Two cognitive scientists you need to know

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Two cognitive scientists you need to know

For our readers, Roediger and Karpicke are (or soon will be) household names – they are leaders in research on retrieval practice and they have published many of the highest cited articles on how humans learn and remember information. Learn more about who they are, the boom of interest in retrieval practice in the past 10 years (due, in large part, to them), and how to access their valuable research.

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Interleaving is a roll of the dice (and that's a good thing!)

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Interleaving is a roll of the dice (and that's a good thing!)

How can we use interleaving without planning? Last week, we wrote about interleaving (and fruit salad). The key to effective interleaving is to mix up similar topics, which encourages students to discriminate between similar ideas, concepts, and problems. This week, learn about quick and fun strategies for interleaving in the classroom that put students in charge – more learning for them, less planning for us.

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What do fruit salad and interleaving have in common?

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What do fruit salad and interleaving have in common?

Interleaving is a powerful strategy that boosts learning by mixing up content students need to learn. Based on a wealth of cognitive science research, the challenge and "desirable difficulty" of interleaving can double exam performance compared to teaching content in "blocks" of the same concepts. But what's the secret to effective and fruitful interleaving? Mix similar topics. Read more about why and stay tuned for next week, when we'll share quick how to's.

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Think-Pair-Share? Think again!

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Think-Pair-Share? Think again!

Whether you teach at an elementary school or a medical school, you've probably heard of the instructional strategy, think-pair-share. Don’t skip the “think” step! Read on for research-based tips on incorporating retrieval, spacing, and interleaving to make think-pair-share an even more powerful strategy in your classroom.

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Celebrate good times, come on! (It's our one year anniversary!)

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Celebrate good times, come on! (It's our one year anniversary!)

It's been a year since we launched RetrievalPractice.org! There's a party going on' right here – and we're celebrating you for transforming learning with cognitive science research, resources, and strategies in your classrooms and schools around the world. Here's a roundup of our biggest hits (and the best is yet to come)!

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