This document summarizes a presentation on improving study techniques based on cognitive science. It promotes four techniques: 1) using a mastery approach of practicing until concepts are fully understood rather than focusing on time, 2) retrieval practice such as quizzing for active recall rather than passive studying, 3) spaced repetition to spread studying over time for better long-term memory retention, and 4) mixed practice of interspersing different concept questions rather than blocking questions by topic. The presentation provides research evidence for the effectiveness of each technique and tips for implementing them to optimize learning.

1. Blitz your HSC
Stop wasting your time studying!
Jesse Whelan
Director of Learning @ Sandbox Learning Australia
jesse@sandboxlearning.com.au
www.sandboxlearning.com.au

2. Meet Alex
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Trials Target HSC Actual
Goals: Boost confidence, get
a pass!

3. Result? Almost doubled within 3 months!
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Trials Target HSC Actual

4. What if I had more than 3
months to help?
But, but, but…

5. About me: Jesse Whelan
School University Work
Woollahra
Public
School

6. 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.

7. This is the 1st 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
Sign up on the library website
Blitz your HSC –
Techniques to
Maximise your
Success
Wed, March 6
Bowen Library
Maroubra

8. But enough about me.
Why are you here
tonight?

9. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Objectives for today

10. We will run through an exercise to show how its done
Year Oscar: Best
Picture
Grammy: Song of
the year
1982
1990
1993
1999
2006
2012

11. Want FREE group tutoring sessions at your school?
Sandbox Learning Australia is looking to
partner with a school to offer a free after
school tutoring service
To vote for your school,
1. Like the Sandbox Learning Australia
Facebook page
2. Create a post tagging
@sandboxlearningaus along with the
name of your school

12. Don’t waste your time
writing notes. Be
engaged.
Leave your email/business card
for the slides.

13. Have you been paying
attention?

14. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Objectives for today

15. For each technique we will go through
• What the technique is
• The research behind why you should do it
• Tips to put it into practice

16. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Recap: Objectives for today

17. Time for a
memory game

18. Remember these words
Goal Fixate

19. Still got them?

20. Still got them?
Goal Fixate

21. What about with 5 words?
Script Onion
Dialogue Copy
Inside

22. Easy right?

23. What about with 5 words?
Script Onion
Dialogue Copy
Inside

24. Last one
Herd Siege
Bike Foster
Cassette
Door
Leaflet Emergency

25. Now a bit of maths
1. What is 23 times 37?
2. Pete's father is 55. He is 15 years older than twice Al's age.
How old is Al?
3. What were those 8 words?
4. And what about the 5 words before that?
851
20

26. Hard??
It’s just how
our brains are.

27. Objective: move from short to long-term memory

28. The brain: a filing system and a map
Source: Google images

29. Exercising your brain just like your body
Source: Amazon.com

30. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Recap: Objectives for today

31. What is mastery learning?
• https://www.khanacademy.org/talks-and-interviews/conversations-with-
sal/v/lets-teach-for-mastery-not-test-scores-sal-khan
“Fix the level of achievement
instead of the time”

32. Mastery learning students significantly outperform
Benjamin Bloom (1984) studied
the effect of different conditions
on learning
3 conditions
1. Conventional classroom
lecture
2. Mastery-based classroom
3. Mastery-based tutoring
Switching to a MASTERY APPROACH will on average increase your
scores by a whole grade letter!
Source: Adapted from Benjamin Bloom

33. Recap: Tips for using a ‘Mastery’ approach
1. Benchmark - Get a true understanding of your
current position
2. When it comes to learning don’t trust your gut –
prove you know it
3. Set achievement based goals - not time-based
goals
4. Use the Pomodoro technique – more to come next
talk

34. Which method will be most effective/least effective
for learning?
A - Study
• Review the material
• Take notes, underline,
highlight
D - Repeated study
• Same as study but can do it
twice
B – Self testing
• Review the material
• Take a quiz at the end of the
lesson
• Repeat
C - Concept mapping
• Review the material
• Draw mindmaps connecting the
material

35. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Recap: Objectives for today

36. People THINK that retrieval practice isn’t helpful
Source: Adapted from Karpicke and Blunt
Karpicke and Blunt (2011)

37. But in fact ‘Retrieval Practice’ i.e. quizzing, is the most
effective strategy
Source: Adapted from Karpicke and Blunt
Karpicke and Blunt (2011)

38. Tips for using ‘Retrieval Practice’
1. Use recall – watching, reading or listening doesn’t
count
2. Make flash cards
3. Conduct regular quizzes
4. Wait between writing the quiz and actually doing
it
5. Write down your answers so you can’t cheat

39. Practice time

40. Lists of ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Best Picture’ winners
Year Song
1982 “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Wind beneath my wings”
1993 “Tears in heaven”
1999 “My heart will go on”
2006 “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own”
2012 “Rolling in the deep”
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

41. So what were those movies?
Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

42. Mark yourself
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

43. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Recap: Objectives for today

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

45. ‘Spaced repetition’ slows learning decay
Source: Adapted from Ebbinghaus

46. And is way more efficient – learn more without
studying more

47. Tips for using ‘Spaced Repetition’
1. Spend 1-2 minutes at the end of each class writing
down what you remember from that class
2. Spread study for a concept across multiple shorter
sessions
3. Review old concepts periodically
4. Use the Leitner flashcard system or automated
software to help with scheduling

48. Review
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

49. So what were those movies?
Year Movie
1982 ?
1990 ?
1993 ?
1999 ?
2006 ?
2012 ?

50. Mark yourself
Year Movie
1982 “Ghandi”
1990 “Dances with wolves”
1993 “Schindler’s List”
1999 “American Beauty”
2006 “The Departed”
2012 “Argo”

51. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. A mastery approach
2. Retrieval practice
3. Spaced vs massed repetition
4. Mixed vs blocked practice
Recap: Objectives for today

52. Schools tends to work in ‘blocks’
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Adding
Fractions
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Multiplying
fractions
What’s the problem with this?
Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10

53. Challenges of ‘Blocked practice’
Learning decay Limited transfer

54. Mixing involves practicing on a range of concepts…
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Adding
Fractions
Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10
Adding Fractions
questions
Other concepts

55. …and produces better long term memory compared
to blocking
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Practice 1 Practice 2 Test
ProportionCorrect
Blocking Interleaving
Rohrer (2012)
Source: Adapted from Rohrer
1 Week 1 Week

56. Tips for using ‘Mixed Practice’
1. Bring in the old with the new
2. For best results make the concepts similar
3. Focus on the long term - interleaving can make
things worse before they get better

57. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
Recap: Objectives for today

58. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. Work to MASTERY not a set time
Recap: Objectives for today

59. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. Work to MASTERY not a set time
2. Study using RECALL not watching or reading
Recap: Objectives for today

60. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. Work to MASTERY not a set time
2. Study using RECALL not watching or reading
3. SPACE your study over time and repeat
Recap: Objectives for today

61. • Learn (a bit) about the science of learning
• 4 techniques to improve memory and learning
1. Work to MASTERY not a set time
2. Study using RECALL not watching or reading
3. SPACE your study over time and repeat
4. MIX UP your study across similar concepts
Recap: Objectives for today

62. How many do you remember?
Year Movie Song
1982
1990
1993
1999
2006
2012

63. How many do you remember? Answers
Year Movie Song
1982 “Ghandi” “Bette Davis Eyes”
1990 “Dances with wolves” “Wind beneath my
wings”
1993 “Schindler’s List” “Tears in heaven”
1999 “American Beauty” “My heart will go on”
2006 “The Departed” “Sometimes you can’t
make it on your own”
2012 “Argo” “Rolling in the deep”

64. Please take 1 minute
to write down some
takeaways from
today

65. This is the 1st 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
Sign up on the library website
Blitz your HSC –
Techniques to
Maximise your
Success
Wed, March 6
Bowen Library
Maroubra

66. Need some more support? Sandbox is here to help
Subjects Services
Maths,
Science,
English,
And more…
1-on-1
• $80/hr
Group classes
• $25/hr
www.sandboxlearning.com.au

67. 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

68. Trusted by parents across Sydney

69. Want FREE group tutoring sessions at your school?
Sandbox Learning Australia is looking to
partner with a school to offer a free after
school tutoring service
To vote for your school,
1. ‘Like’ Sandbox Learning Australia on
Facebook
2. Create a post tagging
@sandboxlearningaus along with the
name of your school