Studying v Testing
The more you study, the better mark you get - easy - well that’s the theory.....
A recent study at Purdue University set a group of local university students to learn 40 pairs of English words and their Swahili equivalents. They were put into 4 groups.
For Group 1, 4 study sessions, 4 tests.
For Group 2, any recalled pair of words were dropped from the study sessions but were still tested.
The groups were then tested 1 week later. Both groups remembered 80% 1 week later.
Notice that both of these groups did the same amount of testing but group 2 did less study. So it seems the testing is the key, not the studying!
For Group 3 - their correct answers were dropped from the subsequent tests but they were still asked to study them. (opposite of group 2)
Group 4’s correct answers were omitted both from later study sessions and tests.
Notice how these groups are the opposite of the first 2 groups in that they were tested far less.
These groups only scored 33% 1 week later.
So, these last two groups were not tested as much and they suffered for it. Even Group 3, who repeatedly studied every pair performed worse in the long run than Group 2, who studied selectively but were tested comprehensively.
The study’s results are as amazing as they are counter-intuitive. They showed that repeated studying brings essentially no long term memory benefits, especially once a piece of information can already be dredged up from memory.
Repeated testing, on the other hand, is of paramount importance, even for facts that can already be successfully recalled.
So what?
Well all the students predicted that they would remember about 50% in the final test where in fact, the average scores were either substantially higher or lower.
Indeed, surveys have shown that very few students use self-testing as a strategy for revision. When they do, once they have successfully memorised something, they tend to drop it from further practice.
This study makes a case for tests and exams to move away from their crude use as assessment tools. Rather ridiculous mock exam/progress test type testing effectively marking the end of the learning process is self-defeating. Testing should be continuous and informal.
We will, of course, build this into all of our courses and our online parallel system does this automatically for you anyway - you just need to read your emails!
ps. You may notice a website downage as we switchover to our brand new website - whooooo!
www.richardclarkeacademy.com
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