by Celia Leanne Franzè
We dedicate this July blog post to all Beginning Teachers who have made it halfway through the school year in Australia! We appreciate YOU!
At ThinkPlus, as educators, our mission extends beyond teaching; it’s about ensuring that all learners, not only grasp new material but also retain and apply the knowledge effectively. This month, we’re unpacking two pivotal strategies that stand at the forefront of cognitive science and have shown remarkable potential in enhancing student learning: Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning.
Retrieval Practice, often termed the ‘testing effect,’ moves us away from mere review, urging students to pull information from the depths of their memory. This method not only solidifies knowledge but also illuminates the areas needing further attention. On the other side, Generative Learning pushes students beyond passive absorption of information, encouraging them to actively construct new knowledge by linking new concepts with what they already know, thereby deepening their understanding and fostering a creative and critical thinking mindset.
Can you guess what happens when we intertwine these two approaches? Their integration can significantly amplify learning outcomes, offering a more nuanced and robust understanding of the material. From the strategic use of flashcards to the dynamic creation of mind maps, we delve into practical, classroom-ready examples that embody these concepts, catering specifically to children aged 8-12 years.
Join us as we navigate through the synergy of Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning, providing you with innovative strategies to enrich your teaching toolkit and empower your students to master the art of learning.
The Science Behind the Strategies
Retrieval Practice, often referred to as the ‘testing effect,’ encourages students to actively recall information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. This method strengthens memory traces and highlights areas needing further attention, thereby solidifying knowledge and promoting deeper understanding.
Generative Learning goes a step further by pushing students to actively construct new knowledge. By linking new concepts with existing knowledge, students deepen their understanding and develop critical thinking skills.
The Synergy of Combined Approaches
When Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning are integrated, the results can be transformative. This combination not only enhances retention but also fosters a more nuanced and robust understanding of the material. From using flashcards to creating mind maps, these strategies provide practical, classroom-ready solutions that cater specifically to students aged 8-12 years.
Understanding Retrieval Practice
Definition: Retrieval Practice involves recalling information from memory, thereby enhancing long-term retention and understanding.
Benefits:
- Enhances Memory Retention: Strengthens memory traces.
- Promotes Deeper Understanding: Encourages elaboration and organisation of knowledge.
- Identifies Knowledge Gaps: Highlights areas needing further attention.
- Classroom Integration: Utilise verbal questions, low-stakes quizzing, and flashcards to embed this practice into daily learning activities.
Embracing Generative Learning
Definition: Generative Learning involves actively constructing knowledge by making connections between new and existing information.
Advantages:
- Deepens Comprehension: Promotes active engagement with material.
- Enhances Retention: Encourages critical thinking.
- Boosts Creativity and Problem-Solving: Fosters a creative and critical mindset.
- Classroom Application: Implement summarising, self-explaining, and drawing activities to facilitate generative learning.
The Power of Combined Strategies
Integration: Combining Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning enhances learning outcomes, providing a more comprehensive understanding of material.
Implementation: Adjust the balance of Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning based on your educational goals to maximise effectiveness.
Learning Tasks and Their Impact
Low Generative / Low Retrieval: Open-book tasks like restudying and rereading, which offer minimal stimulation for deeper understanding or critical thinking.
High Generative / Low Retrieval: Engage in open-book tasks requiring deep engagement, like generative drawing and prompted self-explaining.
Low Generative / High Retrieval: Closed-book tasks like free-recall and quizzes focus on memory recall without external aids.
High Generative / High Retrieval: Closed-book tasks that challenge students to independently make sense of material, promoting deep understanding and retention.
Practical Classroom Applications
Here are 10 actionable strategies for integrating Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning with children aged 8-12:
Flashcard Quizzes: Create flashcards with key concepts or vocabulary words. Students quiz each other in pairs, practicing retrieval without looking at the answers.
Mind Maps: After a lesson, ask students to create mind maps from memory, linking new concepts to what they already know, encouraging generative learning.
Two-Column Notes: Have students divide their notes into two columns: one for “What I learned” and another for “Questions I have” or “Connections to what I know,” blending retrieval practice with generative learning.
Teach-Back Sessions: In small groups, students take turns teaching a segment of the lesson to their peers, reinforcing their understanding and recall.
Summarisation Challenges: Ask students to summarise a lesson or text in their own words, limiting them to a specific number of sentences, promoting generative learning by having them distill the essence of the material.
Concept Mapping: Provide students with a list of terms or concepts and ask them to draw connections between them, creating a visual representation of how the ideas interlink.
Retrieval Practice Writing: At the end of each week, have students write down everything they can remember about what was learned that week, without using their notes.
Role-Play: Use role-play to explore historical events or scientific concepts, encouraging students to embody figures or elements they’ve learned about, fostering deeper understanding through active engagement.
Question Generation: After a lesson, ask students to create their own quiz questions about the material, which can be used in a future class quiz, encouraging them to think critically about what they’ve learned.
Learning Stations: Set up stations around the classroom, each dedicated to a different topic or concept. Students rotate through stations, engaging in small, focused tasks that require them to recall and apply information in new ways.
Summary
Effective learning hinges on strategies rooted in cognitive science, such as Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning. By understanding and implementing these strategies, beginning teachers can significantly enhance their students’ learning experiences, fostering both memory consolidation and comprehensive understanding.
Embrace these innovative approaches, enrich your teaching practice, and inspire your students to become masters of their own learning journeys.
By leveraging the synergy between Retrieval Practice and Generative Learning, we can empower our students and transform educational outcomes, setting the stage for lifelong learning and success.
These strategies, when implemented thoughtfully, can significantly improve the learning outcomes for students, creating a vibrant and dynamic classroom environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed.
References
Brown, P. C., Roediger III, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2020). Make it stick: The science of successful learning. South Asian Journal of Management, 27(4), 208-211.
Fiorella, L., & Mayer, R. E. (2015). Learning as a generative activity. Cambridge university press.
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public interest, 14(1), 4-58.