Many of us have spent hours studying for a test, only to forget everything the next day. Sounds terrible, but it's true. Most people remember just a small amount of what they learn after a week if they don't review it properly.
But what if there was a better way to learn and remember?
There is. It's called retrieval practice.
Wait. What exactly is retrieval practice?
dit blog post will show you exactly how retrieval practice works to strengthen your memory, and how interactive tools like AhaSlides can make learning more engaging and effective.
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What is Retrieval Practice?
Retrieval practice is pulling information uit of your brain instead of just putting it in.
Think about it like this: When you reread notes or textbooks, you're simply reviewing information. But when you close your book and try to recall what you learned, you're practising retrieval.
This simple change from passive review to active recall makes a big difference.
Why? Because retrieval practice makes the connections between your brain cells stronger. Every time you remember something, the memory trace gets stronger. This makes the information easier to access later.
'N baie studies have shown the benefits of retrieval practice:
- Less forgetting
- Better long-term memory
- Deeper understanding of topics
- Improved ability to apply what you've learned
Karpicke, J. D., & Blunt, J. R. (2011). Retrieval practice produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping, found that students who did retrieval practice remembered significantly more a week later than those who simply reviewed their notes.
Short-term vs. Long-term Memory Retention
To understand more deeply why retrieval practice is so effective, we need to look at how memory works.
Our brains process information through three main stages:
- Sensory memory: This is where we store very briefly what we see and hear.
- Short-term (working) memory: This kind of memory holds information we're thinking about right now but has limited capacity.
- Long-term memory: This is the way our brains store things permanently.
It's hard to move information from short-term to long-term memory, but we still can. This process is called encoding.
Retrieval practice supports encoding in two key ways:
First, it makes your brain work harder, which makes memory links stronger. Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Research Gate., shows that retrieval practice, not continued exposure, is what makes long-term memories stick.
Second, it lets you know what you still need to learn, which helps you make better use of your study time. Besides, we must not forget that gespasieerde herhaling takes retrieval practice to the next level. This means you don't cram all at once. Instead, you practise at different times over time. navorsing has shown that this method greatly enhances long-term memory.
4 Ways to Use Retrieval Practice in Teaching & Training
Now that you know why retrieval practice works, let's look at some practical ways to implement it in your classroom or training sessions:
Guide self-testing
Create quizzes or flashcards for your students that will make them think deeply. Build multiple-choice or short-answer questions that go beyond simple facts, keeping students actively engaged in recalling information.
Lead interactive questioning
Asking questions that require students to remember knowledge instead of just recognizing it will help them remember it better. Trainers can create interactive quizzes or live polls throughout their presentations to help everyone remember important points during their talks. Instant feedback helps learners find and clear up any confusion right away.
Give real-time feedback
When students try to retrieve information, you should give them feedback right away. This helps them clear up any confusion and misunderstanding. For example, after a practice quiz, review the answers together instead of simply posting scores later. Hold Q&A sessions so that students can ask questions about things they don't fully understand.
Use blurting activities
Ask your learners to write down everything they remember about a topic for three to five minutes without looking at their notes. Then let them compare what they recalled with the complete information. This helps them see knowledge gaps clearly.
You can change the way you teach with these methods, whether you're working with elementary school kids, college students, or corporate trainees. No matter where you teach or train, the science behind remembering works the same way.
Gevallestudies: AhaSlides in Education & Training
From classrooms to corporate training and seminars, AhaSlides has been widely used in diverse educational settings. Let's look at how educators, trainers, and public speakers worldwide are using AhaSlides to enhance engagement and boost learning.
At British Airways, Jon Spruce used AhaSlides to make Agile training engaging for over 150 managers. Image: From Jon Spruce's LinkedIn video.
‘A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking with British Airways, running a session for over 150 people on demonstrating value and impact of Agile. It was a brilliant session full of energy, great questions, and thought-provoking discussions.
…We invited participation by creating the talk using AhaSlides - Audience Engagement Platform to capture feedback and interaction, making it a truly collaborative experience. It was fantastic to see people from all areas of British Airways challenging ideas, reflecting on their own ways of working, and digging into what real value looks like beyond frameworks and buzzwords’, shared by Jon on his LinkedIn profile.
'Dit was fantasties om so baie jong kollegas van SIGOT Young by die SIGOT 2024 Meesterklas te ontmoet en te ontmoet! Die interaktiewe kliniese gevalle wat ek die plesier gehad het om in die Psigogeriatrie-sessie aan te bied, het 'n konstruktiewe en innoverende bespreking oor onderwerpe van groot geriatriese belangstelling toegelaat., het die Italiaanse aanbieder gesê.
‘As educators, we know that formative assessments are essential for understanding student progress and adjusting instruction in real time. In this PLC, we discussed the difference between formative and summative assessments, how to create strong formative assessment strategies, and different ways to leverage technology to make these assessments more engaging, efficient, and impactful. With tools like AhaSlides - Audience Engagement Platform and Nearpod (which are the tools I trained in this PLC) we explored how to gather insights on student understanding while creating a dynamic learning environment’, she shared on LinkedIn.
'Baie geluk aan Slwoo en Seo-eun, wat die eerste plek gedeel het in 'n speletjie waar hulle Engelse boeke gelees en vrae in Engels beantwoord het! Dit was nie moeilik nie, want ons het almal boeke gelees en vrae saam beantwoord, reg? Wie sal volgende keer die eerste plek wen? Almal, probeer dit! Prettige Engels!', het sy op Threads gedeel.
Harde Gedagtes
It is generally accepted that retrieval practice is one of the best ways to learn and remember things. By actively recalling information instead of passively reviewing it, we create stronger memories that last longer.
Interaktiewe gereedskap soos AhaSlides make retrieval practice more engaging and effective by adding elements of fun and competition, giving immediate feedback, allowing for different kinds of questions and making group learning more interactive.
You might consider starting small by adding just a few retrieval activities to your next lesson or training session. You'll likely see improvements in engagement right away, with better retention developing soon after.
As educators, our goal isn't just to deliver information. It, actually, is to ensure that information stays with our learners. That gap can be filled with retrieval practice, which turns teaching moments into long-lasting information.
Knowledge that sticks doesn't happen by accident. It happens with retrieval practice. And AhaSlides makes it easy, engaging and fun. Why not start today?
