This document discusses cognitive psychologist Robert Bjork's research on how testing and interleaving can improve long-term memory retention compared to repeated studying. It explains that testing information requires retrieving it from memory, which strengthens the memory representation and makes it more easily recalled in the future. The document then provides examples of different study patterns and argues that interleaving topics with tests leads to the best test results. Finally, it lists different types of low-risk, frequent testing methods that can be used in the classroom to improve student learning through retrieval practice.

2. • Testing
• Spacing
• Interleaving
Robert Bjork
Cognitive Psychologist UCLA

3. So how does it stick?
Why do we remember some things and not others?
Storage Strength
Retrieval Strength
High storage
Easily retrieved
My current address
Low storage
Easily retrieved
An address I’m on the way to now
High storage
Low retrieved
My university address
Low storage
Low retrieved
An address someone told me
this morning

4. Testing
• Which study pattern will result in the best test
results?
1. STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY – TEST
2. STUDY STUDY STUDY TEST – TEST
3. STUDY STUDY TEST TEST – TEST
4. STUDY TEST TEST TEST - TEST

5. “Taking a test often does more than assess
knowledge; tests can also provide
opportunities for learning. When
information is successfully retrieved from
memory, its representation in memory is
changed such that it becomes more
recallable in the future and this
improvement is often greater than the
benefit resulting from additional study.”

6. What have we been doing?
• Pre tests - found to have improved resulting
effect to long term memory. Provides cues for
the then to be learnt learning.
• Tests as a starter, mid lesson activity or even
plenary.
• Multiple choice tests as have a higher effect.

7. Bjork’s advice is to make testing experiences
low risk, frequent, and designed to include
variation and distracting difficulties, such as
providing competing alternative answers to
trigger retrieval of information that might be
tested at another opportunity.

8. • Multiple choice questions
• Test your partner (what can you remember about x?)
• Picture link (What Unit x topics and keywords can you remember that link to this
picture)
• Mind map (All of the information you can remember from topic x)
• Concept map (Using t-charts, cause and effects maps, venn diagrams, double bubble
maps…..)
• Article link (what points from Unit x are covered in this article?)
• Keyword test (what are the meanings of these words?)
• How many keywords can you remember about….? (List all of the key terminology and
definitions from topic x)
• Can you remember 5/10/15 points from topic x?
• Scenario pull out (Share a scenario, students have limited time to pull out as many
related topics, key words, information and facts as they can)
• Just a minute (Students must speak for 1 minute without any hesitation or repetition
about topic x. If it breaks down, swap goes. Next person can use information given by
previous person. Winner is person who can talk for the full minute)
• Knowledge builder (Students have a set time to write down information about a topic
before their sheets are rotated with their peers. Students check their peers work for
accurateness and add any additional points. Rotate and repeat the process).
• Crossword (All of the clues lead to key terminology from chosen topic)

9. • Exam questions (Short answer questions for quick factual recall. Quick to mark as well)
• Rapid fire challenge (1 minute countdown timer. Students work in pairs. One has back
to board which has key words on it. They have to say as many as they remember from
unit x. Partner faces the board and counts correct information. Swap for new topic.)
• Key word challenge (Split a blank sheet up into sub topics. Students have to write
down as many keywords, terminology, definitions and examples as they can for each
topic).
• #Test (Remember as many points from the chosen topic but use # to start each fact,
idea or definition)
• Key question (Pose a challenging key question on the board which forces students to
retrieve previous knowledge to link/answer it)
• Flash card quizzes (Not making flash cards, but using them with a partner/individually
to actively challenge memory retrieval)

11. Hermann Ebbinghaus, 1885