Spaced retrieval

Here is a 100 word summary of a piece of research I found interesting and relevant to secondary/A level teachers. And three quick ideas to start applying tomorrow.

Article citation:

Hopkins, R. F., Lyle, K. B., Hieb, J. L., & Ralston, P. A. S. (2016). Spaced Retrieval Practice Increases College Students’ Short- and Long-Term Retention of Mathematics Knowledge. Educational Psychology Review, 28(4), 853–873. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44955367

100 word summary of the research:

This research investigated whether spaced retrieval practice improves learning in university calculus students. The study found that students who revisited material through cumulative quizzes over time achieved better long-term retention than students who completed equivalent massed practice, scoring higher on end-of-semester assessments. Interestingly, spaced retrieval felt more difficult and produced lower performance during practice, demonstrating a classic “desirable difficulty”: short-term struggle led to stronger long-term learning. The findings suggest that learning and performance are not the same thing. For mathematics teachers, the research supports regularly revisiting previously taught topics through cumulative retrieval activities rather than relying solely on blocked practice.

Three quick ideas to start applying tomorrow:

1. Start every lesson with 3 retrieval questions

   • 1 question from last lesson

   • 1 from 2-3 weeks ago

   • 1 from a previous topic (e.g. logs, trig, calculus)

2. Use cumulative homework

   • Rather than 20 questions on one topic, include:

     • 10 current-topic questions

     • 10 questions from earlier units

3. Build spaced review into schemes of work

   • Revisit key ideas (trig identities, differentiation, integration, binomial expansion) after:

     • 1 week

     • 1 month

     • Half a term

   • Expect some forgetting; the effort of recalling is part of the learning.

Key message: Don't interpret temporary struggle as lack of learning. The research suggests that making students work to remember previously learned mathematics strengthens long-term retention.