Retrieval Practice

 

Retrieval practice refers to the benefit of practice retrieving. It is a robust strategy that has multiple benefits. It seems that the cognitive struggle to locate specific information improves not only the odds of future retrieval, but even understanding because searching through memory activates associated information to that to be retrieved. This search activity explains the benefits even when the effort to retrieve is not successful. 

Karpicke, J. D., & Blunt, J. R. (2011). Retrieval practice produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping. Science, 331(6018), 772-775.

The following AI summary was generated by the AI capabilities of the notetaking tool - MEM. 

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The document you're referring to, "Retrieval Practice Produces More Learning than Elaborative Studying with Concept Mapping" by Jeffrey D. Karpicke and Janell R. Blunt, presents a study on the effectiveness of different learning methods.

The main findings of the study are:

1.  Retrieval practice, which involves students practicing the act of retrieving and reconstructing knowledge, produces greater gains in meaningful learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping.

2.  This advantage of retrieval practice is observed across texts identical to those commonly found in science education.

3.  The advantage is also seen with test questions that assessed comprehension and required students to make inferences.

4.  The advantage of retrieval practice occurred even when the criterial test involved creating concept maps.

The conclusions drawn from these findings are:

1.  Retrieval practice enhances learning by retrieval-specific mechanisms rather than by elaborative study processes.

2.  The act of retrieval changes memory, and the act of reconstructing knowledge must be considered essential to the process of learning.

3.  Retrieval practice is an effective tool to promote conceptual learning about science.

These findings challenge the common assumption that learning primarily happens when people encode knowledge and experiences, and that retrieval only measures the products of a previous learning experience but does not itself produce learning.

https://mem.ai/m/eB4U9ZElKBhCugiJ9Csi