"Make It Stick: The Science of Effective Learning" | "Self-testing is key" | Mark McDaniel & "Roddy" Roediger III

The Nick Standlea Podcast

Students often rely on ineffective study methods such as rereading and highlighting. However, these methods do not lead to deep understanding and long-term retention of information.

One effective strategy is retrieval practice, which involves testing oneself on the material to actively engage with it and identify areas of weakness. Self-testing helps students recognize what they know and what they need to review. Another important technique is interleaving or mixing up different types of practice, which better simulates real-world situations and helps students recognize cues and apply strategies accordingly. These strategies are applicable not only to academics but also to sports and other domains.

The conversation explores the concept of desirable difficulties and the importance of struggle in learning. It discusses the benefits of interleaving and mixed practice over blocked practice, as well as the challenges of implementing these strategies in the classroom. The conversation also touches on the need for objective feedback and the role of long-term retention in effective learning.

The potential for transforming the education system is discussed, with examples of schools and teachers successfully implementing these techniques. The conversation covers various topics related to effective learning, including the importance of testing and retrieval practice, the impact of AI on the legal profession, the role of test anxiety, the myth of learning styles, and the need for evidence-based instructional techniques.

The guests also discuss the positive impact of using data to track progress and the importance of experimentation and objective feedback in improving learning outcomes.

Takeaways:
* Rereading and highlighting are ineffective study methods that lead to familiarity but not deep understanding.
* Retrieval practice, such as self-testing, helps students actively engage with the material and identify areas of weakness.
* Interleaving or mixing up different types of practice is more effective than massed practice for long-term learning and real-world application.
* These strategies are applicable not only to academics but also to sports and other domains. Desirable difficulties, such as interleaving and mixed practice, can lead to better long-term retention and understanding of material.
* Implementing these strategies in the classroom can be challenging, as it requires a shift in teaching and learning approaches.
* Objective feedback is crucial for students to recognize the effectiveness of these techniques.
* The education system needs to prioritize long-term retention and understanding over short-term memorization and grades.
* Examples of schools and teachers successfully implementing these techniques demonstrate their effectiveness and potential for transforming education. Testing and retrieval practice are essential for effective learning.
* Test anxiety can be reduced through frequent testing and familiarization with the testing format.
* Learning styles have no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness.
* Data-driven learning and objective feedback are crucial for tracking progress and improving learning outcomes.
* Experimentation and evidence-based practices are key to enhancing learning effectiveness.

Sound Bites:
"The typical student chooses to read material, highlight it, underline it, then reread it before the exam. And there's so many better ways they could be spending their time."
"Retrieval practice is just simply either the teacher gives you a test or you test yourself and you start practicing getting information out of memory."
"Retrieval practice produces better long-term memory, increases accuracy of knowing what you know and don't know, and increases efficiency of learning material you couldn't retrieve."
"If you want people to pass the bar exam, you want them testing themselves and you testing them."

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EPISODE LINKS:

Make It Stick, Peter C Brown, Mark A. McDaniel, Henry "Roddy" L. Roediger III: https://amzn.to/3XPBTbF

Stop Stealing Dreams, Seth Godin: https://seths.blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/stop-stealing-dreams6print.pdf

INSTAGRAM:
- Host Nick Standlea: @NickStandlea

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Ask questions.
Don’t accept the status quo.
Be curious.

0:00 – Introduction
0:22 – Meet the Authors of Make It Stick
1:02 – Are Students Studying as Effectively as They Can?
1:47 – The Problem with Highlighting and Rereading
2:32 – The Power of Retrieval Practice
4:00 – Self-Testing: Why It's Critical for Learning
6:01 – Real-Life Examples of Effective Learning
7:47 – The Importance of Struggling in Learning
9:05 – Why Familiarity Leads to the Illusion of Learning
10:49 – The Fluency Trap: Why Rereading Isn’t Enough
12:01 – Testing Potentiated Learning: Learning from Mistakes
14:28 – How to Study Smarter, Not Harder
16:00 – How These Strategies Work for Complex Topics
19:42 – The Role of Failure in Effective Learning
21:25 – Sports and Learning: The Link Between Practice and Mastery
23:05 – Lessons from Navy SEAL Training: Making Learning More Effective
25:40 – The Difference Between Block Practice and Interleaving
28:30 – Interleaving in Sports and School: Real-World Applications
31:00 – The Physics of Learning: Why Mixing It Up Matters
34:45 – How to Apply Effective Learning Strategies in School
37:10 – Overcoming the Struggle of Learning
39:50 – The Power of Objective Feedback in Learning
42:55 – Medical School and the Transformation of Learning
46:25 – Desirable Difficulties: Why Struggling Leads to Better Learning
49:00 – How Schools Can Revamp Their Approach to Learning
52:30 – The Shift from Memorization to Understanding in Education
54:10 – The Future of Learning and Educational Reform
57:30 – Cumulative Exams: Why They Help Learning Stick
1:01:20 – The Role of Practice in Long-Term Learning
1:05:20 – Misconceptions about Learning Styles
1:10:00 – The Power of Experimentation in Learning
1:14:30 – Redefining Testing: From Evaluation to Feedback
1:19:50 – Conclusion and Takeaways