Exploring Interleaving

Interleaving involves switching between topics during a study session. This helps students to see the connections between concepts and subjects, and supports students in identifying the correct strategy to solve a problem.


Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, you will be able to:

  1. Explain the principle of interleaving
  2. Describe how interleaving improves learning
  3. Indentify the barriers to using interleaving
  4. Demonstrate how to use interactive learning tools to support interleaving

Understanding Interleaving

The principle of interleaving is built around the idea that students learn content more thoroughly when they alternate between different topics or types of problems during a single study session. This differs from how most students structure their study sessions. Typically, students study in blocks, where they focus on a single topic area for an extended period of time. Students prefer blocking, because they tend to recall more information and answer more questions correctly during the study session; however, blocking tends to result in lower test scores than interleaving.

Interleaving benefits learning by helping students to differentiate between different types of problems, recognize correct strategies used to solve the different problems, and to build connections between related content. When different topics, problems, and questions are presented together, students can more easily identify differences between them. By working with multiple topics in a study session, in shorter chunks of time, students must retrieve information stored in their long-term memory which reinforces those connections and even creates new ones. Modelling interleaving in learning activities will familiarize students with the strategy, increasing their comfort and the likelihood of them trying it out on their own.

Three squares representing study sessions are shown, each corresponding to a different topic. Beside them is the word "Blocking". Below, each square is replaced with three smaller rectangles, each a different colour to represent a different topic. The order of topics is different for each study session. Beside these sessions is the word "Interleaving".

Click here for an accessible version of the above image: Interleaving vs Cramming.pdf


Interleaving - Video

The following three minute video is an introduction to interleaving. It explores what interleaving is and how it can support students in their learning. Feel free to include this short video into your own courses to guide students as they explore effective learning techniques. You can find this video at the following link: Tactic 2: Interleaving Video

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Interleaving - Video Transcript

INTRODUCTION  SCREEN [Music] – Interleaving

Student 1:

Why do you have so many worksheets out? Don’t you get lost? It’s so messy and all over the place.

Student 2:

Actually, I’m putting the worksheet questions into this app so I can quiz myself later.

Student 1:

But why do you have all the worksheets out? Wouldn’t it be easier to work on one worksheet and one topic at a time, like I am?

Student 2:

It might feel easier, but I learn better when I change between topics. Switching up the topics and types of questions I work on in a study session is called interleaving. It’s actually been proven to improve grades!

Student 1:

I don’t know - switching between topics sounds confusing. What’s the point of doing that?

Student 2:

If I work on different topics when I’m studying, I can see how they’re different, which helps me figure out what to do. It’s like with this math unit. When I mix together volume, perimeter, and area questions, it’s easier for me to see how the topics compare to each other, identify the differences and figure out which formula to use to answer a question.

Student 1:

Huh… I still don’t know… I think I would make a lot of mistakes doing that. I like working on one thing at a time.

Student 2:

I do make more mistakes with interleaving... at least in the beginning... but that’s kind of a good thing because it shows me that I don’t actually know the content yet. When you only work on one type of question, you just do the same thing over and over, without really even thinking about it. You might get the answer right, but because you don’t have to stop and think about it, and figure it out, you don’t really learn it – you just learn how to repeat yourself. [pause] By changing things up, I have to think about the different topics together, and that helps me to remember what I’ve worked on.

Student 1:

I get it!  By changing topics or types of questions you have to work harder, but that makes you learn it better! It sounds weird, but it makes sense. It’s like how I change up my workouts at the gym. Instead of making my muscles remember what I do every time so they get used to it, I make them work harder by changing the exercises I do each time. I’m stronger and faster because of it.

Student 1:

Do you change topics every question?

Student 2:

No, I usually work on a few questions of each type before switching. Or if I’m studying theory, I use a technique called a Pomodoro. With a Pomodoro, I work on a topic for about 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break away from my study space. That’s when I switch. I repeat the Pomodoro with the next topic, and then either return to the first topic, or start another one. I want to spend some time on each area before I move on, but I want to move on before that topic feels automatic or I start to zone out.

Student 2:

What are you doing?

Student 1:

I’ve got my Gen Ed and math to study for, so I’m going to try interleaving too!

Narrator: 

Alternate between different topics and types of questions in your next study session. Interleaving will help you to build deeper connections within your course content and to identify correct strategies for solving problems.  

END SCREEN [Music] – This project was made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy. Created by Durham College.

The following are some interesting and creative ways to use this video:


Interleaving - Infographic

You may want to share this infographic with your students to help them understand how they can use interleaving for learning:

Interleaving Infographic.pdf

Attribution- Creative Commons-NonCommercial-NoDerivs by The Learning Scientists


Barriers to Interleaving

Within this section we explore some roadblocks that can prevent students from engaging in this particularly learning technique. These can be used in a number of ways:

  1. establish a reflective checklist for students to assist them in assessing their previous habits and methods of studying
  2. support discussions about progress and next steps with students
  3. as a means of feedback to support students while they build their competency with learning

Resistance to Using Interleaving

Challenges Students May Face Using Interleaving


References

Photography on this page used with permission from the Durham College Online Photo Database.

Dunlosky, J. (2013). Strengthening the Student Toolbox: Study Strategies to Boost Learning. American Educator, 37(3), 12–21. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1021069.pdf

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K.A., Marsh, E.J., Nathan, M.J., & Willingham, D.T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266

Karpicke, J. D., & O'Day, G. M. (in press). Elements of effective learning. In M. J. Kahana & A. D. Wagner (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Human Memory, Volume II: Applications. Oxford University Press. https://learninglab.psych.purdue.edu/downloads/inpress_Karpicke_ODay_Oxford_Handbook.pdf

Rohrer, D., & Pashler, H. (2007). Increasing retention without increasing study time. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(4), 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00500.x

The Learning Scientists. (n.d.). Interleaving. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/interleaving

Weinstein, Y., Madan, C.R. & Sumeracki, M.A. (2018). Teaching the science of learning. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0087-y

Weinstein Y., & Smith, M. (2016, August 11). Learn to study using... interleaving. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/8/11-1