This week's article summary The Five Things to Know About Retrieval Practice is a follow up to last week's summary on how to make semantic memories stick in long-term memory.
When it comes to learning, people often focus on getting facts into their heads, yet experts recommend that to really make learning stick, we should focus more on practicing extracting information out of our heads, i.e., retrieval practice.
While the term ‘retrieval practice’ is currently in vogue in educational jargon, it simply means using teaching/studying strategies like brain dumps, summaries, and quizzes that ask learners to recall information without any cues, aids, or prompts like note cards.
By recalling information frequently and over time, our brain establishes that this information is important and hence develops more synapses and further myelinates those synapses so they remain in long-term memory and can more easily and quickly be recalled and applied when needed. Like mastering a physical skill, memory is the result of frequent practice and repetition.
The article points out a number of classroom techniques to help students practice retrieving information and warns against popular but ineffective strategies like highlighting and re-reading material.
The bottom line is the more active, frequent, and unprompted retrieval practices can be, the more effective we are in storing information in long-term memory.
Joe
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These types of active learning strategies are known as retrieval practice.
The rationale behind retrieval practice is three-fold. First, actively trying to remember something or perform some skill is a more effective way of learning than passively re-reading about it. Second, learning practice provides people with better ways of monitoring what they know. In other words, retrieval practices help engage metacognition. Finally, retrieval practice keeps people focused. The act of re-reading a textbook, for instance, often encourages mind wandering, but retrieval practice can keep individuals engaged in the task at hand.
Many studies have shown that when people attempt to recall or retrieve information, they are actually improving their memory. In this sense, the brain works like a muscle: recall exercises the brain to strengthen memory. Also, much like exercise, retrieval activities build habits that lead to long term learning.
Retrieval Practice Works: Retrieval practice is one of the most-well researched learning strategies. Research has established that repeated retrieval enhances learning with a wide range of materials, in a variety of settings and contexts, and with learners ranging from preschool ages into later adulthood. “Spacing,” or pausing between retrieval exercises, allows for the brain to rest and forget some information. Self-testing after “spacing” increases information recall and promotes long-term learning.
Retrieval Practice Makes Learning Active: Not long ago, I was rereading my notes in an attempt to get ready for a speech. In a room by myself, I realized that I was using my notes like a warm blanket. They were there just there to keep me feeling confident about the speech. This is a weak approach to learning. It’s too passive, and I quickly realized I should be doing retrieval practice instead. It is a powerful strategy that boosts learning by pulling information out of students’ heads (e.g., quizzes, clickers, and flashcards), rather than cramming information into students’ heads (e.g., lectures). It’s a no-stakes learning opportunity that is flexible and quick, with a huge impact on long-term student achievement. One of the reasons that retrieval is so effective is that memories are not “fixed” objects. Instead, our brains can mold memories at any point in time. Thus, it is essential that newly learned information is given permanence. When practicing retrieving a memory, the brain can strengthen that memory by filling in the blanks with any missing information while also connecting the memory with new ideas. In this regard, retrieval practice takes the basic skeleton of a certain idea from past learning and allows it to be expanded upon, which helps the information stick into the mind long-term instead of just short-term. One of the easiest ways to incorporate retrieval practice into learning and teaching is via low-stakes tests or quizzes. According to learning scientist. The effect of bringing information to mind from memory is going to increase learning. Teachers need to view retrieval practice as a learning activity, not an assessment, i.e., keep it formative not summative. Also, retrieval practice is more effective when it occurs in short spurts versus one long study session. This allows learners to have time to forget some of the information and attempt to recall it, which helps the information stick.
Retrieval Practice Encourages Knowing About Knowing: Generally, people tend to believe that they are more knowledgeable about specific topics than they actually are. Most people believe they are better looking than average. They also tend to think they are smarter and know more information than the average person. Participating in retrieval practice combats this sort of overconfidence. It allows learners to see exactly what they can remember and gives educators a chance to provide tips and feedback along the way. For example, some learners suffer because they are overconfident in what they believe they have retained, often having notes as a crutch. When convinced that they have all of the required knowledge on a certain subject, learners tend to become, well, lazy. They study less and don’t try to assess or correct themselves while learning. Retrieval practice helps prevent this sense of false security, which in turn allows learners to study efficiently, targeting the information they cannot recall. Retrieval practice causes learners to measure what they are familiar with against what they actually have learned. In other words, retrieval practice forces learners to think critically about what they have learned instead of simply repeating the first piece of information that comes to mind.
Retrieval Practice Encourages Higher-Order Learning: Research shows that we gain expertise by producing what we have learned. Retrieval practice creates higher-order learning, which leads to long-term retention. Learning is a generative activity. First, people need to pinpoint what exactly they’re going to learn—like psychology for example. Then people need to create some type of mental connection between their current knowledge and the new information they have yet to absorb. The power of “mentally doing” (creating value in an area of expertise) is clear in basic memory tasks. Trying to remember the Spanish word for “door”, or “la puerta?” It’s easier to recall the word if a letter is missing from it. For example, “p_erta” creates an activity to engage in. When someone has to add the “u,” they’re completing the word. It is the act of finishing the thought—and this strengthens learning, in turn, making it more meaningful. This idea also branches into more complex cognitive tasks such as problem-solving. Encouraging yourself to overcome difficult obstacles or dissect complex issues helps the brain retain more information in the long run. This is because practicing your ability to solve problems teaches you to apply the knowledge already in your brain that is waiting to be put to use, thus aiding in its permanence. The research on learning as a type of “mental doing” has altered the wisdom surrounding how people retain knowledge. For example, studies show that highlighting is an ineffective means of learning new information. This act does not push people enough mentally to influence any meaningful learning. Re-reading text is not very beneficial either. The activity doesn’t spark enough “mental doing,” which means the brain needs more stimulation. The most effective techniques are the ones that require more effort, self-quizzing, or self-explaining for example. This is a fundamental feature of how our minds work. To learn, we can’t just copy the information. We need to make sense out of facts. How to Encourage Retrieval: Retrieval practice makes learning a bit of a struggle, but it also makes learning more effective. Here are some examples:
- “Brain Dumps” are useful for exercising retrieval practice. In this exercise, learners write down everything they can think of on a topic to test their knowledge.
- Concept maps are another useful tool. A learner may fill out a concept map to encourage retrieval. They are beneficial since they allow a person to see the bigger picture instead of just individual pieces of a puzzle. Concept maps also allow learners to group important information together and establish meaningful connections
- Flashcards. One of the most familiar ways of using retrieval practice is through flashcards. These can be very effective if used the right way. Students should keep cards in their deck until they have retrieved the information at least three times. They should also consciously and vocally recall the information before turning the card over to review the answer.
- “Repeat backs” are also great, and the next time a person gives you a set of detailed instructions, take time to repeat the instructions back to them. When you repeat back everything in your own words, you’re taking steps to generate knowledge, and you’ll be far more likely to remember the information long-term.
- The “Think-Pair-Share” exercise can be powerful. In this approach, learners think about a topic, jot down what they have learned, and share it with a partner. Learners should be allowed to think independently before exchanging information.
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