Reviewing or retrieving: What activity best promotes long-term retention?

Authors

• Paul D. Lindgren, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

First Advisor

David Brooks

Date of this Version

12-20-2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Comments

A dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Major: Educational Studies (Instructional Technology), Under the Supervision of Professor David Brooks. Lincoln, Nebraska: December, 2012

Copyright (c) 2012 Paul D. Lindgren

Abstract

Research studies repeatedly emphasize the importance of vocabulary capabilities to a large variety of academic activities. This study compared a learning strategy that exclusively involved the visual review of vocabulary word-definition pairs to a strategy that, in addition, prompted participants to attempt free-recall retrieval of words to match specific definitions. This comparison attempted to identify which of the two strategies best produces longer-term attainment of vocabulary knowledge. A group of participants (N = 20) used a web-based system to take a pre-test over 21 relatively difficult SAT-review vocabulary words using a drag and drop graphical user interface. For each participant, the system then randomly assigned 7 of the words to a control treatment condition (no exposure), 7 of the words to a review treatment condition (visual display of the word-definition pairs), and 7 of the words to a retrieval treatment condition (visual display augmented with cycles of free-recall attempts) before guiding the participant through 4 timed treatment cycles. An immediate post-test over all 21 words was administered using the same graphical interface. Students returned at least 7 days later for a delayed final test. No significant difference was detected in that final assessment between the words receiving the retrieve treatment and the review treatment.

Advisor: David W. Brooks