SCIENCE OF LEARNING: RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE ​RETRIEVAL PRACTICE

​When it comes to learning, people are often focused on getting information into our brains or helping our students put information into their brains. 

Retrieval practice is different. It is the concept of retrieving or getting information out of our brains. For example, says learning scientist Pooja Agarwal, “if you think about your very first childhood friend, you probably weren’t thinking about them until right this moment...Going back and thinking of something and sort of bringing it up - that’s what scientists call retrieval.”

One of the easiest ways to incorporate retrieval practice into learning and teaching is via low-stakes tests or quizzes. According to Yana Weinstein-Jones, learning scientist, “simply the effect of bringing information to mind from memory...is going to increase learning.”

Retrieval practice is one of the most well-researched learning strategies. The simplest research approach explores how well people can remember lists of words, for example. In a typical study, psychologists had one group read (or “study”) a word list for a period of time, so they could try to remember as much as they could. Another group practiced remembering the words through testing (cover the list up, try to remember all they could, see what they missed, do it again). Those who practiced retrieval (or self-testing) remembered more words than those who merely re-read or studied. 

​The rationale behind retrieval practice is twofold. First, actively trying to remember something or perform some skill is a more effective way of learning than passively reading or hearing about how to do something. Second, retrieval practice provides students with better ways of monitoring what they know. The act of re-reading a textbook can’t tell you what you don’t know or where you should focus your efforts, but a test can.

Greenlawn teachers Troy and Anedra both made adjustments to their classroom practices to increase retrieval practice. For example, Troy adapted his “Jeopardy” game to allow all students to jot down their answers before the problem was solved. Anedra realized that giving students the opportunity to solve different problems increased their ability to retrieve “old” learning. Weinstein-Jones notes, “taking that diagnostic test, or doing the problem of the day...that’s not a check. That’s when the learning is actually happening.”

“I've been cycling more of those skills and then using them more often,” adds Troy, giving students more opportunities to practice retrieval. For her part, Anedra states that adding low-stakes tests to her classroom confused some students. “I had to let them know, no, it's not a test... I just want to know what you know.” 

Want to try retrieval practice? Low-stakes quizzing is an easy way to get started. Create a short quiz that incorporates material from last month’s unit or ask students a few questions about last week’s work at the beginning of class.

​School: Greenlawn Terrace Elementary - Kenner, Louisiana 
Teachers: Anedra Robertson, Rebekah Haynes, Troy Hobson
Researcher: Yana Weinstein-Jones