How to Learn Effectively in the New School Year: Spaced Repetition and Retrieval Practice

Intro

As students head back to school, it's crucial to have a game plan for learning effectively. Unfortunately, many students rely on ineffective study strategies such as re-reading texts, skimming notes, and cramming the night before an exam. These techniques may help you pass the test in the short term, but they won't help you remember the information long-term. This blog post will discuss two effective learning strategies: spaced repetition and retrieval practice.

What Is Spaced Repetition and Why Is It Effective for Learning?

Spaced repetition is a technique where you space out your studying over time. For example, if you're trying to learn a new vocabulary word, you would study it repeatedly over several days or weeks. This spaced-out approach is more effective for long-term memory than cramming the night before an exam. When you cram, you only see the material a few times over a short period, and your brain doesn't have time to process it fully.

Spaced repetition takes advantage of the spacing effect. The spacing effect is a psychological phenomenon where you learn better when information is spaced out over time. When you space out your studying, you give your brain ample time to process and store the details in long-term memory. In addition, spaced repetition helps you retrieve information from memory. When we try to recall a piece of information, it strengthens the memory trace. It makes it easier to remember in the future. Spaced repetition combined with retrieval practice (which we will discuss next) is a powerful combination for learning effectively.

How Can Retrieval Practice Help You Learn Information Effectively?

Retrieval practice is a technique where you actively try to recall information from memory. Going back to our vocabulary word example, you would test yourself by writing down the definition or using the word in a sentence. Retrieval practice is effective for two reasons. First, it helps you strengthen the memory trace so you can remember the information more quickly in the future. Second, it forces you to process the information deeply. When trying to recall something from memory, your brain has to do more than recognize it. You must understand the information and how it fits into the bigger picture. This deep processing helps you learn and remember the information better.

Using Software To Practice Spaced Repetition and Retrieval Practice

Old fashion flashcards are the best way to practice spaced repetition and retrieval. You write a question on one side of the card and the answer on the other. Then you test yourself by going through the stack of cards, trying to recall the answer from memory. However, digital flashcard applications can enhance the use of flashcards. One of my favorites is Anki's intelligent flashcards.

Anki includes a spaced repetition algorithm to schedule your review sessions, so you see the material at optimal intervals for retention. Anki's spaced repetition algorithm is based on the forgetting curve, which shows how quickly we forget information over time. For example, when you first learn a piece of information, you're likely to forget it quickly. But suppose you review the information at spaced intervals. In that case, you can prevent forgetting and keep the information in your long-term memory. So, based on previous performance, one day, Anki may give you one flash card to review, but a few days later, it will provide you with three flashcards to study. Using Anki, you can make spaced repetition and retrieval practice more efficient and effective.

Conclusion

Effective learning takes time and effort, but it's worth it. By using spaced repetition and retrieval practice, you can learn information deeply and store it in your long-term memory. In addition, using intelligent digital flashcards can help you make the most of your study time and learn effectively. So when the big exam comes around, you'll be able to remember what you need to know. And isn't that the goal?

Thanks!