Supporting Research for a Spiraled Approach

"Research on the psychology of learning has revealed a great deal about how to learn effectively. Spacing and retrieval practice reliably enhance learning. However, these strategies are underused by students, possibly due to false beliefs about learning, lack of awareness of effective learning strategies, or the counter-intuitive nature of these
strategies.

Successful learning requires an effective ’learning routine’—knowledge of the right strategies at the right times—as well as regular use of that routine. Learners can be aware of what is needed for effective learning but fail to achieve their learning goals if they do not carry out an effective routine."

"Cumulative quizzes and exams require students to maintain proficiency with information they have learned earlier in the course. Cumulative retrieval practice involves spacing by including concepts learned at earlier points in the course, and it also encourages students to review previously-learned information in order to prepare for the exams. Always make sure to use spacing as a learning strategy throughout the semester or school year, not simply as part of high-stakes assessments."

"Retrieval practice is most effective when students are not being assessed

on their recollection and instead are given the opportunity to recall their

learning in a high challenge but low risk way."

"Correct misconceptions or wrong answers in a timely manner. Misconceptions could be reinforced if errors are not corrected quickly."

"Create routines that embed retrieval practice as part of lessons so that

learning time is maximised."

"There is an emerging consensus that retrieval practice is a powerful way to enhance long-term retention and to reduce achievement gaps in school settings."

"The positive learning effects following retrieval practice have been demonstrated in: (1) young children ranging to older adults, (2) from easy to more complex materials, (3) for both theoretical and practical course subjects, (4) for students with lower cognitive abilities as well as for those (5) with a diversity of learning disabilities and (6) to result in better learning outcome compared to other learning active methods. Based on the

available evidence, it has been argued that retrieval practice is a learning method that is easy to apply and, as such, has high utility for educational practice across ages and course subjects. In spite of this evidence, both students and teachers tend to overlook the beneficial effects of retrieval practice, and instead think of it as a method for evaluation than for learning."

"Overall, even though the spacing effect reveals its important theoretical and practical values in learning, its utility in conventional education and teacher practices has not become evident. It would also be a waste of effort to completely disprove the functionality of massed practice and is against present research findings suggesting that some degree of massing is necessary for learning biology and mathematics. So this paper requests conventional science curricula to establish smart goals for the stepwise development of spaced practices. The first suggestion is for educators to revisit the content repeatedly over the duration of the course, so each consecutive repetition will increase the depth of knowledge and allow new perspectives to emerge. Next, the paper calls for the incorporation of multimodal educational resources in the curricula, be it digital tools such as mobile and computer devices with adaptive algorithms, MOOCs, websites/applications with customized “flashcards” features based on prior recall accuracy, and interleaved textbooks with rearranged assignment questions (more research is needed). Ultimately, these resources could be an excellent asset for spacing to operate in a friendly and cost-effective way, potentially reducing pressure on teachers and making spacing a more rewarding experience."

Ready to evolve in your teaching journey? Connect with us today to discover our services. We're excited to guide you in understanding and applying the spiraled teaching approach, a method backed by strong scientific evidence. This method offers all-round benefits—boosting the overall educational environment, empowering teachers, and above all, enriching students' learning experiences.

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