RESEARCH CONTEXTUALISING – RETRIEVAL PRACTICE RESEARCH IN PRACTICE
Memories are made of this – how to prepare students well for exams
Active testing, rather than passive studying, has been found to be a more positive way for learners to absorb and retain information. Amber Barnitt examines how retrieval practice can make all the difference.
As teachers, we are constantly seeking ways to help our students learn more efficiently and effectively, especially as public examinations approach and time in the classroom turns to revision. Students often revise by reading and
re-reading information towards the end of a course of learning, and testing has traditionally been seen solely as a means of assessment. However, it has been known for many years that testing can be utilised for more than mere assessment of learning. Indeed, more than 2,000 years ago Aristotle was aware of the ‘testing effect’ and its positive influence on recall of information and memory.
The first empirical research of note to show the positive effects of retrieval practice was more than 100 years ago (Abbott, 1909). More recent research has added to this early knowledge with more depth and nuance. Classic recent studies have shown that
active testing has greater positive effects on memory and enhancing learning than passive studying and restudying, in the form of reading or watching videos (Carrier and Pashler,1992). Along with improving students’ recall of information, teachers must often also find ways to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress that many students feel when faced with testing and examinations. Retrieval practice, in the form of low or no-stakes quizzes, can even reduce the anxiety that students feel towards learning and testing (Agarwal et al, 2014).
REFERENCES
• Abbott, E.E. (1909). On the analysis of the factors of recall in the learning process. Psychol. Monogr. 11, 159–177.
• Agarwal, K., Antonio, H.L., Roediger, L., McDermott, K.B. and McDaniel, A. (2014). Classroom-based programs of retrieval practice
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reduce middle school and high school students’ test anxiety. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 3 (3). 131-139.
• Carrier, M. & Pashler, H. (1992). The influence of retrieval on retention. Mem Cogn 20: 633.
https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202713
• Leitner, S. (1972). So lernt man lernen. Der Weg zum Erfolg (How to learn to learn), Freiburg i.
• Mace, C. A. (1932). Psychology of Study. London: Methuen.
• Metcalfe, J., Kornell, N., & Finn, B. (2009). Delayed versus immediate feedback in
Teachers may be concerned that
retrieval practice takes up more time than passive revision of information. However, a recent study showed that students using repeated testing recalled much more after a week (61 per cent) than those using repeated study (40 per cent), even though students using the former read the passage only 3.4 times and those using the latter read it 14.2 times (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006). In retrieval practice, students need to
recall information from memory. This can be with tests, writing out the information without the original source, teaching someone else, or telling another person
USING RETRIEVAL PRACTICE
• Retrieval practice is appropriate for any subject requiring knowledge recall. • Use retrieval practice often, a few days or weeks after the lesson. • Use a variety of tests, quizzes and question types. • Use a mix of strategies, such as flash cards and exam questions. • Give feedback. • Plan ahead and combine retrieval practice with spacing and interleaving for best effect.
These strategies are not new, but recent interest in them, combined with current
research in cognitive psychology, re-emphasises their effectiveness in the classroom for modern teachers and students.
Useful websites (log in to SET for your digital inTuition and live links):
https://colleenyoung.wordpress.com/lesson-planning/retrieval-practice/
https://www.retrievalpractice.org/ http://www.learningscientists.org/blog?tag=retrieval+practice
https://fs.blog/2018/12/spacing-effect/ https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/340584-spaced-review-and-interleaving-teacher- guide.pdf
what they are trying to recall. Checking the recall is correct, with no errors, is an important part of the retrieval. This practice feels more difficult for the student and takes more effort than reading over the information, but the struggle is a crucial part of the learning. If retrieving using testing, the test has to be difficult enough to require effort, but not so difficult that the student feels overwhelmed. Feedback with correct answers has a
greater impact on success than testing with no correct feedback, even though the latter also increases recall. Timing of feedback is important, so when correct
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