Test Enhanced Learning

1
Test Enhanced Learning

Mark A. McDaniel Washington University
2
Acknowledgements

• Co-investigators
• Roddy Roediger
• Kathleen McDermott
• Funding
• Institute of Education Sciences
• Grant R305H030339

3
Testing effect in the Laboratory

• Tests better than additional (study) presentation
  of material for final test performance
• Retrieval appears to be a potent memory modifier,
  with increasing retrieval demands (short answer)
  enhancing later retention

4
Test-Enhanced Learning
Central idea Taking a test enhances learning and
leads to better retention over time
Critical distinction Testing for
Assessment vs. Testing to enhance Learning
5
Kang, McDermott, Roediger
6
CRUCIALLY, TAKING AN INTERVENING SHORT ANSWER
TEST BOOSTED FINAL PERFORMANCE MORE THAN JUST
READING THE TEST ANSWERS
Error bars are 95 C.I.
MC SA Read statements None
1
INITIAL TEST
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
Proportion Correct
0.5
.87
.94
.83
.69
0.4
0.3
0.2
.53
.57
.46
.27
0.1
0
FINAL MC
FINAL SA
7
Butler Roediger
Stimuli Art history lectures (30 min.) Three
Learning Sessions Participants watch a lecture
then receive either a short MC quiz, SA quiz, or
additional study of a lecture summary Final
Critical Test Participants return to take a final
short answer exam after a delay of one month
8
Final Short Answer Test
Proportion Correct
Initial Learning Condition
Butler Roediger
9

• 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.

10
Results for Experiment 1
Error bars are 95 C.I.
11
TESTING EFFECT IN THE CLASSROOM?

• Variability in students studying
• Variable intervals between study and quizzes
• Variable intervals between quizzes and final
  criterial tests (with ad lib quizzing)
• Instructors reluctant to re-present identical
  questions for quiz and final test

12
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

13
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.

14

• Multiple choice test on 10 facts
• All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or
  parasympathetic, release _________ as a
  neurotransmitter.
• a. acetylcholineb. epinephrinec.
  norepinephrined. adenosine

15

• Short-Answer test on 10 facts
• All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or
  parasympathetic, release _________ as a
  neurotransmitter.

16

• Read 10 facts
• All preganglionic axons, whether sympathetic or
  parasympathetic, release acetylcholine as a
  neurotransmitter.
• a. I have read the above statement.

17
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.

18

• Unit Exam Performance
• (Brain and Behavior Class)

19
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)

20
Final Exam Performance(Brain and Behavior Class)
21
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.