Improving knowledge retention – research on acquisition and retrieval strategies
(Make it Stick – Brown, Roediger & McDaniel)
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Testing helps recall - immediate retrieval (testing) followed by regular, spaced retrieval
mixing the new with the old
Students dislike unannounced tests - make them part of the schedule and make them count,
but only minimally
Feedback on wrong answers to test questions strengthens retention especially if after a
short delay
The more effort required in successful retrieval the stronger the memory
Testing (retrieval practice) compared with re-reading produces better retention, transfer
and retrieval of related material
Self-tests, peer tests and teacher tests all work
Massed practice very common – single subject cramming and coaching, summer language
courses, subject specific boot camps – better immediate results, poorer long term retention
or understanding
Spacing, interleaving and varying subjects and schedules – more brain connections, better
memory
Retrieval practice that varies context and relationship improves mastery and versatility of
application
Varied practice uses cognitive structures for higher order thinking, massed practice uses
those for cognitively simple tasks
Students prefer massed practice over variable practice and believe it improves learning long
term
For students – make sure they understand:
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Re-reading doesn’t improve learning, self-testing does.
Help them practice – reading, pausing, self-questioning, checking with the text, moving on.
Use frequent quizzing – low stakes but still meaningful, (7 day) retrieval and application, of
both recent and past understandings
Create study tools/questions/homework exercises that incorporate retrieval of new
information, connection to existing knowledge, explaining and/or summarising in their own
words, applying to their own lives, teaching new understandings to other students
Retrieval strategy for effective retention of information
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Start every lesson with a closed book preview of the previous lesson – “what are your key
understandings so far?”
Finish every lesson with a closed book review of that lesson – “what new understandings
have you reached today?”
At the end of each week have students create a summary of the ideas/concepts/content
understood that week, in their own words, looking back through the week’s work
Use regular retrieval tests to connect new learnings to previous understandings
At the end of each month have them put their weekly summaries together into a one month
summary