Distributed practice
Spread student practice activities across multiple classes rather than completing them in a single class to reduce student forgetting.
Distributing practice reduces forgetting. Its benefits are called the “Spacing Effect” and have been found in 100s of studies across different types of learning including learning concepts and even surgical skills.
Distributed practice does not require more practice time. It requires us to spread out the practice time. This spreading out produces better long-term learning (Weinstein et al., 2018).
The spacing effect demonstrates that long-term learning is enhanced when learning events are spaced out in time, rather than presented in immediate succession (Vlach & Sandhofer, 2012). Distributed practice is a learning strategy that takes advantage of the spacing effect by deliberately spacing out learning over time. The spacing effect has been found in hundreds of studies since 1885 including the learning of facts, concepts, language, science, pictures, prose, and skill and motor learning such as typing, complex video games, and surgical skills (Beardsley, 2020).
How we schedule learning activities matters. If we just want students to know the material for an exam, we can encourage massed practices. However, if we want them to keep what they’ve learned for a longer period of time then distributing their practice is critical. “When retention intervals are measured at a week or greater, studies show that distributed practice nearly doubles recall performance’’ (Cepeda et al., 2006). So, with a slight alteration to how we schedule the presentation of important content, independent of how students study on their own, we can both improve student rates of learning and model to students an evidence-based lifelong learning strategy.
References
Vlach, H. A., & Sandhofer, C. M. (2012). Distributing learning over time: The spacing effect in children’s acquisition and generalization of science concepts. Child development, 83(4), 1137-1144.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological bulletin, 132(3), 354.
Roediger III, H. L., & Pyc, M. A. (2012). Inexpensive techniques to improve education: Applying cognitive psychology to enhance educational practice. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 1(4), 242-248.
Rawson, K. A., & Kintsch, W. (2005). Rereading effects depend on time of test. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(1), 70.
Bloom, K. C., & Shuell, T. J. (1981). Effects of massed and distributed practice on the learning and retention of second-language vocabulary. The Journal of Educational Research, 74(4), 245-248
Weinstein, Y., Sumeracki, M., & Caviglioli, O. (2018). Understanding how we learn: A visual guide. Routledge.
Beardsley, M. 2020. Science of Learning Concepts for Teachers (Project Illuminated) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://illuminated.pressbooks.com/
Explore and reuse the case study
Explore all distributed practice cases
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 13-18
Sõnavara võõrkeeles
Kas kontrollrühma ja testrühma samade õpitegevuste kaudu on võimalik näha hajutatud õppe eeliseid sõnavara omandamisel? Mõlemad rühmad tegid pärast harjutamist testi. Hilisemas testis näitasid hajutatud õppimist kasutanud õpilased veidi paremaid tulemusi. Järgmiseks sooviks uurida, kas sama strateegia toimib ka grammatika õppimisel.
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 13-18
Učenje reči stranog jezika uz pomoć strategije distribuiranog učenja
Može li se više reči stranog jezika naučiti uz pomoć prakse distribuiranog učenja? U ovom eksperimentu jedna grupa učenika učila je rečnik 30 minuta u kontinuitetu, a druga grupa tri puta po 10 minuta. Potom su radile test, odmah nakon učenja, ali su radili još jedan, nenajavbljen test nedelju dana nakon učenja. Rezultati završnog testa pokazuju da je distribuirana grupa za vežbanje nadmašila kontrolnu grupu, ali i njihovo angažovanje je bilo veće.
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 13-18
Vocabulari de llengües estrangeres (exemple)
Podem veure els beneficis d'una pràctica distribuïda utilitzant les mateixes activitats amb un grup de control i un grup de proves? Ambdós grups van fer una pregunta després d'una activitat pràctica. Els resultats del qüestionari final mostren que el grup d'exercici distribuït superava lleugerament el grup de control. A continuació, ens agradaria explorar què passa si utilitzem la mateixa estratègia per a la pràctica gramatical.
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 13-18
Vocabulario de lenguas extranjeras (Exemplo)
¿Podemos ver los beneficios de una práctica distribuida utilizando las mismas actividades con un grupo de control y un grupo de pruebas? Ambos grupos hicieron una pregunta después de una actividad práctica. Los resultados del cuestionario final muestran que el grupo de ejercicio distribuido superaba ligeramente el grupo de control. A continuación, nos gustaría explorar qué pasa si utilizamos la misma estrategia para la práctica gramatical.
Language(s) of instruction: Portuguese
Student Ages: 13-18
Vocabulário de língua estrangeira (Exemplo)
Podemos ver os benefícios da prática distribuída utilizando as mesmas atividades com um grupo de controlo e um grupo de teste? Ambos os grupos responderam a um questionário após uma atividade prática. Os resultados do questionário final mostram que o grupo que utilizou a prática distribuída superou ligeiramente o grupo de controlo. Em seguida, gostaríamos de explorar o que acontece se utilizarmos a mesma estratégia para praticar a gramática.
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 13-18
Foreign language vocabulary (Exemplar)
Can we see the benefits of a distributed practice using the same activities with a control group and a test group? Both groups took a quiz after a practice activity. Results on the final quiz show the distributed practice group slightly outperformed the control group. Next, we’d like to explore what happens if we use the same strategy for grammar practice.
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 7-12
Learning irregular verbs using distributed practice
Two groups of students practice irregular verbs in English. One group did distributed practice with feedback and correction of mistakes, the other group had mass practice with no feedback.
The group that got teacher feedback performed a bit better but not significantly. The students who had performed well in the practice tests also performed the best in the final test.
Two students, who had got teacher feedback and made corrections of mistakes, still performed weakly in the final test. In the control group, no student got the maximum score on the test.
There were several lessons learned:
1) It is important to find ways to motivate students, to make them see how these strategies (distributed practice in this case) could benefit them (so they do not just fill out the tasks but try to learn).
2) You should use the learning strategies systematically for a longer period, so that the students get used to them and adoted them.
3) As getting used to new technologies takes time (especially with younger learners), stick to a couple.
Language(s) of instruction: Catalan
Student Ages: 7-12
Aparell reproductor masculí i femeni (EPS)
Hem utilitzat tres grups classes de pràctica distribuïda i un grup control. Els grups que van fer aquesta pràctica van superar el grup que no la va aplicar en l’aprenentatge del contingut. La gran diferència va ser que en el grup control encara hi havia algun alumne que confonia alguna part dels aparells masculí i femení. S’ha mostrat que no podien retenir tanta informació que els altres grups, ja que hem pogut veure que els tres grups han estat capaços de retenir les diferents parts a través del joc. Esperàvem aconseguir que s’aprengués millor i més fàcil aplicant aquesta pràctica, però també cal dir que seria bo aplicar-la en altres continguts d’altres àrees diferents per veure i comprovar si sempre passa això o hi ha alguna altra condició que no hem tingut en compte per fer canviar o no els resultats.
Language(s) of instruction: Catalan
Student Ages: 7-12
Un dictat (EPS) v2
Hi ha una millora en els resultats en un dictat després d’aplicar l'estratègia distribuïda i les pauses de cervell?
Durant 4 sessions es va aplicar la pràctica distribuïda i les pauses de cervell amb alumnes de primària per treballar 10 paraules d'un dictat.
Els resultats van ser molt positius en l'àmbit acadèmic i els i les alumnes van manifestar passar-s'ho molt bé amb aquesta nova dinàmica de classe.
Language(s) of instruction: Portuguese
Student Ages: 13-18
As dinastias
A disciplina de história tem um potencial de aplicação do storytelling para envolver os alunos ao longo de aulas, tendo em conta a componente teórica muito forte que por vezes leva à desmotivação para o estudo. Ao introduzir os conteúdos como episódios de uma série, adicionar uma avaliação contínua através do jogo (Kahoot) e resumir o conhecimento sobre a dinastia anterior em cada aula ajudou os alunos no estudo e consolidação dos conhecimentos a longo-prazo.
Language(s) of instruction: Estonian
Student Ages: 7-12
Miina Härma (hajutatud õppimine)
Muusika kuulamisel on vaja siiski õppijal endal kirjutada teose pealkiri. „Tuljak“ oli selles tunnis uus info. Jagan neile „kõrvadega töölehed“, see on tööleht, kuhu õppijal tuleb kirjutada helilooja nimi, teose pealkiri jne.( 5. mai testides polnud mitte ühtegi õigesti kirjutatud laulu pealkirja).
Samuti tuletan meelde, et nimed kirjutatakse suure algustähega.
Mõte, et Miina Härma tutvustamisel tuleb näidata ka juurde orelist pilti (oleme vaadanud varasemalt oreliga videonäiteid)
Need on mõtted, mille rakendamise mõju ei saa veel hinnata.
Uuringus ei muudaks midagi
Uuringut pole hea teha esimesel päeval pärast vaheaega, õpilased on kuidagi elevil – neil pole veel kujunenud harjumuspärast rutiini.
Language(s) of instruction: Portuguese
Student Ages: 13-18
Language(s) of instruction: Portuguese
Student Ages: 13-18
Language(s) of instruction: English
Student Ages: 7-12
Ebareeglipäraste tegusõnade 3 põhivormi meeldejätmine strateegia
Õppetunde on mitu:
1) Leida moodused õpilaste motiveerimiseks, et nad ise saaksid aru erinevate õppemeetodite, antud juhul hajutatud õppimise ja tagasisidestamise kasulikkusest, mitte ainult õpetaja nõudmisel ei täida ülesandeid.
2) Ühte või ka mitut õpilastele uudset õppemeetodit tuleb kasutada järjepidevalt pikema aja jooksul, et nad harjuksid kasutama ja selle omaks võtaksid.
3) Kuna paljude uute keskkondade kasutamisega harjumine võtab noorematel õpilastel palju aega, siis tasub jääda vaid mõne juurde.
Language(s) of instruction: Portuguese
Student Ages: 13-18