Education Shortform
Quizzes and Tests
In a nutshell…
It is becoming very popular to use quizzing apps such as Quizlet , Quizizz and Kahoot to support learning, and to set frequent low-stakes tests in class.
These can be beneficial for two reasons:
- They provide an opportunity for formative assessment by checking progress.
- They promote retrieval practice.
Retrieval practice is the less obvious benefit, and often overlooked by educators. According to the psychology research behind it, the process of retrieving things from memory helps them to stick, boosing retention over the long term.
In short, retrieval practice just means practicing recalling things from memory. If a teacher asks a question and a student replies without using notes, they are engaging in retrieval practice.
And practice makes perfect.
Quizzes and tests can therefore be used in almost any subject to support both knowledge and skills, and can be combined with distributed practice, providing consolidation after a delay.
Researchers recommend that such tasks are low-stakes, meaning that getting correct answers is not the focus. This a form of practice, after all.
It should be noted that retrieval practice could be achieved by any form of active recall from memory… so things like essay writing, peer teaching and discussion can have similar benefits to quizzes.
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This is one of a series of shortform education articles. You can download a simplified summary of my ‘A–Z of Educational concepts’ here.
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