Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning

Author: Pashler, H., Bain, P., Bottge, B., Graesser, A., Koedinger, K., McDaniel, M., Metcalfe, J.
Publisher: National Center for Education Research
Publication Date: 2007, September
Full text available online at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/20072004.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

This report provides nine recommendations based on different levels of evidence of effectiveness in improving student learning. For each, there is a brief summary of evidence that supports the recommendation and a list of specific classroom activities to carry it out. The report acknowledges potential roadblocks from a teacher’s perspective and provides realistic solutions. The recommendations are as follows:

• Recommendations with a strong level of evidence
  
  • Ask deep explanatory questions.
    
  • Use quizzes to re-expose students to key content.
  
  
  
• Recommendations with a moderate level of evidence
  
  • Space learning over time.
    
  • Interleave (insert alternately and regularly between) example solutions with problem-solving exercises.
    
  • Combine graphics with verbal descriptions.
    
  • Connect and integrate abstract and concrete representations of concepts.
  
  
  
• Recommendations with a low level of evidence:
  
  • Use pre-questions to introduce a new topic.
    
  • Teach students how to use delayed judgments of learning to identify content that needs further study.
    
  • Use tests and quizzes to identify content that needs to be learned.