Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques

Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques

"You'll forget most of what you learn. What should you do about that?"

As students, we spend countless hours studying and trying to retain information. However, research has shown that we forget a significant portion of what we learn over time. One study found that people can lose anywhere between 14% and 85% of their knowledge in just a few years. So, what can we do to combat this forgetting and improve our learning?

The article "Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques" by John Dunlosky, Katherine A. Rawson, Elizabeth J. Marsh, Mitchell J. Nathan, and Daniel T. Willingham explores different learning techniques and their effectiveness in promoting long-term retention and comprehension. The authors highlight the importance of finding techniques that have been shown to consistently boost students' performance, rather than relying on methods that may not yield the desired results.

The study identified two techniques that received high utility assessments: practice testing and distributed practice. Practice testing involves actively retrieving information from memory, either through self-quizzing or taking practice exams. This technique has been shown to benefit learners of different ages and abilities, and it can significantly improve students' performance across various tasks and educational contexts. On the other hand, distributed practice refers to spacing out study sessions over time, rather than cramming all the information in one session. This technique has been found to be superior to massed practice, where information is studied in a single session, and it is especially effective when the lag between study sessions is approximately 10-20% of the desired retention interval.

In contrast, five techniques received a low utility assessment: summarization, highlighting, the keyword mnemonic, imagery use for text learning, and rereading. Despite being commonly used by students, these techniques do not consistently boost performance. Summarization and highlighting, for example, may be more effective for students with prior domain knowledge, as they can better identify important information and make meaningful connections. However, relying solely on these techniques may not be sufficient for deep comprehension and long-term retention.

To make the most of our study sessions and enhance our learning, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Embrace practice testing: Instead of simply rereading notes or textbooks, actively engage in practice testing. Create flashcards, take practice exams, or quiz yourself on the material. By actively retrieving information from memory, you are strengthening the neural connections associated with that knowledge, making it more likely to be retained in the long run.

2. Space out your study sessions: Avoid cramming all your studying into one session. Instead, distribute your study time over multiple sessions, allowing for periods of rest and consolidation. This spaced practice has been shown to enhance long-term retention and comprehension. Aim for study sessions that are approximately 10-20% of the desired retention interval.

3. Use elaborative interrogation and self-explanation: These techniques involve asking yourself "why" questions and generating explanations for concepts. By actively engaging with the material and connecting it to prior knowledge, you are promoting deep understanding and integration of new information. Elaborative interrogation and self-explanation can be particularly beneficial for students with higher levels of domain knowledge.

In conclusion, improving students' learning requires a shift in our approach to studying. It is essential to move away from ineffective techniques such as rereading and highlighting and instead embrace evidence-based strategies like practice testing and distributed practice. Additionally, incorporating techniques like elaborative interrogation and self-explanation can further enhance our understanding and retention of information. By implementing these strategies, we can optimize our learning and overcome the challenge of forgetting most of what we learn over time.