And how can it be used to combat revision cramming…
We've all been there... blankly staring at our class notes, hoping desperately that some of what's written on those daunting pages will stick in our minds for tomorrow's big test! Unfortunately, many of today's students still believe the main way to revise is to either re-write their notes, highlight EVERYTHING on the page, or simply just stare at the text book.
Although these methods can have SOME impact… overall these revision strategies are ineffective and often lead to unnecessary frustration from students, parents and teachers alike! Inspire My Teaching's goal is to get you and your students as far away (as possible!) from these poorly thought out revision techniques... and over to the exciting world of "Retrieval Practice".
If you haven’t already guessed it, the concept of Retrieval Practice is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE to 'cramming' (where you try to fill yourself up with knowledge a short while before an exam). Retrieval Practice is about designing activities that recall knowledge and skills, and cement a student's long term memory of a studied topic. These methods encourage your students to engage with the taught material in an active, rather than passive, way. This is often referred to as the "testing effect' and is most effective when repeated throughout and across units of work.
Short term vs long term memory
Medical experts and Psychologists are still arguing over how the brain works and probably will continue to do so for a long time. According to The New York Times, we know more about the deep, dark, depths of the oceans than we do about the human brain. One thing we do all agree on is that the brain is an incredible organ and has the ability to store vast quantities of information. The most popular theory (and the one I personally "buy in to") is that the brain has evolved to survive by processing information in two distinct ways: short and long term memory:
Short term memory is the ability for the brain to store small amounts of information that have occurred in the recent past.
the duration of short term memory is short - usually a few seconds to several minutes.
the capacity of short term memory is small without any support; the brain can only store around 2-7 items at a time.
the short term memory is generally designed to aid simple tasks.
Unsurprisingly, long term memory is the long-lasting ability for the brain to store information from the past.
the duration of long term memory lasts for an extensive period; it can last a life time.
the capacity of the long term memory is unlimited.
the long term memory is designed for complicated tasks.
Students use both short and long term memory in lessons and this is why Retrieval Practice is so important. We know that a lot of information goes into our lessons... but how much of that information is actually being stored in your students' long term memory? And how much will have been forgotten by the time they leave the classroom?
How do we get students to retain important information in their long term memory by helping them to strengthen the key knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their exams? The trick is to embrace Retrieval Practice. Here's why...
Why embrace Retrieval Practice methods in your lessons?
It's better for retaining learning in their long term memory
It will reveal gaps in students' knowledge
It strengthens schemes (the 'folders' in your brain for each topic)
It helps cognitive load by not overloading a student's short term memory
In the long run, it helps alleviate student frustration
It saves learning time because it is a more efficient mode of revision
It benefits ALL types of learners when various methods are used
It combats lost learning from student absences
The Key…
is to provide Retrieval Practice opportunities repeatedly. The optimum wait time is 48 hours after new information has been taught. This is so students have had the opportunity to either 'store' or 'forget' the new information and you can, therefore, see what has been retained by their long term memory… and what has been forgotten! However, this is also useful because it will give you areas to pinpoint and recap in future lessons!
So there you have it, the importance of retrieval practice! Check out 'Retrieval Practice: What is it? Part Two' for SJ’s seven easy and effective strategies to ensure outstanding lesson revision.
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