In law enforcement and military settings, it’s common to front-load anything we think we’ll need to retrieve fast. It’s tempting to take that same approach with knowledge transfer—explain the policy first, then walk through the steps, run the drill, and repeat. But for long-term learning to take root, instructors need to offer more than just up-front details and repetition. Learners need a chance to make meaning for themselves.

In cognitive science, the term generation refers to the process of integrating new information by connecting it to what you already know. When officers are asked to explain, predict, or interpret a situation using what’s already in their long-term memory, they begin building new mental models. The more active that process is, the deeper the learning—and the longer it lasts.

 

Why It Works

Think of the brain like a puzzle in process. It assesses and organizes pieces before fitting them into existing frameworks. When a learner makes sense of new content by generating meaning based on prior knowledge, context, and experience, they engage in deeper mental processing. That kind of constructive learning is more durable, more flexible, and more likely to transfer under pressure.

Studies in cognitive and educational psychology show that learners who engage in generative tasks—like summarizing, teaching others, or explaining aloud—retain more and understand more deeply than those who simply read or listen. The more thinking a learner has to do, the better the outcome. Generation is an active process, compared to passive strategies like listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration.

 

Generation in Practice

MILO instructors often use generative strategies during scenario-based training, whether they label them that way or not. When a trainee is asked, “What’s happening here?” before a scenario unfolds, they begin actively processing the context. When they explain a tactic, they’re connecting actions to concepts. When they brief a partner, summarize a call, or write a report, they’re consolidating what they’ve learned.

To build more generation into your MILO sessions, try:

Prompting interpretation: Ask, “What do you think is going on here?” rather than framing the scenario with too much context.
This engages the trainee in making meaning rather than passively absorbing information.

Encouraging prediction: Let them anticipate what might escalate the scene—or how it might resolve.
Prediction activates prior knowledge and builds stronger mental models for decision-making.

Creating summaries: After a scenario, have them explain the incident as if they were briefing a colleague or defending their decisions in court. Summarizing requires active retrieval and restructuring of information, which deepens retention.

Building bridges: Ask how today’s training connects to a prior call, lesson, or real-world experience. Linking new learning to prior experience reinforces memory and makes skills more transferable.

 

Don’t Confuse It With Guessing

Generation works best when officers use what they already know to make sense of a situation. It helps them think through what’s happening, explain their choices, and connect new ideas to real experiences. For this to work, the new skill, problem, or task needs to build on or connect to something familiar that they already know a little about.

And it doesn’t have to be perfect. An officer might misinterpret a scenario at first, and that’s okay. As long as feedback is timely and tied to their thought process, even a misstep can lead to deeper understanding next time.