Abstract
Retrieval practice is generally considered to be one of the most effective long-term learning strategies and is presumed to be more favorable than repeated study. However, a few recent studies have demonstrated that repetitive feedback at final recall can reverse the long-term advantage of testing over restudy. The result that feedback at long-term tests can dramatically decrease the relative effectiveness of retrieval-based learning could be important for both theoretical and practical reasons. Considering that these earlier studies administered low retrieval success at retrieval practice, we investigated whether the effect of feedback on the testing effect is modulated by the level of retrieval success during practice. In three experiments the level of success at retrieval practice was manipulated by multiple pre-practice learning trials, and multiple tests with feedback were applied after a 1-week retention interval at final recall. Our results have demonstrated that a feedback-induced reversed testing effect was present only at low retrieval success during practice (Experiment 1), whereas with moderate (Experiment 2) and high retrieval success (Experiment 3) during practice a significant testing effect emerged and no reversed testing effect was found even after repeated cycles of feedback. These results point to the conclusion that the level of retrieval success was the key factor in reversing the testing effect in earlier studies. Application of high retrieval success during practice can produce long-lasting accessible memories even in learning settings applying multiple tests with feedback.
Highlights
Test in the form of retrieval practice can boost long-term learning
Two recent studies have presented results that challenge the nimbus of retrieval-practice as one of the most effective learning strategies showing that repetitive feedback at final test can reverse the long-term advantage of testing over repeated study (Pastötter & Bäuml, 2016; Storm, Friedman, Murayama, & Bjork, 2014)
In Experiment 1, following this initial study phase, Mem Cogn (2020) 48:1161–1170 participants took part in a repeated-practice phase where 12 word pairs were restudied, 12 word pairs were tested by cuing the English words with the Swahili words, and the remaining 12 word pairs served as baseline and were not shown during the practice phase
Summary
Test in the form of retrieval practice can boost long-term learning. An extensive amount of research has shown that taking a memory test on some learning material can improve long-term retention relative to repeatedly studying the material, a phenomenon known as the testing effect (e.g., Carrier & Pashler, 1992; Roediger & Butler, 2011; Roediger & Karpicke, 2006a, 2006b; Wheeler & Roediger, 1992). Retrieval practice produces better organization of the acquired knowledge, enhances its transfer to new contexts, and produces faster access to learned information (Jacoby, Wahlheim, & Coane, 2010; Racsmány, Szőllősi, & Bencze, 2018; Zaromb & Roediger, 2010). These characteristics of retrieval-based learning make test a potential powerful tool for improving learning in everyday educational practice (Dunlosky, Rawson, Marsh, Nathan, & Willingham, 2013; McDermott, Agarwal, D’Antonio, Roediger, & McDaniel, 2014; Roediger, Putnam, & Smith, 2011). Performance was better in the restudy condition than it was in the test condition, and the magnitude of the reversed testing effect increased as a consequence of repeated feedback cycles (Storm et al, 2014, Experiment 1)
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