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The Learning Scientists Podcast

Episode 42 - Bite-Size Research on Attention and Retrieval Practice

Aug 8, 2019
Dive into the fascinating world of how attention shapes learning! Discover how divided attention impacts students during study sessions, revealing surprising results about memory retention. The discussion emphasizes the resilience of retrieval practice, showing it can strengthen learning, even in distracting environments. Learn why focused retrieval strategies are vital for effective studying, contrasting them with less effective multitasking habits. It's a compelling look at the science behind effective learning techniques!
14:05

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Divided attention adversely affects restudying effectiveness, with focused students recalling 75% of material compared to 65% under distraction.
  • Retrieval practice demonstrates resilience against distractions, allowing similar memory retention in divided attention conditions as in focused scenarios.

Deep dives

Impact of Attention on Retrieval Practice

Divided attention can significantly influence how students engage with study material during retrieval practice. Research shows that students perform better when they focus entirely on the material without distractions compared to when they are in a divided attention condition. For example, when students had full attention during restudy sessions, they remembered about 75% of the word pairs, while those distracted remembered only 65%. This indicates that distractions can hinder the effectiveness of restudying, where focused engagement is vital.

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