Effects of retrieval practice on retention and application of complex educational concepts

IF 4.9 1区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Learning and Instruction Pub Date : 2025-09-20 DOI:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102219

Daniel Corral , Shana K. Carpenter

{"title":"Effects of retrieval practice on retention and application of complex educational concepts","authors":"Daniel Corral , Shana K. Carpenter","doi":"10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102219","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aims</h3><div>Retrieval practice is effective for enhancing memory, but its effects on transfer are less clear. The current study compared the effects of retrieval versus non-retrieval-based strategies on retention and transfer of research methods concepts.</div></div><div><h3>Sample and methods</h3><div>In Experiment 1 (<em>N</em> = 309), participants completed one short-answer factual quiz and received correct-answer feedback (retrieval), one multiple-choice quiz with correct-answer feedback (recognition), restudied the original learning materials (restudy), or studied the short-answer quiz questions and answers (quiz study). Eight minutes later, participants received a final test over repeated questions (multiple-choice versions of the practice questions), and application questions (never-before-seen multiple-choice questions requiring application of the concepts). Experiments 2 (<em>N</em> = 158) and 3 (<em>N</em> = 255) involved the same retrieval, restudy, and quiz study conditions, but involved three rounds of retrieval practice and a one-week delayed final test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Retrieval enhanced performance compared to restudy, but not compared to quiz study or recognition, on repeated but not on application final test questions (Experiment 1). Retrieval produced better performance than restudy and quiz study on repeated final test questions (Experiment 2) and application final test questions (Experiment 3). Conditional analyses on application question performance given accurate repeated question performance revealed an advantage of retrieval, indicating that retrieval enhances the recognition component of transfer.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Retrieval practice benefits both retention and transfer of complex concepts. These benefits appear more likely to occur when a sufficient amount of retrieval practice is provided and learning is measured over a delay of several days.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48357,"journal":{"name":"Learning and Instruction","volume":"100 ","pages":"Article 102219"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Learning and Instruction","FirstCategoryId":"95","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959475225001434","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aims

Retrieval practice is effective for enhancing memory, but its effects on transfer are less clear. The current study compared the effects of retrieval versus non-retrieval-based strategies on retention and transfer of research methods concepts.

Sample and methods

In Experiment 1 (N = 309), participants completed one short-answer factual quiz and received correct-answer feedback (retrieval), one multiple-choice quiz with correct-answer feedback (recognition), restudied the original learning materials (restudy), or studied the short-answer quiz questions and answers (quiz study). Eight minutes later, participants received a final test over repeated questions (multiple-choice versions of the practice questions), and application questions (never-before-seen multiple-choice questions requiring application of the concepts). Experiments 2 (N = 158) and 3 (N = 255) involved the same retrieval, restudy, and quiz study conditions, but involved three rounds of retrieval practice and a one-week delayed final test.

Results

Retrieval enhanced performance compared to restudy, but not compared to quiz study or recognition, on repeated but not on application final test questions (Experiment 1). Retrieval produced better performance than restudy and quiz study on repeated final test questions (Experiment 2) and application final test questions (Experiment 3). Conditional analyses on application question performance given accurate repeated question performance revealed an advantage of retrieval, indicating that retrieval enhances the recognition component of transfer.

Conclusion

Retrieval practice benefits both retention and transfer of complex concepts. These benefits appear more likely to occur when a sufficient amount of retrieval practice is provided and learning is measured over a delay of several days.

查看原文本刊更多论文

检索练习对复杂教育概念记忆和应用的影响

目的检索练习对增强记忆是有效的，但对迁移的影响尚不清楚。本研究比较了检索策略与非检索策略对研究方法概念的保留和迁移的影响。在实验1 （N = 309）中，被试分别完成一次简答事实测验并获得正确答案反馈（检索）、一次选择题并获得正确答案反馈（识别）、重新学习原始学习材料（再学习）或研究简答测验的问题和答案（测验研究）。八分钟后，参与者接受了最后的测试，包括重复问题（练习题的选择题版本）和应用问题（要求应用概念的从未见过的选择题）。实验2 （N = 158）和实验3 （N = 255）涉及相同的检索、再学习和测验研究条件，但涉及三轮检索练习和一周后的最终测试。结果在重复的期末考试问题上，检索比重新学习提高了成绩，但与测验学习或识别相比没有提高，而在应用期末考试问题上没有提高（实验1）。在重复期末考题（实验2）和应用性期末考题（实验3）上，检索比复习和测验学习效果更好。在准确的重复题表现条件下，应用题表现的条件分析显示了检索的优势，表明检索增强了迁移的识别成分。结论检索练习有利于复杂概念的保留和迁移。这些好处似乎更有可能发生，当提供足够数量的检索练习和学习是在几天的延迟测量。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Learning and Instruction Multiple-

CiteScore

11.30

自引率

4.80%

发文量

109

期刊介绍： As an international, multi-disciplinary, peer-refereed journal, Learning and Instruction provides a platform for the publication of the most advanced scientific research in the areas of learning, development, instruction and teaching. The journal welcomes original empirical investigations. The papers may represent a variety of theoretical perspectives and different methodological approaches. They may refer to any age level, from infants to adults and to a diversity of learning and instructional settings, from laboratory experiments to field studies. The major criteria in the review and the selection process concern the significance of the contribution to the area of learning and instruction, and the rigor of the study.