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SESSION FACILITATORS
David McConnell
Ashley Grantham
Director, OFD
Professor, MEAS
Program Coordinator, OFD
Creating better study habits
STUDENT RETRIEVAL EXERCISES
David McConnell, OFD & MEAS, NCSU
What and why?
INTRODUCTION
WHAT ARE RETRIEVAL EXERCISES?
• US students estimate they devote 7% their time to study*
• Many students continue to employ the same study
methods that they used in elementary school
A retrieval exercise is an activity that a
student completes during or following
studying to get an accurate assessment
of their learning
*Improving Undergraduate Learning, SSRC-CLA Longitudinal Project, 2011.
WHAT IS RETRIEVAL PRACTICE?

Student studies material for initial time interval
and then covers it up

Student takes a blank piece of paper and
practices retrieval by writing down as much
information as they can recall from the study
material.

Student reviews material and practices retrieval
again
WHY PRACTICE RETRIEVAL?

Short-term memory – Repeat to remember
• The more effort we put into encoding
information at the moment of learning, the more
we remember
• Listening  writing  drawing/organizing
Medina, J., 2009, Brain Rules
WHY PRACTICE RETRIEVAL?

Long-term memory – Remember to repeat
• Thinking or talking about an event immediately
after it occurs enhances memory of the event
• Reviewing material at fixed, spaced intervals
enhances memory (after class reflection,
online quizzes, recitations, tutorials, study
groups, etc.)
Medina, J., 2009, Brain Rules
FORGETTING CURVE
Day 0 = Initial studying of material
2 tests for Group 1
NORMAL FORGETTING CURVE
The more
time that
passes
before
attempting
retrieval,
the more
we forget
Roediger & Karpicke, 2006, Perspectives in Psychological Science, v. 1, p.181-210.
What the research tells us
EVIDENCE FOR USING RETRIEVAL EXERCISES
• Group X studied the
passage twice (7
minutes each time)
120 college students complete
a reading assignment (~250
words)
• Group Y studied the
passage once and then
took a test
• Both groups then
tested at 5 minute, 2
day, and 1 week
intervals
• Group Y retained more
knowledge after 2
days, 1 week
X Y
X Y
Roediger & Karpicke, 2006, Perspectives in Psychological Science, v. 1, p.181-210.
X Y
RESEARCH ON LEARNING
Groups of students study material using one of four
methods:

Student reads material once.

Student reads material four separate times.

Student reads material then uses it to construct a
representative concept map

Student reads material, practices retrieval, repeats.
Karpicke & Blunt, 2011, www.sciencexpress.org, Jan 20, p.1-4.
Research on learning shows that retrieval practice is the
most effective study method: Students don’t know this
Karpicke & Blunt, 2011, www.sciencexpress.org, Jan 20, p.1-4.
In class, homework
USING RETRIEVAL EXERCISES IN YOUR CLASS
RETRIEVAL PRACTICE TIMING


Student should complete the first retrieval practice
soon after receiving the original information

During or within 24 hours of lecture (students will need
practice)

Immediately following a reading assignment or after
reviewing class notes

Prior to an exam
For maximum effect, retrieval effort should be
repeated at regular intervals prior to exam (e.g.,
weekly)
IN CLASS RETRIEVAL PRACTICE
Experimental Group: Three 2-minute pauses per
lecture, student discussion of lecture content with peer.
Control Group: No pauses for discussion in lecture.
Students completed a free recall exercise after lecture
• Experimental Group – number of facts
recalled: 22.97*
• Control Group – number of facts
recalled: 16.63
Ruhl, Hughes, and Schloss., 1987. Teacher Education and Special Education, v.10 #1, p.14-18
SUMMARY
Most students are unaware of effective learning
strategies
Instructors can guide students in use of retrieval
technique
Students should test themselves or reflect on
material soon after they receive it, and repeat the
process again at spaced intervals prior to an exam