CAREER: Retrieval-Enhanced Learning of Foundational Conceptual Knowledge

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This research applies recent findings about the effectiveness of retrieval practice to science education to determine the impact on students' learning in introductory undergraduate biology. Retrieval practice is the practice of having students engage in active reconstruction of their knowledge and has been shown to have powerful effects on meaningful learning and long-term retention The project integrates the most robust and effective strategies characteristic of retrieval practices with science concepts in biology to test for meaningful learning and long-term retention of knowledge gains. The project assembles an interdisciplinary Research Advisory Board that includes cognitive scientists and science educators to help inform and guide the study. It involves approximately, 150-200 undergraduate introductory biology students in the study. The two aims include: -Identifying the best ways to scaffold retrieval practice and use active collaboration to produce meaningful STEM learning for students with different learning characteristics. -Establishing the effectiveness of scaffolded retrieval practice strategies in a large introductory biology course. The work connects areas of theory-driven empirically-grounded psychology with instructional design. Aim 1 focuses on multiple factors (e.g. cue generation, individual versus collaborative retrieval, learning styles, and verbal or visual formats), while Aim 2 focuses on whether retrieval practice is more effective if students engage in retrieval under different scenarios. Data collection includes short-answer tests, Pathfinder analysis, and surveys. Data analysis involves analysis of variance, factorial designs, and post-hoc t-tests to perform pairwise comparisons and estimates of effect sizes. The outcomes and impacts of this research establish effective retrieval practice strategies for enhancing conceptual learning of biology concepts, show individual differences based on reading comprehension, identify the role of learning styles in retrieval, and outline the feasibility and effectiveness of retrieval practices in increasing students' success as they progress to higher-level courses in science.