Supporting Retrieval Practice

The following are various means of supporting retrieval practice. You can build some of these assets and interactive opportunities into your courses and you can share these ideas with students so that they have a means of building retrieval practice into their own study sessions. 


Customizable Tools to Support Retrieval Practice

These tools have been designed to be customizable by faculty. Furthermore, they can be embedded directly into your LMS content. For further information on how to utilize these tools in your LMS see the Interactive-Components page.

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Accordion ID Accordion Name Accordion Contents

1

Flip Cards

Flip cards can be an effective tool for students to self-test their learning. Many students already use flip cards or flashcards in their studying, but may not know how to use them effectively for retrieval practice. 

Flip Cards Exemplar

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Flip Cards Builder

Front Top Header Front Content Back Top Header Back Content

Question

What learning strategy encourages low-stakes quizzing to enhance and accelerate retention of information?

Answer

Retrieval Practice

Question

How does retrieval practice enhance learning?

Answer

Practicing retrieval builds and strengthens connections between information in the brain.

Question

Which processing system is represented by this image?

A camera

Answer

The non-verbal processing system

Settings

The following setting(s) are available, please type 'y' for yes or 'n' for no in the following space provided:

  1. Randomize the flip cards when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no.  y

    Tips for Using Flip Cards

    • Design flip cards to help students identify what information they need to know. Students often struggle with identifying what information is key and what is supplementary.
    • Use a digital flip card deck to encourage students to stick with information until it is transferred to long-term memory. When students have the option to remove cards, they will often do so before they have retained the information (Karpicke, https://learninglab.psych.purdue.edu/downloads/2009/2009_Karpicke_JEPGeneral.pdf )
    • If using images, ensure that they include appropriate alt text that describes the intent of the image, not the appearance of the image, and that the alt text does not include the answer.
    • Provide cued retrieval practice that relies on the student’s knowledge base. Unlike with multiple choice, the student cannot rely on recognition if they do not know the answer.
    • When using flip cards, provide hints for retrieval that are challenging.
    • Encourage students to answer the questions either verbally or in writing before they flip the card to check their answer. By consciously answering the question, the student will recall information rather than merely recognize the answer.

    2

    Multiple Choice Questions

    Multiple choice questions are a quick and simple way to assess learning and provide prompt feedback to students. With multiple choice questions, students select one correct option from a list of possible answers.

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    Question 1 text: What is retrieval practice?

    feedback: Retrieval practice involves using low-stakes quizzes and other recall activities to enhance and accelerate the retention of information.

    Question Settings

    The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:

    1. Question 1 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 4
    2. Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes

    Quiz Settings

    The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:

    1. Randomize the questions when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    2. Insert Quiz Questions inside a Panel?Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    3. Make Panel Collapsible? Type y for yes or n for no. no
    4. Panel Title? Type the title of the panel. Multiple Choice Quiz Tool Exemplar

    Tips for writing multiple choice questions:

    • Structure the question so that the stem provides a cue for the student. The options help the learner to identify the correct response through recognition.
    • Carefully selected multiple choice options promote learning of information related to that on the questions. Provide 3-4 options for each question, so that the question is neither too easy to guess or too time consuming to read. All options should be similar difficulty; do not include silly options as they distract from the learning.
    • Avoid the use of “none of the above” options. None of the above exposes the student only to incorrect options and does not provide an opportunity for the student to identify and learn the correct response.

    3

    Reorder Activity Questions

    Reorder activities require students to recall a specific sequence of events. These types of questions can be useful for recalling timelines of past events or the order of a procedure.  

    Reordering Questions Exemplar

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    Question 1 text: In what order were the science of learning principles presented in this resource?

    feedback: The correct order is Spaced Practice, Interleaving, Concrete Examples, Elaboration, Dual Coding, Retrieval Practice.

    Quiz Settings

    The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:

    1. Randomize the questions when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    2. Insert Quiz Questions inside a Panel?Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    3. Make Panel Collapsible? Type y for yes or n for no. no
    4. Panel Title? Type the title of the panel. Reorder Activity Question Exemplar


    Tips for Using Reorder Activity Questions

    • Use the reorder activity to help students remember the correct steps in a procedure. Using the same terminology as used when teaching the procedure will support effective retrieval.
    • Use consistent language and verb tense in all statements and ensure that the text does not provide sequence cues (e.g. "First, ...").
    • Extend student understanding by asking students to put something in order, but based in/on a new context or knowledge set, without the language cues used intially.

    EdTech Tools to Support Retrieval Practice

    There are many EdTech tools that can support you in embedding retrieval practice into the learning experiences you create. In addition, making students aware of some of the simpler tools below can also support them in building strategies to support more effective independent learning. 

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    Accordion Builder

    Accordion ID Accordion Name Accordion Contents

    1

    Flip

    Students can create video responses to prompts and provide peer feedback using Flip  (formerly Flipgrid).

    2

    Poll Everywhere

    Include Q&As into course content, including PowerPoint or Google Slides, with PollEverywhere.

    3

    Socrative

    Use Socrative to develop multiple choice and short answer questions

    4

    Quizlet

    Quizlet is a learning tool that both teachers and students can use to support retrieval practice. It includes digital flash cards, matching games, practice electronic assessments, and even live quizzes. 


    Using Retrieval Practice Outside the Digital Space

    To support students in building their own tool box of study strategies, encourage students to engage in the some of the following activities as they are preparing for your assessments. 

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    1

    Practice Tests

    • Design example test questions for self-quizzing.

    2

    Homework

    • Answer homework questions without looking at notes.

    3

    Memory Dump

    • Perform a memory dump, writing or drawing everything that can be recalled about a topic.

    Tips to Support Retrieval Practice

    The following are some quick tips that you can use when you are building your learning experiences to embed retrieval practice directly into the learning. 

      1. Show feedback provided on multiple choice questions.
      2. Correct errors and add missing information as soon as possible to encode correct, complete information.
      3. Show tool being used for pre-learning vocabulary to promote early attempts at retrieval.
      4. Intersperse retrieval practice tools between sections of content within a topic. 
      5. Include retrieval practice tools with different questions at the end of modules for students’ formative self-assessment.
      6. Change the order of questions and options each time the student sees the tool.

    Checking Your Knowledge

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    Question 1 text: An example of retrieval practice is:

    hint: Which option encourages students to think deeply about the information?

    Question Settings

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    1. Question 1 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 2
    2. Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes

    Question 2 text: Which is the best guideline to follow when creating multiple choice options?

    feedback: Remember that the aim of multiple choice questions is to support recall of information from long term memory. You want questions to challenge students at the level of the course learning outcomes.

    Question Settings

    The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:

    1. Question 2 Answer:Type option number for the correct answer. 4
    2. Randomize the options when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. Yes

    Quiz Settings

    The following setting(s) are available, please type response in the following space provided:

    1. Randomize the questions when the page is loaded or refreshed by the learner? Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    2. Insert Quiz Questions inside a Panel?Type y for yes or n for no. yes
    3. Make Panel Collapsible? Type y for yes or n for no. no
    4. Panel Title? Type the title of the panel.



    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

    InnerDrive. (n.d.) How to design the perfect multiple choice test. InnerDrive. https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/perfect-multiple-choice-test

    InnerDrive. (n.d.) The 6 benefits of retrieval practice - a visual guide. InnerDrive. https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/6-benefits-of-retrieval-practice

    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

    Pan, S.C. (n.d.). Retrieval practice (Practice testing). UC San Diego Psychology. https://psychology.ucsd.edu/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-resources/academic-writing-resources/effective-studying/retrieval-practice.html

    Roediger III, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.09.003 

    The Learning Scientists. (n.d.). Retrieval practice. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/retrieval-practice

    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, June 23). Learn how to study using... retrieval practice. The Learning Scientists. https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/6/23-1