Week 1: Chapters Preface, 1, and 2

By Casaundra Bronner

Preface Information

Content Summary

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, is a book that is a result of the research of Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel, Washington University professors and the recipients of the Applying Cognitive Psychology to Enhance Educational Practice grant. Storyteller, Peter C. Brown, relays their educational research in stories and examples. The examples shared vary from a pilot, medical students, preschoolers, car mechanics, etc. Contrary to popular belief and practice in education, learning strategies are not instinctive (Brown et al., 2014)). They must be taught. This text employs the strategies known as spaced practice (repetition of key ideas) and interleaving (study of different topics that relate). The strategies are repeated throughout the chapters in different contexts in order to help the reader understand and retain and recall for application.

Connections to Personal Life and/or Field/Discipline

Learning about topics and subjects that I am not familiar with is something I like to do. This is the philosophy of a “lifelong learner.” The authors did a thorough job demonstrating the learning strategies in the compilation of this text. I am ready to challenge what I think I know about studying well by implementing some of the strategies that are presented. The flashcard method to memorize some key vocabulary from the book is what I will use. I am currently creating vocabulary flashcards using index cards. One should revisit information learned on a regular basis (p. 204).

Suggestions for Student Implementation

Students will benefit from learning about spaced practice (answer practice questions at home) and interleaving (vary the topics). Students should be encouraged to self-test themselves on the subjects they will be tested on at the end of the semester.

Suggestions for Instructor Implementation

In the weeks leading up to the Ohio State Tests (OST), students should be given time to create Quizlet flashcards on the subject matters being tested. Students should be given time in class to test each other concepts using the flashcard system (10 minutes once a week). Interleaving should be demonstrated as well as spaced practice for example, studying multiple artists and their works. Students need to learn different concepts out of sequence. This “out of order” preparation prepares students to transfer learning more efficiently (p. 51). I have witnessed many students take the same OST subject matter tests in multiple years. It is disheartening to see them struggle without any intervention.

Chapter 1 Information

Content Summary

Pilot, Matt Brown, ran a mental checklist as he was encountering a mechanical problem with his twin-engine Cessna 401 plane. Matt Brown’s problem solving was a direct result of the retrieval practice he had to engage in throughout his training as a pilot. In education, we have mistakenly assumed that strategies such as rereading and massed practice net long-term gains. These strategies may help learners do well on a test given soon thereafter; however, empirical studies have argued that in order to commit information to long-term memory (mastery), other study strategies are more beneficial. These strategies are spaced practice, interleaving, varied practice, reflection, elaboration, and quizzing. True mastery requires a deep knowledge of the subject and the big picture view in order to problem solve (p.18).

Connections to Personal Life and/or Field/Discipline

I am a library media specialist. In my position as a teacher, I have opportunities to assist students who are struggling with their studies. The connection that is the most relevant in my current experience is centered around the “Senior Capstone Project.” The Senior Capstone is a culminating research project that is intended to demonstrate a student’s ability to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information on a chosen topic. Many students that I have assisted struggle to paraphrase the articles and books used for research. I believe that retrieval of the information is not as fluid as it could be. After reading Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning[CB2] , I recommend teaching students how to use the flashcard method and self-quizzing. In addition, written self-reflections after reading “chunks” will assist them with academic writing and presentations.

Suggestions for Student Implementation

As stated before, teaching students to think about what they know and do not know (metacognition) could be powerful. Flashcard strategy tutorials and quizzing other students with corrective feedback will help with a deeper understanding of the topics covered. We must teach students that “desirable difficulty” in learning is not comfortable; however, it is necessary in order to master the subject studied. Finally, we must provide students with examples of notable people who are experts in their field and emphasize the hurdles and the transfer of knowledge used to advance in their careers.

Suggestions for Instructor Implementation

I would first highly recommend that teachers and administrators read Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel. The professional development that follows would incorporate practicing the strategies such as spaced practice, quizzing at the end of the chapter, and reflection for each chapter. In Retrieve, Recall, Reflect and Refine: How to Make Learning Last, Whitman suggests, “Think about what 3 to 5 lessons from your course you hope students will remember many years beyond high school (Whitman, 2017).

Chapter 2 Information

Content Summary

Columbia, Illinois Principal Chamberlain, initially skeptical about “memorization,” knows through empirical research that retrieval practice (testing effects) work for deep learning and understanding. He had several teachers participate in the study with positive results. The students that were tested once over the covered material received a 92% whereas the students that were not tested at all received a 79% (p. 35). The chapter goes on to share some low to no-tech strategies that his teachers use for retrieval practice. One that stuck out to me was quizzing before, during, and after the material was presented. Also notable was the teacher that places quizzes and games on his website for students to practice memory recall. Principal Chamberlain suggests that teachers incorporate these testing effect techniques in their lessons because it is proven to be incredibly valuable (pp.44-45).

Connections to Personal Life and/or Field/Discipline

I can certainly relate to recitation as a memory tool. In Sunday School class, my teacher would challenge us to learn the scriptures by memory and the books of the Bible. It was beneficial to use song and melody to learn these challenging topics. I still remember most if not all the taught scriptures, and I still remember the books of the New Testament. By contrast, I do not know the books of the Old Testament (I never learned the song). I have fond memories of standing up every day at the beginning of class and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as a school. I still remember every word. Another example I remember is the online reading program, Accelerated Reader (AR). I was introduced to this program when I was the librarian at an elementary school years ago. The program is set up for students to read a book on their “level.” The student’s reading level is initially assessed then the program generates a list of books that students are to read. The testing effect piece is after the student completes their chosen book, go to the computer, sign into AR, then take the quiz. The quiz covers comprehension and vocabulary. Many librarians are not fans of leveled reading and testing. The consensus is that it restricts the free choice and intellectual freedom we invite students to explore. However, I do see this reading program and others like it (Scholastic Reading Counts) serve as an efficient way for students and teachers to measure information that sticks.

Suggestions for Student Implementation

Students make greater neural gains when varying what they are studying, i.e., vocabulary, reading, oral practice (Carey, 2010). According to Carey in “Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits, many musicians and athletes practice different skill sets in one setting as supposed to repeating the same drills in massed practice. Mixed practice is the key to figure out which approach is the best to solve the problem at hand.

Suggestions for Instructor Implementation

The most challenging piece of the three learning stages is often, the transfer of learning. Acquisition, meaning making are often taught to students with relative success, however how do we measure transfer of learning? Because transfer of learning takes time to guide to students to achieve. It often gets pushed to the side from other more pressing stressors such as standardized testing. The article, Making Learning Stick: Teaching for Transfer Ensures Students Can Apply What They’ve Learned, by Maria C. Guilott et al., presents several rubrics that guide teachers to design their units with the goal of transfer in mind. Teachers should ask the question, what does transfer of learning look like? How do I know that transfer of learning was not achieved? The answer to this question will allow teachers to make the appropriate adjustments. Of note is the “Learning Walk” strategy. Teachers are assigned to visit each other’s classroom to evaluate the transfer of learning in the students. A rubric is available for reference in the article. The “Learning Walk” rubric is divided into three sections: Absolutes for Learning Walks, Questions for Students, and Questions for the People on the Walk. These categories enable the teaching peers to strengthen their practice. The strategy also allows the students to monitor their learning and detect any misunderstanding of the content (Guilott et al., 2020).

References

Accelerated Reader - Overview. Renaissance. https://www.renaissance.com/products/accelerated-reader/.

Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick: the science of successful learning. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Carey, B. (2010). Forget what you know about good study habits. New York Times, 159(55156), 1.

Guilott, M. C., Wigby, K., Owen, L. A., & Parker, G. (2020). Making learning stick: Teaching for transfer ensures students can apply what they’ve learned. Learning Professional, 41(2), 23–27.

HMH Reading Counts - Book Expert Online. https://readingcountsbookexpert.tgds.hmhco.com/bookexpert/default.asp?UID=50254B55A41E4BCC9AF2FEEC8CA7EA9E&subt=0&Test=NA.

Whitman, G. (2017). Retrieve, recall, reflect and refine: How to make learning last. https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/retrieve-recall-reflect-and-refine-how-make-learning-last.