Reading Notes

Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks: A Review and Quantitative Synthesis


Very interesting that the spacing effect was more statistically significant for 1 sec-10 min, and then 8 - 30 days. Although it was better for all, I wonder why it was better for the ends of the spectrum.

When participants learned
individual items at two different points in time (spaced; lag of 1 s
or more), equating total study time for each item, they recalled a
greater percentage of items than when the same study time was
nearly uninterrupted (massed; lag of less than 1 s). (page 12)

Our review of the evidence suggests
that, in general, expanding intervals either benefit learning or
produce effects similar to studying with fixed spacing. (page 13)

The data described
here reaffirm the view (expressed most forcefully by Bahrick,
2005, and Dempster, 1988) that separating learning episodes by a
period of at least 1 day, rather than concentrating all learning into
one session, is extremely useful for maximizing long-term retention. (page 17)

The present results suggest that the optimal ISI
increases as the duration over which information needs to be
retained increases. For most practical purposes, this retention
interval will be months or years, so the optimal ISI will likely be
well in excess of 1 day. (page 17)

The Spacing Effect

In addition to the reasons indicated
earlier, there is the fact that the spacing effect is somewhat
counterintuitive.

I think that the obvious take home message from the reading is that the spacing effect - or the benefit in retention when instruction is separated and taught at separate times (often separate days as the first article suggests) - needs to be implemented more widely instructional design. Our activity last week with the formula that shows the best retention in how we allocate 10 instruction periods over a month showed that how we spaced the instruction mattered in the maximal retention. The first article included a convincing meta-analysis that showed the existence of the spacing effect, and the second article provided some reasons for why it isn't being implemented the way it should.

One thing that I have noticed as I work to help the teachers that I supervise improve is the amount of opinion that exists. I think intuition plays a bigger role in deciding what a teacher will do in the classroom more than any research or program. The second article mentioned this as one of the reasons that the spacing effect isn't being utilized. It doesn't make sense to everyone that learning needs to be broken up. Many teachers are so passionate about being effective and helping their students, that they wouldn't dare separate learning for fear of wasting precious time that they could be using to do something effective. I wish that the second article gave some more suggestions about how to help teachers and designers include the spacing-effect into what they do instead of just presenting the reasons why it isn't happening.