3. Retrieval Enhanced Learning Theory [EN] M2

RETRIEVAL-ENHANCED LEARNING THEORY

In this section, we will cover one of the most established power concepts in all of the science of learning, one that has been around for more than a century, and is detailed in the book:

Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Brown, Roediger and McDaniel about Retrieval-Enhanced Learning Theory.

People firmly believe that they learn by putting knowledge into their brains. Over and over again.

Students will take notes while listening to a lecture, read and re-read those notes, and maybe even listen to the lecture once more, repeating this process until they feel they have a grasp on the content. This method, which we usually refer to as rehearsal, has a very limited effect on our ability to remember what we learn and to successfully use that information in the future. This is detailed in many journalistic articles related to the science of learning, like

The Critical Role of Retrieval Practice in Long-Term Retention by Roediger and Butler.

This article details that the behavior and strategy that most students use has very limited effects on what they learn and their ability to apply that knowledge in the future, which is what we ultimately want for our students. The use of retrieval seeks to disrupt this strategy, and instead implement a more efficient process for learning. By the end of this section, our goal is not for you to be able to define what retrieval practice is, but instead to be able to apply it in a classroom.

What is Retrieval?

Retrieval is the act of pulling information out of the brain, rather than putting it into the brain. An example of retrieval would be to ask the following question:

What is the multimedia principle of learning?

In a live setting, you may give students a few seconds to write down the answer in a piece of paper. Since we covered the concept of the multimedia principle of learning in the last section, there is a good chance that it is still in your working memory. By asking you to take a break and retrieve that information from your brain and then to write it down in a piece of paper, we double a student's chances of remembering that information in the future and using it in a practical setting. Retrieval practice is an extremely powerful tool in improving students’ learning experience.

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THE RECOVERY PRINCIPLE

Using prompts to encourage active learning instead of having students simply rehearse and attempt to remember all (of) the information in a lecture or class ensures that students engage in active cognition, which is deeper and more meaningful. More specifically, this is an activity that engages students by requiring them to pull learning out from their memory rather than putting information in their memory. If you use retrieval practice and do nothing else to improve students’ learning, you will still be using one of the most established theories in all of the science of learning. In the following video, we discuss how to use retrieval practice in your own class.

Do questions used in retrieval practice need to have a single correct answer?

No! You may engage students in questions that have right or wrong answers, as well as multiple choice questions, opinion-based questions, or free writing questions. However, it is important to remember that, regardless of format, students are eventually provided with the correct answer: Retrieval practice is so powerful that students will remember whatever they retrieve, even if it is incorrect. It is okay if students initially answer with an incorrect answer, as long as they receive corrective feedback.

Recommended Reading

We encourage reading some of the easily-accessible research regarding the retrieval principle, such as the following article: "Insights From the Science of Learning Can Inform Evidence-Based Implementation of Peer Instruction." by Schell and Butler

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