Learning on Repeat – Retrieval Practice and Interleaving

Learning on Repeat – Retrieval Practice and Interleaving

by Rachel Goodliffe, Teaching and Learning Faculty Developer, CTLI and Practical Nurse Instructor, Practical Nursing Program

Memory is a key factor to successful learning.

When information in long term memory is repeatedly accessed, it supports easier recall and consolidation (Oakley, ND, Zakrajsek, 2022). Repeated recall of information from long term memory strengthens the pathways to the information helping to make it more established and easier to retrieve (Agarwal et al. 2020). Students often associate recall of information with the simple act of knowing the information and not building upon or scaffolding it to strengthen their learning (Carpenter, 2023). Discussing evidence-based strategies such as interleaving, and retrieval practice with students can help to inform them about ways to change or strengthen their study habits with positive outcomes for all.

Retrieval Practice is a learning strategy where “we focus on getting information out” and not just cramming it in (Agarwal et al. 2020). Retrieval practice is the intentional act of having students retrieve information previously learned, from long term memory. This process of repeatedly working to access information helps to consolidate the neuronal pathways to the information, making it easier to access each time. Using this process helps students see what they have forgotten and contributes widely to metacognitive thinking. Retrieval practice may also be a strategy to support neuro diverse learners (Knouse et al., 2020).

Ideas to apply retrieval practice in the learning environment include:

  • Get out of class tickets. Having students recall key points from class helps with the early stages of recall.
  • Fun quizzes in class (not for grades)
  • Think-pair-share of facts recalled from class or prior classes/content and then compare information.
  • Fact checking of skills: asking students to write out steps for skills and then fact checking them against their text.
  • Word Cloud guessing on Mentimeter – put in one word and have students add words related to the topic. Bold words will stand out, and this will provide great discussion on why bold words are important.

Interleaving is described as “switching between ideas” when studying (Weinstein & Smith, 2023). Interleaving supports the process of establishing important connections to long-term memory. Repeated recall of information and switching between topics strengthen pathways, making information easier to pull forward for application purposes, and has been proven to increase test scores ( Rohrer et al, 2015).

Ideas to integrate interleaving in the classroom include:

  • While focusing on one concept in class, integrate learning from a previous class to establish connections between both. This recall will help establish the connectivity of concepts.
  • Mix different problems together, e.g., math (mixing geometry and algebra) or nursing (solving problems with issues related to patient co morbidities).
  • Flash cards that can quickly be accessed about one topic while studying another.

As an instructor in the nursing program, I apply retrieval practice each week in the lab with my students. Learning information week by week about the same patient using the Unfolding Case Study pedagogy, we start off in class by retrieving what we already know about “the patient.” In groups, students support one another to recall what they know and how the weekly concepts learned in the prior week’s connect, thereby repeatedly working and strengthening those neuronal pathways to the information. A bonus to this process is that I see students enjoying the fact that they are retaining information. They feel inspired by their abilities to recall and connect the information in a quicker manner. Students tell me that they are starting to feel like things are coming together. This builds self-efficacy, which is another factor to enhance successful learning. It’s a win-win situation!

References for More Learning