SANDBOX LEARNING BLITZ YOUR HSC - MEMORY HACKING: How to Improve your Learning Retention Do you meet new people only to forget their names the next day? Or maybe you feel overwhelmed by needing to learn a new skill? The solution to this problem lies with being able to convert our short-term memory into long-term memory. In this interactive session, Jesse Whelan from Sandbox Learning Australia will run you through hands-on exercises to Hack your Memory.

1. Blitz your HSC
Memory Hacking
Jesse Whelan
Director of Learning @ Sandbox Learning Australia
jesse@sandboxlearning.com.au
www.sandboxlearning.com.au

2. Turning a decade of experience into a new way of
learning
• Over a decade of
tutoring experience
• Taught hundreds of
students across school
and university level
• Undergrad thesis in the
science of learning
Sandbox Learning
Personalised learning. Built by science.
Maths | Science | Years 4 - 12

3. Need some more support? Sandbox is here to help
Sandbox Learning
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4. On average students’ performance has increased by
25 grade points in school
For as long as I can remember, he has failed
English. All we wanted for this exam was a
pass but to achieve 80% it is so quantifiable
and attributed to you.
Yesterday [M] had a maths test at school on
mixed topics, multiple choice. He got
36/37!!!!! Very happy boy!!
50%
75%
Before Sandbox End of year

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7. This is the 3rd of a 3 part series
Blitz your HSC –
Memory Hacking
Wed, March 20
Bowen Library
Maroubra
Blitz your HSC –
Stop wasting your
time studying
Wed, Feb 27
Bowen Library
Maroubra
Blitz your HSC –
Techniques to
Maximise your
Success
Wed, March 6
Bowen Library
Maroubra

8. • Review of previous topics
– Mastery learning
– Retrieval practice
– Spaced repetition
• Getting hands on with study techniques
– Leitner Method
– Pomodoro technique
Objectives for today

9. We will use a geography example

10. Summary of talk 1

11. Mastery Learning

12. What is mastery learning?
“Fix the level of achievement
instead of the time”

13. Baseline test
France
USA
China
Country Capital City

14. Baseline test
France
USA
China
Paris
Beijing
Washington DC
Country Capital City

15. Day 1
Getting the
baseline

16. Instructions (2 min each)
1 2 3
• Work with a partner. Decide who will go first.
• Pick up the cards from your partner’s pile 1.
• Show your partner the card showing the country (black side).
They have to guess the capital city. Max 5 seconds per attempt.
• If the person gets it correct place it into pile 2, if not place it into
back into pile 1. Don’t give them the answer if they are wrong!
• Swap turns and repeat

17. Retrieval Practice

18. Now it is time to transfer that into long term memory
Retrieval practice involves
learning by recalling
information from memory

19. ‘Retrieval Practice’ i.e. quizzing, is much more
effective than traditional study
Source: Adapted from Karpicke and Blunt
Karpicke and Blunt (2011)

20. Instructions (5 min each)
1 2 3
• Working on your own, pick up all the cards you got wrong – they
will still be in your pile 1.
• Now go through and study using retrieval practice.
• Don’t read it! Once you have read the country/city pairing close
your eyes and try to recall it from memory. The try recalling 3 of
them together.
• You are only done once you can successfully recall them yourself.

21. Spaced repetition and
the Leitner Method

22. Conquering the curse of forgetting - Ebbinghaus
Source: Adapted from Ebbinghaus

23. The Leitner method provides a simple way to manage
spacing
Box 1 Box 2 Box 3 Box 4 Box 5
1 day 2 days 5 days 9 days 14 daysEvery…
Correctly answered cards
Incorrectly answered cards

24. Simplified example
Box 1 Box 2 Box 3
1 day 2 days 5 daysEvery…
Correctly answered cards
Incorrectly answered cards

25. Setting a calendar
Box 1
Box 2
Box 3

26. Day 2

27. Round 2 Instructions: Testing time (1 min each)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards from Pile 2. Shuffle. Go through and test
your partner.
• If the person gets it correct place it into Pile 3, if not place it
next to Pile 1.
• Swap turns and repeat.

28. Round 2 Instructions: Study time (2 min)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards that you got wrong. You have 2 minutes to
study these cards. Feel free to use your pen and paper.
• Try using retrieval practice by testing yourself.
• When complete, place them into Pile 1.

29. Round 2 Instructions: Study time (4 min)
1 2 3
• Repeat with the cards from Pile 1. Shuffle.
• 1 min each for testing
• 2 minutes to study

30. Day 3

31. Round 3 Instructions: Test time (1 min each)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards from your partner’s Pile 1. Shuffle.
• Show your partner the card showing the country (black
side). They have to guess the capital city. Max 5 seconds per
attempt.
• If the person gets it correct place it into Pile 2, if not place it
into back next to Pile 1.
• Swap turns and repeat

32. Round 3 Instructions: Study time (2 min)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards that you got wrong. You have 2 minutes to
study these cards. Feel free to use your pen and paper.
• Try using retrieval practice by testing yourself.
• When complete, place them into Pile 1.

33. Pomodoro Technique

34. The problem with traditional study

35. The Pomodoro Technique is an outcome focused time
management tool

36. Pomodoros in action
1. Assemble your task list
2. Estimate how long it will take to achieve each task. If it will take longer
than 1 Pomodoro break the task into smaller ones.
3. Prioritise your tasks. The Eisenhower Important/Urgent matrix can be
helpful.
4. Pick your first task and get started.

37. Day 4

38. Round 4 Instructions: Testing time (1 min each)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards from Pile 2. Shuffle. Go through and test
your partner.
• If the person gets it correct place it into Pile 3, if not place it
next to Pile 1.
• Swap turns and repeat.

39. Round 4 Instructions: Study time (2 min)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards that you got wrong.
• You have 2 minutes to study these cards. Feel free to use
your pen and paper.
• Try using retrieval practice by testing yourself.
• When complete, place them into Pile 1.

40. Round 4 Instructions: Study time (4 min)
1 2 3
• Repeat with the cards from Pile 1.
• 1 min each for testing
• 2 minutes to study

41. Day 5

42. Round 5 Instructions: Testing time (1 min each)
1 2 3
• Pick up the cards from Pile 3. Shuffle. Go through and test
your partner.
• If the person gets it correct place it next to Pile 3, if not
place it next to Pile 2.
• Swap turns and repeat.

43. Round 5 Instructions: Study time (2 min)
• Pick up the cards that you got wrong.
• You have 2 minutes to study these cards. Feel free to use
your pen and paper.
• Try using retrieval practice by testing yourself.
• When complete, place them into Pile 2.
1 2 3

44. Round 5 Instructions: Study time (4 min)
1 2 3
• Repeat with the cards from Pile 1.
• 1 min each for testing
• 2 minutes to study

45. Takeaways

46. This is the 3rd of a 3 part series
Blitz your HSC –
Memory Hacking
Wed, March 20
Bowen Library
Maroubra
Blitz your HSC –
Stop wasting your
time studying
Wed, Feb 27
Bowen Library
Maroubra
Blitz your HSC –
Techniques to
Maximise your
Success
Wed, March 6
Bowen Library
Maroubra

47. If you want the slides
leave your
email/business card
with Liz.
Questions?
info@sandboxlearning.com.au
www.sandboxlearning.com.au
0409 989 008