Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Strategic Use of Self-Testing
Kornell and Son (2009) investigated the extent to which learners would employ self-
testing when studying word pairs using a flashcard-like paradigm. After an initial
presentation, learners could chose to either re-study all items or receive a practice
test on all items. They more often chose to self-test, which produced greater final
test performance than did re-study. Curiously, however, learners rated re-study as
more effective. This, along with survey data (cf. Kornell & Bjork, 2007) suggests
that learners may choose self-testing not out of a belief that it will directly enhance
memory but rather as a useful tool for self-assessment.
Accommodating Study to Anticipated Test Conditions
Learners' expectations about the format of an upcoming test influence the way
they study (a.k.a. encoding strategy) and their ultimate performance. For example,
learners expecting a recall test have been found to outperform learners expecting a
recognition test on a final test of either format (cf. Neely & Balota, 1981). Kang
(2009) investigated learners' tendencies to choose different forms of self-testing as
a form of practice and whether that tendency could be improved. Learners studied
Malay-English word pairs, and when explicitly presented with study options that
included practice cued recall or practice multiple choice, learners more frequently
chose the study option that matched the test format they were induced to expect. On
a final cued recall test after a 2 day delay, learners who had chosen practice cued
recall outperformed those who had chosen practice multiple choice, demonstrating
the effectiveness of their self-testing choice.
Although learners do appear to tailor their encoding strategies toward the
expected demands of an upcoming test, they do not always do so effectively. In
a study by Finley and Benjamin (2009) learners studied word pairs across multiple
study-test cycles. One group received free recall tests for only the target (right-hand)
words. Even after an initial study-test cycle, these learners still employed unhelp-
ful strategies, such as attending to the relationship between the left- and right-hand
words. However, as we will detail later, their use of an appropriate encoding strategy
did improve with further experience.
Retrieval Strategies
Metacognitive control may be exercised during retrieval as well as encoding. For
example, in a typical laboratory free recall test, learners may output items in any
order, thus allowing them to implement whatever retrieval strategy they wish. In
a serial recall test, learners are instead forced to output items in a specific order
(typically the same order in which items were presented), reducing the amount of
control they can exercise over their retrieval processes. Several studies have found
