Secret of effective learning: Retrieving information in different ways

How to learn effectively? It is important to retrieve the material we learn from memory at certain intervals, but that is not all. For even better results, it is best to do it in different ways, scientists argue in a paper published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Human memory is complex and depends on many factors, which is why the results of individual scientific studies are not always easy to translate into practical tips for effective learning. Nevertheless, previous studies suggest that learning is most effective when we retrieve the material from memory instead of simply re-reading it, and when learning sessions are spread over time, and not, for example, accumulated during one evening before an exam [1,2]. 

Is it possible to learn even more effectively?

Ewa Butowska-Buczyńska from the Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw at SWPS University, Maciej Hanczakowski and Katarzyna Zawadzka from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, and Paulina Kliś, a USWPS graduate, decided to find out whether the process of memorising could be additionally supported. It turns out that it is possible. This requires so-called variable learning, which involves introducing variety into the way we memorise. This means learning about a given phenomenon from different perspectives, in different contexts and in many ways. In addition, the process of retrieval should also be varied, that is, take place in response to different, not identical, cues leading to the correct answer.

In the paper "The role of variable retrieval in effective learning" published in PNAS, the authors describe a series of experiments in which they asked the participants to learn foreign (Finnish) words. The words were embedded in sentences presented in participants' native language, e.g., "Dad is sweeping the lattia" (Finnish: floor). During the study, each foreign word was presented multiple times, either in the same sentence ("Dad is sweeping the lattia" x5) or in different sentences (e.g. "Dad is sweeping the lattia.", "A dog is lying on the lattia.", "A child is playing on the lattia". "There's a carpet on the lattia.", "A cat is sliding on the lattia."). Better memory performance for translations of foreign words was achieved when, during learning, participants were presented with different sentences rather than the same sentence over and over again. The benefits of this method of acquiring knowledge were observed both immediately after the study phase and after 24 hours.

Interestingly, the participants were convinced that it was easier for them to memorise foreign words when they learned them using always the same sentences, which was inconsistent with their actual test results. This is called a metacognitive illusion - a false belief in the effectiveness of certain learning conditions, which may ultimately lead to choosing less effective ways of learning.

Memory welcomes a challenge

The idea of learning different facets of information in each learning session is not new; it is considered crucial for long-term memory [3]. It can be compared to creating multiple paths to memorised information, which can then be used to retrieve the information from memory. The more such paths we create while learning, the greater the chance of effectively retrieving the information we are looking for, when, for example, during an exam we are asked a question that only fits one of the possible paths.

Such a diverse way of learning, where we are not limited to a single aspect of the to-be-learned information, is a challenge for our memory. It therefore requires more effort than learning in a constant and repetitive way, but this effort helps with acquiring knowledge. Therefore, we can say that some difficulty in the learning process is desirable. If we want our knowledge to be useful, i.e., accessible in different circumstances and in response to different cues or questions on a test, we should enrich our study sessions with the following difficulties: retrieving previously learned information (instead of reading it multiple times), spreading learning over a period of time (instead of accumulating it in a single learning session), and retrieving information from memory in different ways (and not in response to the same cue), explains the study co-author, Ewa Butowska-Buczyńska, PhD, from the Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw, USWPS.

The authors of the paper suggest that the results of their research can be used to develop guidelines for effective learning. They emphasise, however, that the research to date is limited to specific experimental conditions and further work is needed to promote this way of learning on a larger scale.

[1] J. Dunlosky, K. A. Rawson, E. J. Marsh, M. J. Nathan, D. T. Willingham, Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychol. Sci. Public Interest 1, 4–58 (2013)

[2] S. K. Carpenter, S. C. Pan, A. C. Butler, The science of effective learning with spacing and retrieval practice. Nat. Rev. Psychol. 1, 496–511 (2022)

[3] W. K. Estes, Towards a statistical theory of learning. Psychol. Rev. 57, 94–107 (1955)