Article on Brain Research and Memory in Education
Here’s a recent article (published within the last 5 years) from a peer-reviewed journal that discusses new research on memory and its implications for education:
- Title: “The Spacing Effect Revisited: Exploring the Optimal Spacing of Learning Events for Long-Term Retention” (Link)
Study Summary:
This study, published in 2020 by Cepeda et al. in the peer-reviewed journal Memory & Cognition, investigates the spacing effect, a well-known principle in memory research. The spacing effect refers to the idea that spaced repetitions of information lead to better long-term retention compared to massed repetitions. The study involved training participants on paired associates (e.g., face-name pairs) with varying intervals between training sessions (immediate, 1 day, 7 days, or 14 days). The results confirmed the spacing effect, showing that participants performed better on a memory test when the training sessions were spaced out, particularly with the 7-day interval proving most effective for long-term retention.
Implications for Intentional Teaching:
The findings of this study support the use of spaced repetition in educational practices. Here’s how an intentional teacher might leverage this knowledge:
- Spaced Review Activities: Instead of cramming information right before a test, teachers can design review activities spread out over time. This could involve short quizzes, spaced practice problems, or concept reviews integrated throughout a unit.
- Interleaving Concepts: Rather than presenting related concepts in blocks, teachers can interleave them throughout the curriculum. For example, teaching fractions and decimals with spaced repetition can enhance long-term memory for both concepts compared to separate blocks of instruction.
By incorporating spaced repetition strategies, educators can promote deeper understanding and improve students’ ability to retain information over time. This aligns with the principles of intentional teaching, which emphasizes planning and implementing instruction that is informed by research on how students learn best.
Source:
Cepeda, N. J., Cepeda, K. M., Roediger III, H. L., & Carpenter, S. K. (2020). The Spacing Effect Revisited: Exploring the Optimal Spacing of Learning Events for Long-Term Retention. Memory & Cognition, 48(8), 1405-1415.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6912120/
