High Utility

Last week I wrote about a study published in a recent issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest which included research on ten different study techniques.  Cramming, according to the study, was a “Low Utility” strategy and I asked you to share ideas about possible “High Utility” strategies.  Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond.  Your emails verified that Southeatern teachers are spot on in their thinking and practice when it comes to helping students develop good study skills.

The Research

Two of the methods that have “High Utility” according the researchers are Practice Testing and Distributed Practice.  These study methods are exactly what they sound like.  Practice testing includes formative tests that students create and take, and distributed practice is a schedule of practice on individual skills or concepts spread out over time, as opposed to being grouped in a short period of time—cramming.

Interestingly but not surprisingly, the authors also indicate that most students aren’t going to do this on their own.  Sure, there are few who will take and review thorough notes, create their own questions or flash cards, and distribute practice over time, but most students are just like you and me when we were in high school, or now for that matter.  We tend to procrastinate until we are near a deadline, and then cram to get it done.  The authors of this study call this “procrastination scallop,” the tendency of students to increase study time just before the exam.

If we are honest with ourselves, traditional educational practice often contributes to the cramming phenomena.  We send overt and covert messages about the importance of cramming before exams. We hand out study guides immediately before final exams and unit tests and may tell students to spend the night(s) before exams filling them out and studying them.  We set up schedules for final exams so students don’t have to focus the night before for all topics but can gorge themselves on a few topics at a time.  In fact, we may find ourselves complaining if students don’t cram for the exams.  We do this knowing that last minute studying prepares them only for the test and not for long term application. 

“Better that than nothing” might be our logical rationale.

We can bemoan the fact that students don’t or won’t initiate distributed practice and practice tests; however, there might be another option.  From the research:

It is obvious that many students are not using effective learning techniques but could use more-effective techniques without much effort, so teachers should be encouraged to more consistently (and explicitly) train students to use learning techniques as they are engaged in pursuing various instructional and learning goals.

In other words, since most students most often don’t create practice tests or initiate distributed practice on their own, we should teach them how to do so.  As your recent emails attest, this is not a major change for many of you.  Below is the list you generated of the most successful study techniques used in our school.  These instructional strategies are being used in daily lessons and are teaching students to use distributed practice and practice tests, the two “High Utility” study techniques.

Your Contribution to the Discussion

In no particular order and sometimes combined from two or three of your responses, these are HSE High Utility study techniques recommended in this past week’s emails:

• Build review of notes into weekly lesson plans: This can be done individually, in pairs, in groups, or as a whole class.  From a teacher, “I set aside short weekly review time as part of weekly lessons.  It doesn’t have to take long.”
• Include previous unit material on tests and quizzes throughout the semester and even year. 
• Give frequent formative assessments.  These are short no-risk assessments of new and previous learning.  These may or may not look like traditional tests.  One teacher I know calls this collecting “drive-through data.”  (You don’t go in and sit down to eat.  Just pick it up on the run.)
• Make sure homework is meaningful.  It should be short and tie everything together.  This way it becomes a great study tool.
• “Have students hear it, see it, and write it.”  This can be done in the initial presentation and over extended time to give students different ways of being exposed to the material.  It can also be done with a variety of groupings (individual, pairs, small groups, whole class).
• “Chunk” the material to break it up.  Then review the “chunks” when you review the “whole.”  From the teacher, “Every time you add to the ‘chunk’ you can review the old material.”
• Review important material often and use a variety of modalities.  This strengthens the connections and meets needs of lots of learners.  For example, have students create non-linguistic representations as a way to review material.
• Give practice tests: From several teachers--“I find sample test questions online, especially for AP tests.  Completing as many practice problems as possible prepares students for any type of question they might see.”  Another said, “I always find success when I ask students to do a ‘write your own quiz’ type activity.”
• Repetition:  In class, reread important parts of the text, review notes often, and return to key facts and concepts often.
• Apply information to different contexts and situations.  “When they can transfer the learning, they know it.”
• Create in-class study groups: “Three to a group seems to be ideal.”
• Review previous test questions later in the semester, especially ones the class struggled with on the unit exams.
• Emphasize important vocabulary whenever it is used.  “They have to know the vocabulary that is used on the final exams, and certain terms seem to come up often.”
• Start or end class with practice of previously learned skills.
• Give study guides early in the semester and use them often as part of daily lessons.

Thanks again to all of you who responded.  The reality is that cramming can help a student score slightly better on a final exam or unit test.  After a little time goes by, however, the increased performance from the cram session is lost.  If our goal is long term learning and understanding, we need to think about the messages we send to students about what “studying” really is and how best to prepare for summative assessments.  This list you generated is a great place to look for additions to your instructional toolbox.

It is February!  If we create practice tests and opportunities for distributed practice regularly, if we teach student how to use these “High Utility” study techniques, May could be a very different kind of month for you—and for your students.

Have a great (short) week, HSE.

Phil