Top

Gepubliceerd in:

31-08-2018 | Original Article

Retrieval-based skill learning: testing promotes the acquisition of scientific experimentation skills

Auteurs: Tobias Tempel, Katrin Kaufmann, Johanna Kranz, Andrea Möller

Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research | Uitgave 3/2020

Abstract

We investigated whether retrieval-based learning can facilitate the acquisition of cognitive skills, focusing on the control-of-variables strategy. This core scientific experimentation skill is regularly taught in science education classes because understanding it is essential for understanding experimental investigations in science. In the present study, participants initially read a text explaining the control-of-variables strategy. We compared the effects of subsequent retrieval practice and restudy of the text in performing a transfer test requiring the application of the control-of-variables strategy by judging the validity of a number of experimental designs. In addition, recall of the initially studied text was assessed as well. Repeated retrieval practice in combination with restudy opportunities resulted in better performance in both the transfer test and the recall test as compared to mere restudy or a single study opportunity. These findings demonstrate that retrieval practice is a useful tool for promoting deep conceptual learning.

vorige artikel More than simple facts: cross-linguistic differences in place-value processing in arithmetic fact retrieval

volgende artikel Less imageable words lead to more looks to blank locations during memory retrieval

We used a text that was appropriate for comprehension by 10- to 12-year old children because this is the typical age level for teaching about CVS in school. Therefore, materials introducing and explaining CVS commonly target that age. We assumed that using a text with more elaborate or sophisticated terms unnecessarily could have resulted in a rather artificial phrasing of what CVS is.

There were a few cases in which participants typed in that they had clicked the wrong button by mistake and then gave reasons for the correct choice. These cases were counted as correct responses.

One participant did not write down any response during the direct memory test. We excluded this participant from the analysis of recall performance.

Anderson, M. C., Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (1994). Remembering can cause forgetting: Retrieval dynamics in long-term memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 20, 1063–1087. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.20.5.1063.CrossRefPubMed

Arnold, K. M., & McDermott, K. B. (2013). Test-potentiated learning: Distinguishing between direct and indirect effects of tests. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 39, 940–945. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029199.CrossRefPubMed

Butler, A. C. (2010). Repeated testing produces superior transfer of learning relative to repeated studying. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36, 1118–1133. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019902.CrossRefPubMed

Butler, A. C., & Roediger, H. L. (2007). Testing improves long-term retention in a simulated classroom setting. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 19, 514–527. https://doi.org/10.1080/09541440701326097.CrossRef

Carpenter, S. K. (2009). Cue strength as a moderator of the testing effect: The benefits of elaborative retrieval. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 35, 1563–1569. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017021.CrossRefPubMed

Carpenter, S. K., Pashler, H., & Cepeda, N. J. (2009). Using tests to enhance 8th grade studnets’ retention of U.S. history facts. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23, 760–771. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1507.CrossRef

Carpenter, S. K., Pashler, H., & Vul, E. (2006). What types of learning are enhanced by a cued recall test? Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 13, 826–830. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194004.CrossRef

Carrier, M., & Pashler, H. (1992). The influence of retrieval on retention. Memory & Cognition, 20, 633–642. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202713.CrossRef

Chen, Z., & Klahr, D. (1999). All other things being equal: Acquisition and transfer of the control of variables strategy. Child Development, 70(5), 1098–1120. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00081.CrossRefPubMed

Congleton, A., & Rajaram, S. (2012). The origin of the interaction between learning method and delay in the testing effect: The roles of processing and conceptual retrieval organization. Memory & Cognition, 40, 528–539. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-011-0168-y.CrossRef

Gick, M. L., & Holyoak, K. J. (1983). Schema induction and analogical transfer. Cognitive Psychology, 15, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(83)90002-6.CrossRef

Hostetter, A. B., Penix, E. A., Norman, M. Z., Batsell, W. R., & Carr, T. H. (2018). The role of retrieval practice in memory and analogical problem-solving. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747021818771928(in press).CrossRef

Irtel, H. (2007). PXLab: The psychological experiments laboratory [online]. Version 2.1.11. Mannheim (Germany): University of Mannheim. Available from http://www.pxlab.de.

Kang, S. H. K., McDaniel, M. A., & Pashler, H. (2011). Effects of testing on learning of functions. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18, 998–1005. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-011-0113-x.CrossRef

Karpicke, J. D., & Blunt, J. R. (2011). Retrieval practice produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping. Science, 331, 772–775. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199327.CrossRefPubMed

Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319, 966–968. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1152408.CrossRefPubMed

Karpicke, J. D., & Zaromb, F. M. (2010). Retrieval mode distinguished the testing effect from the generation effect. Journal of Memory and Language, 62, 227–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2009.11.010.CrossRef

Klahr, D., & Dunbar, K. (1988). Dual space search during scientific reasoning. Cognitive Science, 12, 1–48. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1201_1.CrossRef

Kromann, C. B., Jensen, M. L., & Ringsted, C. (2009). The effect of testing on skills learning. Medical Education, 43, 21–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2008.03245.x.CrossRefPubMed

Kuhn, D. (2007). Jumping to conclusions. Scientific American Mind, 18(1), 44–51. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamericanmind0207-44.CrossRef

Kuhn, D., & Dean, D. J. R. (2005). Is developing scientific thinking all about learning to control variables? Psychological Science, 16(11), 866–870. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01628.x.CrossRefPubMed

Kuhn, D., Garcia-Mila, M., Zohar, A., & Anderson, C. (1995). Strategies and knowledge acquisition. Monographs of the society for research in child development (Vol. 60). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Kuo, T., & Hirshman, E. (1996). Investigations of the testing effect. American Journal of Psychology, 109, 451–464. https://doi.org/10.2307/1423016.CrossRef

Murayama, K., Miyatsu, T., Buchli, D., & Storm, B. C. (2014). Forgetting as a consequence of retrieval: A meta-analytic review of retrieval-induced forgetting. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1383–1409. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037505.CrossRefPubMed

Osborne, J., Collins, S., Ratcliffe, M., Millar, R., & Duschl, R. (2003). What “ideas-about science” should be taught in school science? A Delphi study of the expert community. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(7), 692–720. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10105.CrossRef

Pan, S. C., & Rickard, T. C. (2018). Transfer of test-enhanced learning: Meta-analytic review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 144, 710–756. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000151.CrossRefPubMed

Pyc, M. A., & Rawson, K. A. (2010). Why testing improves memory: Mediator effectiveness hypothesis. Science. 330, 335. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1191465.CrossRefPubMed

Racsmány, M., Szőllősi, Á, & Bencze, D. (2018). Retrieval practice makes procedure from remembering: An automatization account of the testing effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 44(1), 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000423.CrossRefPubMed

Roediger, H. L. III, Agarwal, P. K., McDaniel, M. A., & McDermott, K. B. (2011). Test-enhanced learning in the classroom: Long-term improvements from quizzing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 17, 382–395. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026252.CrossRefPubMed

Roediger, H. L. III, & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17, 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x.CrossRefPubMed

Rowland, C. A. (2014). The effect of testing versus restudy on retention: A meta-analytic review of the testing effect. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1432–1463. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037559.CrossRefPubMed

Rowland, C. A., & DeLosh, E. L. (2014). Mnemonic benefits of retrieval practice at short retention intervals. Memory, 23, 403–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2014.889710.CrossRefPubMed

Schauble, L., Klopfer, L. E., & Raghavan, K. (1991). Students’ transition from an engineering model to a science model of experimentation. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28(9), 859–882. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660280910.CrossRef

Tempel, T., & Frings, C. (2014). Forgetting motor programs: Retrieval dynamics in procedural memory. Memory, 22, 1116–1125. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2013.871293.CrossRefPubMed

Tempel, T., & Frings, C. (2015). Categorization by movement direction: Retrieval-induced forgetting of motor sequences grouped by motion features. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 68, 473–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2014.945098.CrossRef

Tempel, T., & Frings, C. (2017). Retrieval-induced forgetting is retrieval-modality specific: Evidence from motor memory. Cognition, 162, 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2017.02.005.CrossRefPubMed

Tempel, T., & Kubik, V. (2017). Test-potentiated learning of motor sequences. Memory, 25, 326–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2016.1171880.CrossRefPubMed

Tempel, T., Loran, I., & Frings, C. (2015). Dancing your moves away: How memory retrieval shapes complex motor action. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 21, 300–312. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000052.CrossRefPubMed

Toppino, T. C., & Cohen, M. S. (2009). The testing effect and the retention interval: Questions and answers. Experimental Psychology, 56, 252–257. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169.56.4.252.CrossRefPubMed

Tschirgi, J. E. (1980). Sensible reasoning. A hypothesis about hypotheses. Child Development, 51(11), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.2307/1129583.CrossRef

Tulving, E. (1967). The effects of presentation and recall of material in free-recall learning. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 6(2), 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(67)80092-6.CrossRef

Wong, S. S. H., Ng, G. J. P., Tempel, T., & Lim, S. W. H. (2018). Retrieval practice enhances analogical problem solving. Journal of Experimental Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2017.1409185(in press).CrossRef

Zaromb, F. M., & Roediger, H. L. (2010). The testing effect in free recall is associated with enhanced organizational processes. Memory & Cognition, 38, 995–1008. https://doi.org/10.3758/MC.38.8.995.CrossRef

Titel: Retrieval-based skill learning: testing promotes the acquisition of scientific experimentation skills
Auteurs: Tobias Tempel
Katrin Kaufmann
Johanna Kranz
Andrea Möller
Publicatiedatum: 31-08-2018
Uitgeverij: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research / Uitgave 3/2020
Print ISSN: 0340-0727
Elektronisch ISSN: 1430-2772
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1088-2

Andere artikelen Uitgave 3/2020

Less imageable words lead to more looks to blank locations during memory retrieval

Open Access
Original Article

Visuo-motor interference with a virtual partner is equally present in cooperative and competitive interactions

Original Article

Effects of pitch and tempo of auditory rhythms on spontaneous movement entrainment and stabilisation

Original Article

Is the head-fake effect in basketball robust against practice? Analyses of trial-by-trial adaptations, frequency distributions, and mixture effects to evaluate effects of practice

Original Article

Orientation-dependent spatial memories for scenes viewed on mobile devices

Original Article

When flow is not enough: evidence from a lane changing task

Original Article