Retrieval practice is not a test (so stop calling it that)

By Pooja K. Agarwal, Ph.D.

Have you heard of the "testing effect" or "test-enhanced learning?" I’d like to clarify: Retrieval practice is not a test; it's the opposite.

When you're talking about retrieval practice, stop using the word "test." But why? Read more below. (Fun fact: the word "testing" appears only once in my first book, Powerful Teaching.)

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Retrieval practice is not a test

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When I talk about retrieval practice, I am not talking about testing. The phrase “testing effect” is commonly used in the research literature (and increasingly in blogs and social media). However, retrieval practice in the classroom takes many forms that differ from the typical use of a test.

Retrieval practice includes low-stakes and no-stakes writing prompts, brief quizzes, flashcards, Kahoot, Quizlet, etc. Research demonstrates that frequent retrieval while students are initially learning information boosts their long-term memory, higher order thinking, and transfer of knowledge. Retrieval practice isn't the same thing as traditional exams or standardized testing. It's the opposite: Retrieval practice is a learning strategy, not an assessment strategy.

Here’s how I define retrieval practice: “an active attempt by a student to recall or recognize, and then reconstruct their memory of knowledge during initial learning” (Agarwal, Nunes, & Blunt, 2021).

Summative tests and exams engage students in recalling what they've learned. But the first time students retrieve should not be a midterm or a final exam. In other words, retrieval practice is literally the process of practicing retrieval (the active attempt) that shapes learning, not exams or tests. Consider thinking about it like baking a cake: a mix of retrieval practice, formative assessments, and summative assessments can be a powerful mix for students’ long term learning. Emphasize the importance of retrieval practice for learning before assessments take place.

The terms “testing,” “testing effect,” and “test-enhanced learning” create confusion between retrieval practice, summative assessments, and standardized testing. Retrieval practice is not a test, so stop calling it that.

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