> Because people forget much of what they learn, students could benefit from learning strategies that provide long-lasting knowledge. Yet surprisingly little is known about how long-term retention is most efficiently achieved.
I've always thought that the real problem is information relevancy. People need practical uses for remembering something beyond synthetic bullshit exams. Efficient techniques are great, but nothing demotivates more than not having a reason to learn beyond being told that you have to.
Nobody has to reach for flashcards, extensive notes, or advanced techniques when trying to learn something they're actually interested in, it's retained almost immediately and effortlessly. There has to be some kind of subconscious gauge of information relevancy that physically controls the level of absorption, a sort of "learning rate" if you will.
I agree motivation to learn and maintaining interest is key, to effect the learning rate you mention. The enjoyment itself, although a crucifying word to use in discussions when teaching students considered the "best of the best", still matters and predominates over the effectiveness factor for most of the semester for students, at least. Because of just being "told to learn" it.
Basically 70% of the semester most students are not studying 40 hours - they are doing 30 hours of real work, and perhaps only 15 hours effectively. And for good reason: Nothing is bridging or rewarding them in a way that interests/motivates them, for courses where the interest isn't natural.
A bridge to motivate them would be ideal. In 2021 I started using GPT-3 to generate motivational "reasons to learn a concept" cards for my flashcard app, - Revision.ai - which you can read about here in the 3rd item: https://www.revision.ai/articles/20ThingsRevisionAIDoesForBe... - the reason we disabled them was simple: we could never quite time the cards right to help the student when they needed it. When the app is closed, they aren't motivated - they don't see them. Mid study session? Showing such cards (or AI generated examples) interrupted the flow [https://www.instagram.com/p/CVVlIuVg31W/]
We have also tried recommending relevant short/mid length youtube videos for visual/"breaks" from overwhelming learning. That did not boost student success either. I guess it doesn't address that you are still being told to do it, not naturally flowing into learning.
I welcome any technical or conceptual ideas you have to improve this and help increase interest amongst students. We have found that turning lecture slideshows into sets of exercises with clear visuals[https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ByftwiJ00/], breaking content up, and showing progress does motivate students to study more(and in a semi-related dissertation I wrote, possibly reduce Test Anxiety and tension). Please let me know of any ideas you have!
I disagree. Motivation will keep you reading the material, but that alone will not make you remember it that much better.
When you're motivated about something you can practice, you may remember more by doing it (which also acts a spaced repetition). But good luck trying that with, say, astrophysics or macroeconomics.
When motivated, you're also more likely to pick up other books on the subject, which is another form of spaced repetition.
I've always thought that the real problem is information relevancy. People need practical uses for remembering something beyond synthetic bullshit exams. Efficient techniques are great, but nothing demotivates more than not having a reason to learn beyond being told that you have to.
Nobody has to reach for flashcards, extensive notes, or advanced techniques when trying to learn something they're actually interested in, it's retained almost immediately and effortlessly. There has to be some kind of subconscious gauge of information relevancy that physically controls the level of absorption, a sort of "learning rate" if you will.