The Testing Effect in the Lecture Hall: Does it Depend on Learner Prerequisites?

Abstract

The benefits of practice testing for long-term learning are well established in many contexts. However, little is known about learner characteristics that might moderate its effectiveness. The effects of practice tests might depend on individual prerequisites for learning, especially in real-world educational settings. We explored whether the effects of practice testing in a regular university lecture would depend on cognitive (e.g., prior knowledge), motivational (e.g., learning motivation), or emotional (test anxiety) dispositions. We implemented an experimental intervention design in psychology courses for teacher students ( N = 208). One week before the lecture, focal learner characteristics were assessed. Immediately after the lecture, participants completed an online review session with short-answer questions (practice testing with corrective feedback) or summarizing statements (restudy), alternating within each participant. One week later, retention of learning contents was assessed with a criterial test containing short-answer and multiple-choice questions. A testing effect emerged (ηp² = .07), with better retention for the tested compared with the restudied contents. Some learner characteristics affected learning outcomes, but no interactions with testing vs. restudy occurred. These results suggest that the testing effect in the university classroom is a robust phenomenon that benefits learning irrespective of primary individual learning prerequisites.

Cognitive perspectives on maintaining physicians’ medical expertise: IV. Best practices and open questions in using testing to enhance learning and retention

“…One question of particular interest is how the testing effect may be modulated by prior knowledge of the tested domain. Several studies have examined whether the degree of learners’ prior knowledge correlates with the magnitude of the testing effect, with mixed results: One study found that retrieval practice has a compensatory effect such that it is more beneficial for learners with low existing topic knowledge (Cogliano et al, 2019 , EL: 5), another conversely found that retrieval practice is more beneficial for learners with high knowledge (Carpenter et al, 2016 , EL: 5), and others found testing equally effective regardless of prior topic knowledge (Glaser & Richter, 2022 , EL: 5; Xiaofeng et al, 2016 , EL: 5), although all of these studies are limited by their correlational nature. More recently, in an experimental study, Buchin and Mulligan ( 2023 , EL: 4) manipulated learners’ topic knowledge by having them study an academic topic across multiple days of training before introducing a retrieval-practice manipulation; this study found that the testing effect equally benefited high-knowledge and low-knowledge learners.…”