Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

Davian Hart – 1009024

PSYC*2650 – Cognitive Psychology

Word Count: 720

Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

Unfortunately, we as humans do not have very accurate intuitions regarding optimal

methods of learning. We tend to have proclivities for activities which may induce a false feeling

of increased learning, such as cramming before an exam. Many optimal learning methods are

counterintuitive, such as interleaving study materials, or even, in the case of testing, points of

contention. Studies conducted by cognitive psychologists clarify which methods are the most

effective, and their findings can indubitably be applied to strengthen the efficacy of

schoolchildren’s studies. Following are three methods of learning that have been corroborated as

effective which should immediately be applied to modern education curricula.

While often critiqued as the simple regurgitation of learned materials, intermittent testing

has been proven to significantly improve retrieval and understanding of information. Roediger

and Karpicke conducted a study which observed the effects of testing, thereby inducing retrieval

of, learned information. It was found that subjects who were tested retrieved information a week

after learning significantly more often than those who either again studied but were not tested, or

did neither, by a factor of nearly 250% (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008). Further, these testing

effects can improve learning abilities as early as preschool, with children who were tested for

retrieval of learned words performing better than those who restudied the words (Karpicke, Blunt

& Smith, 2016). Another preschool study found that, although preschool children tend to possess

a lesser capacity for memorization than older children, retrieval practice was still more effective

for encouraging learning than reward-based learning (Fritz, Morris, Nolan & Singleton, 2007).

Perhaps most important is the discovery that retrieval testing improves transfer of learned

information to similar domains of knowledge (Butler, 2010).

Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

Another discovery gleaned from cognitive psychology is the positive effect of spacing

learning periods to improve recall and prevent forgetting. While Ebbinghaus, a prominent

cognitive psychologist, first discovered the positive effects of spacing information in 1885, his

findings have failed to be employed in the modern classroom over 130 years later (Dempster,

1988). Spacing learning of new information boasts massive educational advantages; a single

hour of spaced learning can be as effective in learning Biology material as 23 hours of typical

instruction for later test scores, according to one study (Kelley & Whatson, 2013). In addition,

spacing has a broad range of applications, from retention of learned words from a foreign

language as long as five years later (Bahrick, Bahrick, Bahrick & Bahrick, 1993), to even

improving a child’s ability to make complex generalizations regarding new knowledge versus

typical learning styles, such as massing or clumping information (Vlach & Sandhofer, 2012).

Despite these revolutionary findings, the modern education curriculum fails to implement these

changes, leaving many students frustrated with their hindered learning (Dunlosky, Rawson,

Marsh, Nathan & Willingham, 2013).

Finally, the technique of interleaving learning materials, which is to frequently switch

between different subdomains of a topic (chords, arpeggios and scales on piano, for example)

rather than ‘blocking’ these subdomains together, increases learning efficacy. According to

Rohrer, interleaving concepts rather than blocking them together can increase a student’s ability

to differentiate between them (Rohrer, 2012). Rohrer was also involved in a study which tested

the effect of interleaved instruction of eight-grade math problems. Results indicated that

interleave-instructed students performed moderately better than block-instructed students when

tested one day after instruction – 16% better - although they performed significantly better when

tested after 30 days from initial instruction, with scores an average of 32% higher (Rohrer,
Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

Dedrick & Stershic, 2015). While interleaving has proven abilities for learning how to solve

math problems, it has also proven effective for learning motor skills, such as improving serves in

badminton. Goode and Magill conducted an earlier study of interleaving for learning badminton

serves in 1986, and concluded that those who practiced the three types of serves in an interleaved

fashion exhibited higher retention of skills and transfer of skills (Goode & Magill, 1986).

While interleaving, spacing and retrieval testing are efficient methods for any type of

learning, their corroborated efficacy for improving classroom learning is a subject that deserves

greater recognition. Considering the drastic differences in knowledge acquisition and retention

between conventional education and the findings of these studies, it is fundamentally unethical

that such findings are not immediately applied to modern curriculum. While inefficient methods

of instruction in schools are a massive cause of stress for students of all ages, there are learning

methods which induce less stress, and produce greater learning, yet there are not being exercised.

In institutions which make no effort to rectify this injustice, such negligence undoubtedly

constitutes failure of school boards, educators, and an overall deficit of academic integrity.
Applications of Cognitive Psychology to Education Curricula

References

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