Retrieval Practice: The Key to Unlocking Long-Term Learning
- Melissa Rotter
- Apr 14, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 16, 2023
How to help your students get the most out of their neurodiagnostic education by maximizing the use of the "testing effect".
We've all been there. You cram for a test, feeling confident that you've memorized everything you need to know, only to forget everything the moment you sit down to take the exam. Sound familiar? If so, you're not alone. For many students, studying is a chore that produces short-term gains but doesn't lead to long-term learning. However, research has shown that there is a better way to learn: retrieval practice.
What is retrieval practice?
Retrieval practice is a learning strategy that involves actively recalling information from memory. Rather than simply re-reading notes or textbooks, retrieval practice involves testing yourself on the material you've learned. This can take the form of quizzes, flashcards, or other types of assessments that require you to retrieve information from memory.
Research has shown that this type of practice can produce superior long-term retention of information compared to simply studying for an equivalent amount of time.(1-5, 7, 8 ) This is often referred to as the “testing effect”.
Why is retrieval practice effective?
There are several reasons why retrieval practice is such an effective learning strategy. First, it helps to reinforce the connections between different pieces of information in your brain. When you actively retrieve information from memory, you're forcing your brain to make connections between different concepts and ideas, which can help to solidify your understanding of the material. Second, retrieval practice helps to identify gaps in your knowledge. When you test yourself on the material, you're likely to encounter areas where you're still struggling, which can help you to focus your future studying efforts. Finally, retrieval practice can facilitate encoding newly learned information into long-term memory and improve the student’s ability to recall this information later.
How can you use this information to help your students?
As a preceptor or instructor, here are three things you can do to help reinforce the practice of retrieval, help facilitate long-term learning for your students, and maximize the benefits of the testing effect.
1. Repeated testing
Everyone hates the word “testing” but it is one of the most effective ways to encourage students to practice retrieval. The good news is that testing doesn’t have to mean long, boring, and high stakes graded exams (although these have their place as well, helping students prepare for board exams, for example). Think more along the lines of practice tests and quizzes, flashcards, concept maps, and partner work. The key is that you want to get the students to produce the answers on their own, not just select the correct answer from a list. And then, repeat.
Note: Identifying a correct answer is easier because it looks familiar, but recognition is not the same as retrieval.
Ever tried to draw a bicycle without looking at one?
One study separated students into three groups, one group simply studied a set of vocabulary word pairs repeatedly, the second group practiced retrieval one time, and the other group practiced retrieval twice. The groups were all tested on the material one week later. The groups that practiced retrieval recalled substantially more words than the group that only studied, and the group that practiced retrieval twice recalled the most. The group that used repeated study alone? They had virtually no long-term retention of the word pairs a week later.(2)
Another study with medical residents showed residents that were tested on material after an interactive teaching session performed better on tests over the same material 6 months later when compared to just studying the material.(3)
Find ways to incorporate practice tests and quizzes, flashcard practice, and partner drills into your curriculum and watch your students’ retention grow.
2. Put some space between retrieval sessions
The bite strength of macaw is estimated at 500-700 PSI (pounds per square inch).
A hippopotamus boasts a bite strength of 1800 PSI, the Nile Crocodile 4000-5000 PSI, a house cat is about 70 PSI, and a human bite is 120-160 PSI. If I gave you this information and then immediately asked you to repeat it back to me (immediate recall), chances are you would be able to remember the specific numbers well, since you just learned them.
But what if I asked you again in a week? In a month?
Asking you to retrieve this information just once, right after you learned it, won’t be very helpful for recall a month down the road.
But what if I asked you in an hour? That might be just long enough that you might start to forget, but it’s not totally gone yet; you might struggle a tad to recall the exact numbers, but you would probably remember. And according to research, that struggle is where effective learning occurs.(5,8)
And data further suggests gradually increasing the spacing between retrieval sessions over time facilitates long term learning even more.(4)
Incorporate repeated testing at spaced intervals to give students time to “almost forget” information before being asked to retrieve it again to supercharge their long-term learning.
3. Tell students about the testing effect
I have had a number of students in my classes actually ask for more quizzes.
Yes, you read that right, more quizzes!
One of the foundational principles of adult learning is that learning will be increased when students understand why they need to know something or perform a task.(6) Therefore, when I share information with my students about the testing effect and how it will benefit their long-term retention of information it compounds the effects by increasing their intrinsic motivation (another important principle for adult learners), leading to even better results that they can see for themselves.
Additionally, sharing this knowledge will provide learners with another tool in their studying “toolbox” that they can utilize in their own self-directed study sessions which may improve retention even further.(9)
Explain the testing effect to students to increase intrinsic motivation and provide additional tools for self-directed adult learning.
Retrieval practice is an effective learning strategy that involves actively recalling information from memory. It has been shown to produce superior long-term retention of information compared to simply studying. To help students achieve long-term learning, instructors can incorporate repeated testing, space retrieval practices, and share information about the testing effect with students. Try these approaches with your learners to see their retention grow!
Have you had success with retention practice? Tell me about it!
References:
Carpenter, S. K., Lund, T. J. S., Coffman, C. R., Armstrong, P. I., Lamm, M. H., & Reason, R. D. (2016). A classroom study on the relationship between student achievement and retrieval-enhanced learning. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 353–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9311-9
Karpicke, J. & Roediger, H. (2008). The Critical Importance of Retrieval for Learning. Science (New York, N.Y.). 319. 966-8. 10.1126/science.1152408.
Larsen, D. P., Butler, A. C., & Roediger, H. L., 3rd (2009). Repeated testing improves long-term retention relative to repeated study: a randomised controlled trial. Medical education, 43(12), 1174–1181. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2009.03518.x
McDaniel, M. A., Agarwal, P. K., Huelser, B. J., McDermott, K. B., & Roediger, H. L. III. (2011). Test-enhanced learning in a middle school science classroom: The effects of quiz frequency and placement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103(2), 399–414. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021782
McDermott, K. B. (2021). Practicing retrieval facilitates learning. Annual Review of Psychology, 72(1), 609–633. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051019
Mukhalalati, B. A., & Taylor, A. (2019). Adult Learning Theories in Context: A Quick Guide for Healthcare Professional Educators. Journal of medical education and curricular development, 6, 2382120519840332. https://doi.org/10.1177/2382120519840332
Roediger, H. & Butler, A. (2010). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in cognitive sciences. 15. 20-7. 10.1016/j.tics.2010.09.003.
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
Stanger-Hall, K. F., Shockley, F. W., & Wilson, R. E. (2011). Teaching students how to study: a workshop on information processing and self-testing helps students learn. CBE life sciences education, 10(2), 187–198. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.10-11-0142
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