Retrieval practice: a teacher's guide

What is Retrieval Practice?

The concept of Retrieval Practice is a potent tool in the realm of education, particularly recognized for its efficacy in enhancing long-term retention of information.

This cognitive strategy pivots on the principle of actively recalling information, which strengthens memory and facilitates learning. It's not merely about rote memorization, but a dynamic process that engages the learner in a deeper, more meaningful interaction with the material.

Retrieval Practice is often contrasted with passive study techniques, such as re-reading or rote memorization. A study published in Science found that retrieval practice produced more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping. This finding underscores the power of active recall in fostering a robust learning environment.

In the context of the classroom, retrieval practice can take various forms, such as low-stakes quizzes, practice questions, or even group discussions.

These activities encourage students to retrieve information from their long-term memory, thereby reinforcing the learned material. This process is not limited to factual recall but extends to higher-order learning as well. For instance, after studying a concept, students might be asked to apply it to a new context, thereby engaging in a deeper level of cognitive processing.

The benefits of retrieval practice extend beyond academic performance. It also fosters a sense of self-efficacy among students, as they witness their own progress and mastery over the material. This can lead to increased motivation and engagement in the learning process.

However, it's important to note that the effectiveness of retrieval practice is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It should be tailored to the individual needs and abilities of each student, taking into account factors such as their prior knowledge, learning preference, and the nature of the material being studied.

In conclusion, retrieval practice is a powerful teaching strategy that leverages cognitive psychology to enhance learning and memory. It's a tool that every educator should consider integrating into their teaching repertoire.

Key Insights:

• Retrieval practice enhances long-term retention of information.
• It produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping.
• It can be applied to higher-order learning.

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Using Retrieval Practice in Classroom Environments

Depending upon the grade levels, the Retrieval Practice condition is applied in several ways in the school environment. It can be as easy as trying to recall initial learning mentally or on a paper without involving complex materials or without reviewing the learning materials. Following are some ways to use retrieval practice in the classroom:

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1. Practice tests: Teachers can ask students in a Middle School Science Classroom to write their practice questions; students can use practice questions from the textbook or use those provided by the teacher; they can make and share questions with their study partner, or use online sources to find questions. Teachers can also ask students to first write the correct answers to the questions in short answer format and then ask students to find the correct answers to the same questions presented as multiple-choice questions in the final test or unit exam.

2. Flashcards – For students in primary grade levels, teachers can ask students to write questions on one side of the index card and answers on the other side of the card. Students can also use flashcard software systems or create flashcards on a computer and print them out.

Flashcards can be easily tailored to a particular topic, and students can recall information by looking at one side of the card and giving the answer on the other side. This makes it easier for them to test their knowledge quickly and effectively through an interactive retrieval practice exercise.

3. Writing prompts - The writing prompts technique is very effective for encouraging students to think about a specific subject and to show what they know. For example, the teacher can write an incomplete sentence on a card and ask the students to complete the sentence e.g. “A plant needs sunlight to ________".

Writing prompts present a question or a statement to the student that they have to answer, employing their knowledge of a given subject. Writing prompts can be used to gauge how well the student understands the material, and help them prepare for upcoming exams.

4. Concept maps: Karpicke Et Al. (2014) explained that creating concept maps, is like writing prompts; but, students create a keyword map of related words instead of writing complete details of retrieval tasks. Students will create concept maps by writing the title at the top of the page and drawing a large circle. Then, they will add circles with keywords about the topic. For different grade levels, the concept maps would indicate what the students don’t know while showing what they already possess in their long term memory.

Concept maps are an effective way to improve student learning. They help to engage the student in making connections between different concepts and ideas, providing a deeper understanding of the material. Creating concept maps encourages students to think critically and form hypotheses when developing connections in their maps.

5. Elaborative Interrogation: This is an effective method, which mostly includes detailed 20 questions, which is useful retrieval practice in classroom settings. Elaborative interrogation does not involve the writing of any sort, but a student may write the answers and is better with two or more students. To use the Elaborative interrogation technique in an educational setting, the teacher would make pairs of the students, and give each pair of students a topic and several questions to ask. The main purpose is to encourage students to think deeply about the topic and recollect what they truly know.

Below are some examples:

• When did this happen?
• Why did this happen?
• How does it work?
• Why does it work?

6. Quizzes: For different grade levels, quizzes are the key ingredient that can be performed in several different ways. These can be performed individually or in groups, pairs, or as a class. Teachers can give colour cards or clickers to the students for answering or they can make the different teams in the class. While considering the level of difficulty, teachers can also use different apps and websites to ask multiple-choice questions or to conduct multiple-choice tests.

Quizzes are an essential part of retrieval practice as they help to reinforce knowledge. Furthermore, quizzes can be used to track student learning and measure their understanding of concepts. This can provide invaluable feedback on how well students are absorbing the material and what areas might require further practice. The benefits of retrieval practice cannot be understated, and with quizzes, teachers can ensure that their students are learning the material in an effective manner.

7. Placemats: It is easy to make placemats. Worksheets provide a great way to assess prior knowledge. However, like other study strategies placemats can give great results when they are used alongside other popular methods and educational materials. Placemats are more effective for teaching elementary school children; but, there remains a risk factor for children becoming bored or just stopping to care. Therefore, placemats must be used to perform complex tasks in intentional and responsible ways.

8. Copy-cover-and-check method: To apply this retrieval practice in school environments, teachers would ask students to simply cover their lecture slides with a card, try to recall the text on the slides, and then remove the card to check. This technique provides the learning assessment without needing little-to-no extra effort before starting to apply retrieval activity in classroom settings.

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Examples of Test-Enhanced Learning in Practice

In the realm of education, the application of test-enhanced learning can be a game-changer. Here are seven fictional examples of how this effective strategy can be integrated into various subject areas without adding extra workload for teachers:

1. Mathematics: In a 5th-grade class, Mrs. Johnson uses retrieval practice to reinforce the concept of fractions. After teaching the basics, she conducts mini quizzes at the start of each class, asking students to solve problems or draw representations of different fractions. This not only helps students recall the concept but also apply it in different contexts.
2. Science: Mr. Thompson, a high school biology teacher, uses flashcards as a retrieval practice tool. After a lesson on cell structure, students create their own flashcards with diagrams and definitions. In the following classes, they use these flashcards to quiz each other, enhancing their recall and understanding of the topic.
3. History: Miss Davis, a middle school history teacher, incorporates retrieval practice in her lessons on the Civil War. She uses a technique called "exit tickets," where students write down three things they learned during the lesson before leaving the class. This encourages students to reflect on and consolidate their learning.
4. English: Mrs. Robinson, an English teacher, uses retrieval practice to enhance vocabulary learning. After introducing new words, she regularly revisits them in different contexts, asking students to use them in sentences or identify synonyms and antonyms.
5. Geography: Mr. Smith, a geography teacher, uses online quizzes as a form of retrieval practice. After teaching about different countries and their capitals, he assigns online quizzes that students can take multiple times, helping them remember and reinforce the information.
6. Art: Miss Baker, an art teacher, uses retrieval practice to teach different art styles. After a lesson on impressionism, she asks students to identify characteristics of this style in various artworks, aiding their recall and understanding.
7. Physical Education: Coach Williams uses retrieval practice to teach the rules of different sports. After explaining the rules of basketball, he conducts a quick Q&A session at the start of each class, helping students remember and apply the rules during the game.

In each of these examples, retrieval practice not only promotes long-term retention but also engages students in deeper learning practices. It's a testament to the power of this approach in enhancing learning across different subjects.

Key Insights:

• Retrieval practice can be integrated into any subject area.
• It promotes long-term retention and deeper understanding.
• It doesn't add extra workload for teachers and engages students in their learning.

For further reading, check out these academic sources: Evidence-based teaching in contact lenses education: Teaching and learning strategies and Use of practice tests with immediate feedback in an undergraduate molecular biology course.

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Getting retrieval practice right

If teachers know the kind of questions that will be asked in the course exam, they can also help students by providing successful retrieval practice conditions suitable for similar kinds of questions. Therefore, retrieval condition in classroom settings increases the possibility that students would successfully recall relevant information for their upcoming high-stakes exams.

Depending upon the level of difficulty, teachers can implement cued recall tests and use cue cards to remind students of complex materials and complex concepts. After using the retrieval method, it is suggested to check notes and textbooks to ensure correct and complete retrieval of the information. Cue cards strategy would rectify any mistakes, and give immediate feedback about what one knows and what one doesn't know.

‍Retrieval practice activity becomes more effective when it is performed along with other effective learning techniques. There are many benefits of testing but the following are some other revision techniques that can have positive effects on retrieval educational practice in making it more effective through creating new memory paths for the knowledge being recalled.

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Spaced Retrieval Practice

Spaced retrieval practice is a popular method and a useful retrieval-based learning strategy of Cognitive Science, which means studying a topic more than once but having long gaps between learning sessions. In other words, it divides learning into time. Research in cognitive psychology shows that the spacing effect is more beneficial for long-term, meaningful learning.

The space must be of longer duration rather than very short breaks. This strategy works better than rote learning because students get the time to forget the details before striving to access them. The best way to use spaced retrieval practice in classroom settings is to not quiz the students for some time after studying the information. Afterwards, students can be engaged in retrieval-based learning activities or they will be asked short-answer questions using flashcards or other learning techniques for practising spacing and retrieval.

Long-term retention is key when it comes to retrieval practice. Spaced retrieval practice can be a great way to help students retain information in the long-term. Studies show that having regular intervals of study, followed by taking a break before repeating the process, helps increase the student's ability to retain information. Furthermore, by lessening the duration of study periods as well as choosing which topics to revisit at random from previous sessions increases their recall capabilities even more.

Educational practice games are another way to use retrieval practice techniques. They can provide students with a fun, competitive environment in which they can learn and review material in an engaging way. Educational practice games also provide the opportunity for students to compare their ideas and knowledge against others, encouraging collaboration in the classroom.

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Interleaving techniques

The process of changing subjects or topics rather than just paying attention to one topic for long periods is called interleaving. For instance, rather than studying Biology for four consecutive hours, a student would study Chemistry for an hour, Biology for an hour, History for an hour, and Mathematics for an hour.

In this study time, the student would be using flashcards, making mind maps, or self-quizzing for a long-term, meaningful learning and effective retrieval practice in classroom settings.

Both spacing and interleaving techniques can help increase students' long-term meaningful learning and memory retention of important information.

When a student utilizes interleaving alongside spacing and effective retrieval practice, it improves test-enhanced learning and improves the effectiveness of all three of them.

Interleaving is also a useful Retrieval based learning strategy to retain several topics into memory in a specific amount of time. Interleaving improves meaningful retrieval-based learning by mixing up topics closely related to one another. This improves students' learning process and their ability to differentiate between numerous concepts.

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What are the advantages of using Retrieval Practice?

Retrieval practice, a cornerstone of cognitive psychology, is a powerful learning strategy that has been shown to significantly enhance the learning process. Here are nine child-focused benefits of retrieval practice:

1. Enhanced Long-Term Retention: Retrieval practice strengthens memory and enhances long-term retention. It's not just about rote learning but about deeply understanding and remembering information over time.
2. Improved Higher-Order Learning: By freeing up working memory, students can engage in higher-order learning tasks such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
3. Promotes Transfer of Learning: Retrieval practice helps students apply what they've learned in new contexts, promoting the transfer of learning.
4. Boosts Confidence: Regular retrieval practice can boost students' confidence in their learning abilities, as they see their progress over time.
5. Encourages Self-Reflection: The process of recalling information encourages students to reflect on their understanding, helping them identify gaps in their knowledge.
6. Enhances Engagement: The active nature of retrieval practice can make learning more engaging and enjoyable for students.
7. Supports Formative Assessment: Regular retrieval activities provide teachers with valuable insights into students' understanding, supporting formative assessment practices.
8. Fosters Independent Learning: As students experience the benefits of retrieval practice, they're likely to adopt this strategy in their independent study, enhancing their self-directed learning skills.
9. Reduces Test Anxiety: Regular practice with retrieval can help reduce test anxiety, as students become more comfortable with recalling information under pressure.

As Pooja Agarwal, a cognitive scientist, puts it, "Retrieval practice is a powerful tool for improving learning... It's not just about getting items out of memory, but getting them out in a way that is meaningful and that really improves learning and performance."

Key Insights:

• Retrieval practice enhances long-term retention and promotes higher-order learning.
• It supports formative assessment and fosters independent learning.
• Regular retrieval practice can reduce test anxiety and boost students' confidence.

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Challenges of using Retrieval Based Learning

Both teachers and students show concerns about classroom practice of retrieval-based learning activities. Some teachers do not recognize the effectiveness of retrieval practice and they are hesitant to use retrieval practice because they feel that they might have to change their teaching style or the textbook. But, it's not true because the effectiveness of retrieval practice is not only about receiving the information.

Teachers must see how their students use spacing and practice the things that have been taught. Also, some teachers believe that retrieval practice would waste their class time. But, it's not right too. Application of retrieval practice will act as a learning tool that will enable students to learn more quickly and retain more information in their long term memory.

The topic of retrieval practice has been studied extensively over the past decade. This research shows that it improves memory retention and learning outcomes. Retrieval practice involves testing yourself on what you've learned. If you're practicing retrieval, then you should test yourself on the information you've just learned. In addition, you need to use different types of questions to stimulate recall. For example, instead of asking someone to repeat something verbatim, ask them to tell you why or describe an event. These kinds of questions will make sure that you remember more than just the facts.

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Using Mental Modelling for Retrieval-Based Learning

The block building methodology that we have been using across schools in England was initially seen as a knowledge-building tool. Some of our member schools quickly realised that this engaging pedagogy was a useful way of finding out what students knew. We have seen educators ask students to build a conceptual model of a body of knowledge. This type of creative retrieval based activity is more engaging than multiple-choice tests.

Unlike multiple-choice and short answer questions, students have to create a structure that represents a particular piece of knowledge. This for example could be a timeline, I hierarchical structure or categorising items into groups. The process uses student creativity to make sense of complex materials. These types of alternative learning strategies are more accessible than traditional classroom tasks as they free up the working memory to do more critical thinking. You can see the learning tool in action on the dedicated webpage.

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Reflecting on Retrieval-Based Learning 

As we conclude this exploration of retrieval practice, it's essential to remember that this approach is not just another educational fad. It's a scientifically-backed method rooted in cognitive psychology that can significantly enhance learning outcomes.

The power of retrieval practice lies in its simplicity and versatility, making it a valuable tool for any teacher's arsenal, regardless of the subject matter.

Consider the impact of retrieval practice on long-term learning. A study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who engaged in retrieval practice outperformed their peers in unit exams. This finding underscores the positive effects of retrieval practice on memory retention and academic performance.

But beyond test scores, retrieval practice also fosters a deeper understanding of the material. It encourages students to engage in critical thinking, to make connections between different concepts, and to apply their knowledge in various contexts.

For instance, a teacher might use retrieval practice to help students remember the steps of the scientific method. But more importantly, this practice will enable students to understand why these steps are necessary and how they can be applied in different scientific investigations.

However, as with any teaching strategy, the effectiveness of retrieval practice depends on its implementation. It's not enough to simply incorporate memory tests or practice questions into the curriculum. Teachers must also create an environment that encourages students to engage in retrieval practice regularly and reflect on their learning process.

In the words of educational researcher Henry Roediger, "The goal of education is not to make students cram for exams, but to let them know what they know and what they don't know." This is precisely what retrieval practice allows us to achieve.

Key Insights:

• Retrieval practice enhances long-term learning and improves academic performance.
• It promotes critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the material.
• The effectiveness of retrieval practice depends on its regular implementation and integration into the learning process.

As we move forward, let's ponder on these questions: How can we integrate retrieval practice more effectively into our teaching? How can we use it not just to improve test scores, but to foster a deeper, more meaningful learning experience for our students?

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References

Blunt, JD & Karpicke (2014). Learning with retrieval-based concept mapping - Journal of Educational Psychology.

Carpenter, Lund, Coffman (2016) A classroom study on the relationship between student achievement and retrieval-enhanced learning, Journal of Educational Psychology, Springer.

Mark A. Mcdaniel & Barbie J Huelser (2011). Test-Enhanced Learning in a Middle School Science Classroom: The Effects of Quiz Frequency and Placement, May 2011Journal of Educational Psychology 103(2):399-414

Pooja Agarwal, (2013). How to use retrieval practice to improve learning.

Roediger and Karpicke (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention, Educational Psychology Review, journals.sagepub.com

Yana Weinstein (2012). Testing improves true recall and protects against the build-up of proactive interference without increasing false recall. Taylor & Francis.