While utilizing retrieval practice on its own will enhance student learning, research has shown that there are three considerations that teachers must think about in order to amplify the impact that retrieval practice has on long-term retention: spacing, interleaving, and feedback.
Spacing
Spacing is described as distributing practice over time and research has shown that this strategy enhances performance on delayed tests, such as final exams, ACT, SAT, and so on (3). The justification behind this strategy is that giving students space to “forget” something creates an opportunity for students to retrieve it, thus bolstering long-term retention. Additionally, research shows that when retrieving information from long-term memory, the student may also have to retrieve supporting information, integrating the knowledge, and therefore increasing retrieval strength (4). To incorporate this into the classroom, rather than giving students 20 problems over subject-verb agreement, you could take the assignment and disperse the questions over several assignments. Additionally, making each exam, or even homework assignment, cumulative will allow for spacing to occur between retrievals of previously learned information. Lastly, rather than giving an exit ticket where students have just learned the information, give them an entrance ticket instead with the same question, allowing for an opportunity to forget. These small shifts in how retrieval practice is used can greatly impact long-term retention.
Interleaving
In addition to spacing, interleaving has also been shown to be an effective strategy for long-term retention. Interleaved practice, as opposed to blocked practice, is a strategy in which practice items are arranged so that no two consecutive items require the same approach (5). In mathematics, the literature suggests that when interleaving is incorporated into retrieval practice, students must decide what strategy to use on each problem, which can mimic what they may experience on a standardized test (3). For example, you just taught your Algebra I class about linear functions and their various forms. Rather than listing five problems involving slope-intercept form, five problems in point-slope form, and five in standard form, mix these types of problems so students must think critically about each one and decide on the correct strategy to use. When practice items are blocked, students can bypass the retrieval process and identify the appropriate strategy simply by looking at the problem before it (5). Interleaving practice items allow students an opportunity to discern between types of problems and to identify a strategy to solve them, enhancing the impact of retrieval practice.
Feedback
Lastly, feedback has also been shown to be a vital component when incorporating retrieval practice. Retrieval practice on its own increases long-term retention, however, when combined with feedback, this impact is amplified (1). One benefit that feedback can have on learning is that it can counteract a potential negative side effect of retrieval practice: misinformation. For example, when retrieval practice is multiple-choice, students are exposed to plausible incorrect answers which can lead to misconceptions and errors. Feedback can then be used to provide opportunities to clarify those misunderstandings (6). For retrieval practice to be useful and effective, students must be able to retrieve the information successfully (7). When this does not happen, feedback can provide a learning opportunity and ensure successful retrieval in the future (2). Providing feedback on tests and quizzes and encouraging students to engage with the feedback is just one way to incorporate feedback into retrieval practice.
Small changes, big results
Small changes within the classroom can make an enormous impact. For example, switching from an exit ticket to an entrance ticket to allow time to forget. Mixing up homework problems rather than utilizing a block format so that students utilize discernment. Provide time for students to reflect on feedback so that they can correct any misconceptions during the retrieval process. As educators, we all have the same goal. That is, to have students retain information long enough so that they are successful on high-stakes exams and in future courses. These minor changes can enhance what you are already doing in the classroom, and, ultimately, can have a significant impact on long-term retention.
References
Larsen, D. P. (2018). Planning education for long-term retention: The cognitive science and implementation of retrieval practice. Seminars in Neurology, 38(4), 449–456. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1666983
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.09.003
Hartwig, M. K., Rohrer, D., & Dedrick, R. F. (2022). Scheduling math practice: Students’ underappreciation of spacing and interleaving. Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied, 28(1), 100–113. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000391
Lyle, K. B., Bego, C. R., Hopkins, R. F., Hieb, J. L., & Ralston, P. A. S. (2020). How the amount and spacing of retrieval practice affect the short- and long-term retention of mathematics knowledge. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 277–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09489-x
Rohrer, D., Dedrick, R. F., Hartwig, M. K., & Cheung, C.-N. (2020). A randomized controlled trial of interleaved mathematics practice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(1), 40–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000367
Kubik, V., Gaschler, R., & Hausman, H. (2021). PLAT 20(1) 2021: Enhancing student learning in research and educational practice: The power of retrieval practice and feedback. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 20(1), 1– 20. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475725720976462
Storm, B. C., Bjork, R. A., & Storm, J. C. (2010). Optimizing retrieval as a learning event: When and why expanding retrieval practice enhances long-term retention. Memory & Cognition, 38(2), 244–253. https://doi.org/10.3758/MC.38.2.244
