The mere mention of the phrase “exam season” is enough to make most students’ hair stand on end, triggering feelings of stress, uncertainty, and even regret. Aware of the long weeks of studying ahead, they gradually retreat into their rooms, classrooms, and libraries, spending hours poring over textbooks. However, one question inevitably crosses everyone’s mind – is there a way to shorten the time spent studying, and what are the most effective learning methods?

Science and Learning

Dunlosky and colleagues evaluated various learning techniques based on several key variables, including student characteristics, learning conditions, materials, and criterion tasks. The authors themselves selected certain techniques they considered both highly effective and easy to implement. On the other hand, some techniques were included because a large number of students tend to rely on them. The techniques examined were: elaborative interrogation, self-explanation, summarization, highlighting/bolding, keyword mnemonics, imagery for text, rereading, practice testing, distributed practice, and interleaved learning.

What did the results show?

The research results indicated that the most useful and effective methods were practice testing and distributed practice. In contrast, interleaved learning, elaborative interrogation, and self-explanation were rated as moderately beneficial. The least effective methods included the remaining techniques, among them the widely used highlighting/bolding with a marker.

The Theory Behind Learning Theory

Practice Testing. Although the word “testing” may cause discomfort for most students, in this case, it can only have positive connotations. This method involves practicing the recall of specific information through various means such as flashcards, taking short tests and quizzes, answering review questions at the end of textbook chapters, and writing summaries after learning a lesson. The goal is to encourage active thinking and to write down everything one can recall at a given moment. This method is highly effective because it directly and indirectly enhances information retention and recall, making it easier to retrieve the information next time. Additionally, it serves as an excellent indicator of areas where we have not mastered the material well enough, helping us refocus on the parts we need to review more thoroughly.

Distributed Practice. This learning method involves studying information in sessions that are spaced out with long breaks or studying different material, rather than cramming all the content at once. By doing this, we allow for better long-term memory retention, improved information recall, and reduced effort and fatigue during studying. The foundation of this method is planning – once the student is familiar with the syllabus, they can create an exam preparation schedule weeks in advance, which they will follow consistently up to the exam day. However, it is important to keep in mind that the material should be reviewed multiple times.

Interleaved Learning. Interleaved learning is a process in which a student mixes or interweaves multiple subjects or topics during the learning process. The individual selects several topics and arranges them throughout their study sessions. These topics can be from the same or different subjects, though it is most effective if they are related. Each topic should be studied for a short period of time, and after that, it is beneficial to revisit the topics in a different order, repeating them. This method is effective because it helps develop skills in categorizing, connecting information, and problem-solving, while also promoting long-term retention of information and improving the ability to transfer learned knowledge.

Elaborative Interrogation. Humans are naturally curious beings who constantly seek explanations and connections between various processes or events they encounter. This technique takes advantage of that fact and encourages students to improve their memory during the learning process by asking questions like “why” and “how” in order to link new information with what they already know. This method is effective because it allows individuals to connect new facts with familiar ones and provides explanations for the ideas and facts they are learning. Furthermore, it helps individuals organize new ideas and stimulates thinking about the relationships between different concepts.

Self-Explanation. This learning technique encourages students to explain parts of the material to themselves in order to improve their understanding. This method is effective because it prompts students to think critically, recall information, and identify any “gaps” in their understanding of the material.

Nothing without good sleep and organization…

Although there are many learning methods that could greatly benefit students and shorten their study time, it is important to remember that a method that works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Individual preferences play a crucial role in learning, but it is also important to give new methods a chance. Additionally, it should be kept in mind that no learning technique is effective enough if it lacks organization, sleep, proper nutrition, breaks, and occasional walks with friends.

Translated by: Josip Kokanović

Literature

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Photography source

Image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay