt: Create a 60-second daily quiz for 5 days with one new example per day.
Recommended Mexty Blocks
- Flashcards (Spaced) — with confidence rating
- Quick Quiz — 2–5 items, immediate feedback
- Story Scenario — branching with consequences
- Recap Card — “3 things to remember”
- Teach-Back — learner writes a mini-explanation
- Reflection/Journaling — personal application
- Gamified Review — levels + badges + retries
Prompt: “Insert a Recap Card and Flashcards after each section; finish with a Gamified Review.”
Accessibility Notes (Built-in with Prompts)
- Add captions/transcripts for audio/video.
- Ensure WCAG 2.1/EN 301 549 color contrast & focus order.
- Provide ALT text + text summaries for charts.
- Offer audio narration + adjustable font/spacing.
Prompt: “Audit this lesson for accessibility and fix issues for low-vision and deaf learners.”
Measure What Matters
- Block completion and time-on-task
- Recall scores (first-try vs. after-hint)
- Spaced review completion
- Confidence ratings (from flashcards)
- Transfer tasks completed (teach-back, reflections)
Prompt: “Create a retention dashboard for this course and highlight weak concepts.”
Brand Notes — Using Mexty Colors
- Mexty Blue: #2D7BFF
- Indigo/Purple: #6A4CFF
- Pink/Magenta: #FF4FB3
- Orange: #FF8A2D
- Deep Navy (text): #0F1B2D
- Off-white background: #F7F9FC
Prompt: “Apply Mexty brand colors to headings (indigo), CTAs (orange), highlights (pink), and icons (blue).”
One-Click Template
“Make a memory-retention version of this module: chunk into 5-minute blocks, add 2 recall questions per block, a 3-point recap card, a 24h & 7d spaced micro-quiz, a 3-level gamified review at the end, dual-code each key idea with an icon, and ensure full accessibility (WCAG 2.1/EN 301 549). Use Mexty blue/purple/pink/orange accents.”
