Mark A. McDaniel Washington University

Test Enhanced LearningTest Enhanced Learning

Acknowledgements

Co-investigatorsRoddy RoedigerKathleen McDermott

FundingInstitute of Education SciencesGrant #R305H030339

Testing effect in the Laboratory

1. Tests better than additional (study) presentation of material for final test performance

2. Retrieval appears to be a potent memory modifier, with increasing retrieval demands (short answer) enhancing later retention

Central idea: Taking a test enhances learning and leads to better retention over time

Critical distinction:

Testing for Assessment

vs.

Testing to enhance Learning

Test-Enhanced Learning

Short answer

Multiple choice

Read answer

Control/filler

Within-Subjects,after each article8 items/condition

INTERVENINGEXPERIENCE FINAL TEST

Mult. choice (16): 4 from each of the 4 prior conditions

Short answer (16): 4 from each of the 4 prior conditions

3 days

Read 4 Current Directions articles

~15 mineach

N=48

ENCODING

Kang, McDermott, & Roediger

CRUCIALLY, TAKING AN INTERVENING SHORT ANSWER TEST BOOSTED FINAL PERFORMANCE MORE THAN JUST READING THE TEST ANSWERS

Error bars are 95% C.I.

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SA

Read statements

None

INITIAL TEST

FINAL MC FINAL SA

.87 .94 .83 .69

.53 .57 .46 .27

Stimuli: Art history lectures (30 min.)

Three Learning SessionsParticipants watch a lecture then receive either a short MC quiz, SA quiz, or additional study of a lecture summary

Final Critical TestParticipants return to take a final short answer exam after a delay of one month

Butler & Roediger

.20

.36 .36.47

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.60

No Activity Study Multiple-Choice Short Answer

Initial Learning Condition

Pro

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Corr

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Butler & Roediger

Final Short Answer Test

• Regardless of the form of the final test, initial attempts to retrieve the answer aided performance relative to the no-test condition (i.e., the testing effect).

• An intervening SA test aided later performance more than did an intervening MC test. Crucially, the intervening SA condition outperformed the read statements (summary) condition. (Recall tests require more challenging retrieval processes than recognition tests)

• Educational application: Better use of SA quizzes to enhance learning, instead of additional reading of target facts. If initial performance is low, optimal procedure may be to provide corrective feedback.

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Results for Experiment 1

Final MC Final SA

Initial testMC

SA

Read statements

Control (Filler)

.87(.18)

.80(.22)

.88(.15)

.74(.25)

.62(.29)

.48(.29)

.51(.26)

.33(.27)

Error bars are 95% C.I.

TESTING EFFECT IN THE CLASSROOM?

1. Variability in students’ studying

2. Variable intervals between study and quizzes

3. Variable intervals between quizzes and final criterial tests (with ad lib quizzing)

4. Instructors reluctant to re-present identical questions for quiz and final test

McDaniel, Anderson, & Morrisette

In WEB-based Brain and Behavior university course, each week students received 10 facts:

Read the facts to review

Multiple choice quiz on the facts

Short answer (fill in blank) quiz on the facts

Sample Facts

Set A:1. The term for the plane that bisects the body into right and left halves comes from the Latin word “sagitta”.2. The amygdala (Latin for "almond") consists of several subdivisions with diverse functions, including emotional regulation.

Set B:1. The term for the plane that bisects the body into front and back halves comes from the Latin word “corona”.2. The amygdala (Latin for "almond") consists of several subdivisions with diverse functions, including the perception of odor.

Multiple choice test on 10 facts

All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or parasympathetic, release _________ as a neurotransmitter.

*a. acetylcholineb. epinephrinec. norepinephrined. adenosine

Short-Answer test on 10 facts

All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or parasympathetic, release _________ as a neurotransmitter.

Read 10 facts All preganglionic axons, whether

sympathetic or parasympathetic, release acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter.

*a. I have read the above statement.

Unit Tests

• Given after three topics (weeks) • Multiple choice tests• Constructed so that question asked in a different way

from that on quizzes:Quizzed:All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or

parasympathetic, release _________ as a neurotransmitter.

Unit test: All ___________ axons, whether sympathetic or parasympathetic, release acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter.

Unit Exam Performance(Brain and Behavior Class)

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RD MC SA

Question Type

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quizzed

unquizzed

Final Exam

•Given during the last week of the semester •Multiple choice tests•Constructed so that half the questions were asked in the same way as the quiz and half were asked in a different way from that on quizzes (same as the Unit)

Final Exam Performance(Brain and Behavior Class)

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Conclusions

• An initial short answer test aids later performance more than an initial multiple choice test (Tests requiring more effortful retrieval processes most effective)

• In Classroom Situations, tests valuable for enhancing learning, whereas additional reading of target facts may produce little additional learning

• If initial performance is low, then test enhanced learning may require feedback.