Symposium applications of effective learning strategies in educational practice

A number of recent review studies (e.g., Dunlosky et al., 2013) indicate that learning strategies such as distributing practice over multiple sessions and actively retrieving studied information from memory have high utility for learning. However, both students and teachers are often not aware of this benefit (e.g., Morehead, Rhodes, & DeLozier, 2016). Also, many of the studies supporting the utility of these strategies were performed in the laboratory, often using artificial materials and in controlled environments. In the past decade, there has been an increase in research on applications of these learning strategies in real-life classroom situations. The four studies that will be presented in this symposium are all examples of applications of retrieval practice and distributed practice in educational practice. The aim of these studies was to both inform theory and provide guidelines for successful application of these strategies in various domains, among which are student support in using effective study strategies (presentation 1), effective summative and formative assessment using retrieval practice and distributed practice (presentation 2 & 3), and optimal distribution of revision sessions (presentation 4).