Retrieval Practice

What is it?

Retrieval practice is the action of trying to recall information from memory without having it in front of you. Doing so helps the knowledge that you recall to move from short term to long term memory. Which makes it more likely that you’ll be able to recall that information from memory again in the future.  Henry L. Roediger and Andrew C. Butler say in their article about retrieval practice “A curious peculiarity of our memory is that things are impressed better by active than by passive repetition. I mean that in learning (by heart, for example), when we almost know the piece, it pays better to wait and recollect by an effort within, than to look at the book again. If we recover the words the former way, we shall probably know them the next time; if in the latter way, we shall likely need the book once more.” 

Why is it important in the classroom?

If students simply just cram study right before a test they may be successful on the test or quiz but they won’t remember that information for very long beyond that quiz. Retrieval practice helps students to remember information far beyond the test or quiz. Retrieval practice can also be helpful in finding where students have gaps in their learning. After locating those gaps the teacher can then help fill those gaps so students can move on with confidence. 

How can it be implemented in the classroom?

Some examples of how to use retrieval classroom from Washington University in St. Louis Center for Teaching and Learning are things such as: 

1) Low-stakes Quizzes

• These quizzes can be written in response, multiple choice, or any other desired testing format. Instant response questioning like Kahoot or socrative works well too. Student feedback can be immediate, from the instructor, or from peers. 

• When creating these quizzes you want to make sure and ask questions that are not too hard or too easy. You also want to make sure students know that these quizzes will not affect their grade, they are simply for practice. 

2) Two Things Activity

• Ask students to recall and write down two things they learned last class, within a unit, or any other desired time frame. Then either as a class, in pairs, or groups give feedback on how each student did.

3) Brain Dumps

• Ask students to write down everything they know about a certain topic. The prompt given can be narrow or broad, depending on your learning goal. Afterwards if you want students can then compare and contrast their answers with peers in small groups, pairs or a full class discussion where you as the teacher can provide feedback.

Video’s:

Short (1:00)

Retrieval Practice (youtube.com)

Medium (10:00)

Retrieval Practice | Use Low-Stakes Tests To Promote Learning | Science of Learning Series (youtube.com)

Long (30:00)

"Retrieval Practice Improves Learning: Evidence from Applied Research in Middle and High Schools" (youtube.com)

Sources:

Bertilsson, F., Stenlund, T., & Jonsson, B. (2020, November 20). Retrieval Practice: Beneficial for All Students or Moderated by Individual Differences?. Sage journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1475725720973494 

Ferlazzo, L. (2021, March 24). Ten ways to use retrieval practice in the classroom (opinion). Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-ten-ways-to-use-retrieval-practice-in-the-classroom/2021/02 

Karpicke, J. (2017). 2.27 retrieval-based learning: A decade of progress - eric. Sage journals. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED599273.pdf 

Moreira, B. F. T., Pinto, T. S. S., Starling, D. S. V., & Jaeger, A. (2019, January 22). Retrieval practice in classroom settings: A Review of Applied Research. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2019.00005/full 

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2014, March 18). Retrieval practice enhances new learning: The forward effect of testing. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00286/full?ref=happiful-magazine 

Roediger, H., & Butler, A. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. cell.com. https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/abstract/S1364-6613(10)00208-1 

Storm, B. C., Bjork, R. A., & Storm, J. C. (2016, March 30). Optimizing retrieval as a learning event: When and why expanding retrieval practice enhances long-term retention - memory & cognition. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/MC.38.2.244 

Unleash the science of Learning – Retrieval Practice. Unleash Learning. (2023). https://www.retrievalpractice.org/