- Title: Pretesting Enhances Learning in the Classroom
- Authors: Soderstrom and Bjork
- Access the original paper here
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Paper summary
This research paper examines the learning benefits of pretesting, which is when students are tested on material before they have studied it. The authors wanted to determine if pretesting could enhance learning in a real classroom setting and if the effects would transfer to related information. They conducted a study in an undergraduate research methods course where students took short, competitive multiple-choice pretests before some lectures. They then analyzed the students’ performance on a final exam and also administered a questionnaire to gauge student perceptions of the pretests. The results of the study found that pretesting significantly improved student learning, both for the material tested and for related material that was not pretested. The authors suggest that the primary mechanism responsible for the pretesting effect is enhanced attentional processing during class and enhanced self-regulated study outside of class. They conclude that using short, low-stakes pretests in the classroom can be a valuable strategy for improving student learning.
What are the key implications for teachers in the classroom?
- Teachers can implement short, low-stakes pretests before lectures to enhance student learning. This is supported by the study discussed in the source, which found that students performed better on final exam questions that had been previously pretested compared to control questions. This effect was also seen for questions related to those on the pretest, suggesting that pretesting can have indirect benefits as well.
- Multiple-choice pretests can be effective for enhancing learning. The study used multiple-choice questions for the pretests, a format commonly used in classrooms.
- Providing immediate feedback after pretests may not be necessary for achieving learning benefits. This study did not provide students with the correct answers to the pretest questions immediately after they were taken. Instead, the answers were embedded within the following lecture.
- Pretesting may enhance learning through two main mechanisms: increased attentional processing during class and enhanced self-regulated study outside of class. The sources note that pretests might encourage students to pay closer attention to the relevant material when it is presented in class. Additionally, students might be motivated to study pretested topics more diligently outside of class, especially if they feel they did not perform well on the pretest. The study provides indirect evidence for both of these mechanisms, as students reported being aware of when pretested topics were being discussed in lectures and indicated using strategies outside of class influenced by the pretests.
- While the study suggests that pretesting can be a valuable tool for improving learning, it is important to note that classroom research is inherently less controlled than laboratory research. This means that there may be other factors, not accounted for in the study, that contributed to the observed effects. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the pretesting effect and to determine the best ways to implement pretesting in different educational contexts.
- Teachers should encourage self-testing and pretesting as study strategies for their students. Although most students in the study reported never having pretested themselves before, the findings suggest that pretesting can be a valuable tool for improving learning. Teachers can encourage their students to try this technique by providing practice quizzes or by suggesting that students create their own pretests based on the material they are studying.
Quote
Thus, not only was final exam performance better for information that had been previously pretested, but this benefit also extended to information that was related to such material.
