When Does Feedback Facilitate Learning of Words?

Abstract

Some researchers have suggested that although feedback may enhance performance during associative learning, it does so at the expense of later retention. To examine this issue, subjects (N = 258) learned Luganda-English word pairs. After 2 initial exposures to the materials, subjects were tested on each item several times, with the presence and type of feedback varying between subjects. A final test followed after 1 week. Supplying the correct answer after an incorrect response not only improved performance during the initial learning session--it also increased final retention by 494%. On the other hand, feedback after correct responses made little difference either immediately or at a delay, regardless of whether the subject was confident in the response. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Distributed Practice and Retrieval Practice in Primary School Vocabulary Learning: A Multi‐classroom Study

“…The testing effect is the phenomenon that retrieval practice leads to better long-term retention than additional study (for reviews see e.g., Rawson & Dunlosky, 2011;Roediger & Butler, 2011;Roediger, Putnam, & Smith, 2011;Roediger & Karpicke, 2006;Rowland, 2014). As in the studies conducted on distributed practice, most experiments on retrieval practice have been conducted using word lists or word pairs (e.g., Bouwmeester & Verkoeijen, 2011;Carpenter, Pashler, & Vul, 2006;Carpenter, Pashler, Wixted, & Vul, 2008;Toppino & Cohen, 2009;Tulving, 1967;Wheeler, Ewers, & Buonanno, 2003) and foreign vocabulary pairs (e.g., Carpenter et al, 2008;Carrier & Pashler, 1992;Fritz, Morris, Acton, Voelkel, & Etkind, 2007;Karpicke, 2009;Karpicke & Roediger, 2008;Pashler, Cepeda, Wixted, & Rohrer, 2005;Pyc & Rawson, 2007Toppino & Cohen, 2009). Some studies have found a beneficial effect of retrieval practice for first language vocabulary learning, with adults (e.g., Cull, 2000;Karpicke & Smith, 2012), as well as with primary school children (e.g., Goossens, Camp, Verkoeijen, Tabbers, & Zwaan, 2014;Metcalfe, Kornell, & Son, 2007).…”

The Influence of Feedback on Predictions of Future Memory Performance

“…However, different types of feedback are not equivalently effective (Fazio, Huelser, Johnson, & Marsh, 2010;Pashler et al, 2005). Most research has demonstrated that feedback is especially effective when the correct response is shown (correct answer feedback).…”

“…Thus, because correct answer feedback provides both diagnostic information and information necessary to update memory, it is generally more effective than right/wrong feedback (Fazio et al, 2010;Pashler et al, 2005).…”

“…If a person answers a question incorrectly, informing that individual of the correct response greatly increases the likelihood of remembering that correct response on a later test. Although much work has examined the efficacy of different forms of feedback (Pashler, Cepeda, Wixted, & Rohrer, 2005), little research has examined whether people are aware of the benefits of feedback (but see Kornell & Rhodes, 2013). That is, less is known about whether people are aware that feedback increases the likelihood of correcting errors.…”

The effect of type and timing of feedback on learning from multiple-choice tests

“…For example, feedback that includes a presentation of the correct response is much more effective than simply indicating that a response is right or wrong (e.g., Pashler, Cepeda, Wixted, & Rohrer, 2005). Accordingly, the standard way to present feedback is simply to show the correct answer to students.…”