Individual Differences in Working Memory and the Effect of Retrieval Practice

There is a plethora of techniques for trying to maximize information retention, some more efficient than others. Retrieval practice, or repeated testing, has garnered much support in the scientific community for some time, due to its robust effect and ease of use. This has to do with a phenomenon denoted as the testing effect. The testing effect is produced when information is actively retrieved and reconstructed from long term memory, strengthening information retention. While there is a large interest within the scientific community in utilizing the testing effect in the classroom, few studies have been done to implement it ecologically. In the following study a retrieval practice paradigm was introduced to a class of upper-secondary students following a course in mathematics. Over the course of the semester students participated in digital quizzes where they got practice their knowledge on mathematical constructs as a means of retrieval practice training. Increased use of retrieval practice translated to better results on end-of-chapter quizzes. Individual differences in cognitive ability were taken into consideration, though it could not explain any of the variance in results. These results are in line with previous research and suggest that the testing effect is beneficial regardless of cognition and has the potential to even the playing field for learning