Cognitive Science of Learning• Introduction of Desirable Difficulties:

Conditions of instruction that appear to create difficulties for the learner, slowing the rate of apparent learning, often optimize long-term retention and transfer.

• Dr. Bjork’s findings for optimal learning:

• vary study location• interleave vs. block• test vs. restudy/reread

Testing Serves as Learning Events• Testing as an assessment vehicle vs. a learning

vehicle

• Recalling information is more powerful than presentation of information

• The reality: Students re-presenting information to themselves (i.e., reading a chapter over and over again, underlining things, etc.), focusing on storage rather than retrieval

Catalytic Grant Study Orr and Ramakrishna

• Have you ever heard: – “I studied so hard, and it just didn’t work!”

• Our question: – How will frequent testing impact students in

Introductory Biology?

• Implemented by studying the effects of giving required pre-exam quizzes throughout the Fall 2011 semester.

– online homework platform used to implement quizzing

Observations• Students found quizzing frustrating and

difficult. • Percentage of quiz takers decreased

throughout the semester

• Decrease was most dramatic with the “non-honors” students.

Comparison of Exam Averages for Quiz- Takers to Non-Quiz Takers, Fall 2011

Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 40

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

100% Quiz Takers

0% Quiz Takers

Student Perception

• Learners aren’t always good judges of effective study techniques.

• Errors are often assumed to reflect inadequacies of the instructor, the student, or both

• Level of frustration amongst students in response to pre-exam quizzing was high.

Take Home Message

• Reviewing notes/rereading chapters over-estimation of learning

• Conditions that appear to create difficulties optimize long-term retention and transfer

• Spend less time on the input side, and more time on the output side!