Retrieval Practice Produces More Learning than Elaborative Studying with Concept Mapping

Abstract

Educators rely heavily on learning activities that encourage elaborative studying, whereas activities that require students to practice retrieving and reconstructing knowledge are used less frequently. Here, we show that practicing retrieval produces greater gains in meaningful learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping. The advantage of retrieval practice generalized across texts identical to those commonly found in science education. The advantage of retrieval practice was observed with test questions that assessed comprehension and required students to make inferences. The advantage of retrieval practice occurred even when the criterial test involved creating concept maps. Our findings support the theory that retrieval practice enhances learning by retrieval-specific mechanisms rather than by elaborative study processes. Retrieval practice is an effective tool to promote conceptual learning about science.

Re-examining the testing effect as a learning strategy: the advantage of retrieval practice over concept mapping as a methodological artifact

“…Post hoc comparisons using the Tukey’s HSD test indicated that judgment of learning in the RP + AM + AI condition ( M = 44.18, SD = 16.30) was significantly lower than in the CM – AM – AI condition ( M = 54.10, SD = 16.86; p = 0.005), the CM – AM + AI condition ( M = 59.14, SD = 17.09; p < 0.001), and the CM + AM + AI condition ( M = 58.64, SD = 14.68; p < 0.001). This replicates previous findings, showing that participants’ assessment of how much they would remember 1 week later is significantly lower in the retrieval practice condition (e.g., Roediger and Karpicke, 2006 ; Karpicke and Blunt, 2011 ; but see Weissgerber and Rummer, 2023 , for a critical discussion of judgements of learning in the context of retrieval practice).…”

Participation in Voluntary Re-quizzing Is Predictive of Increased Performance on Cumulative Assessments in Introductory Biology

“…For example, about half of our students reported that rewatching lecture recordings was “extremely helpful” for their learning, while less than a quarter reported that quizzing was. This fits with previous studies, which have similarly found that students have “illusions of competence” from more passive strategies, such as rereading, and tend not to view self-testing as a very effective learning strategy (Carrier, 2003; Karpicke et al , 2009; Karpicke and Blunt, 2011; Kornell and Son, 2009). Despite this, more of our students chose to participate to some extent in re-quizzing (77% of students retook at least one quiz) than we expected based on published surveys (Karpicke et al , 2009; Hartwig and Dunlosky, 2012).…”

Enhancing Kenyan Secondary School Students’ Performance in Chemistry Using Retrieval Based Concept Mapping

“…The results show that Retrieval Practice is better in enhancing achievement and retention of information than Concept Mapping when used to study Organic Chemistry concepts. These findings are in agreement with the outcome of a related study by Karpicke and Blunt (2011) in which retrieval practice was found to produce more learning than elaborative studying with concept maps. Similar results were obtained in a study by Larsen, Butler and Roediger (2013) where it was concluded that repeated testing is generally more effective than generating self-explanations (an elaborative study technique) in producing superior long-term retention and transfer of knowledge.…”