How EffectiveTesting Enhances Learning

A recent study performed at Purdue University found that a group of 200 college students were better able to learn material for the long term if they were tested on it.  As the study was performed, it may make modern teaching paradigms seem silly.  It has certainly gotten the attention of many, including several publications.

The study had groups of students study a section of material in several different ways. Some re-read it, others drew concept maps and graphic organizers.  Others took “retrieval practice” tests.  After a week, each student was tested and the “testing” group knew more…a lot more.  50% more to be precise.

 “This type of test is not the type produced by testing companies” says National Education and Assessment Consultant Virginia Malone. “This is an immediate test over fairly small amounts of information.  Testing companies, NAEP, state tests and the like are focused on information on a wide variety of information.  I do think the short tests do indeed help students retain information.”

One of the more surprising results is how much more testing helped students learn material than did concept mapping.  Students that performed the concept maps reported a much higher confidence in their learning the material than did the testers.  This suggests that drawing concept maps creates an illusion of learning that is more imagined than real.  The opposite seemed true for the testers.

Dr. Rene Stofflett warns against reading too much into the study:

It is important to note the congruency between what is being measured and how it is being measured. It may at first seem shocking that concept mapping, which has been shown in decades of research to result in better conceptual learning, was outperformed by the recall methods. However, learning facts for recall is more in line with traditional testing than learning complex relationships, such as those developed in creating a concept map. In addition to looking at issues of information processing, researchers should also consider the nature of the instrument and its relationship to the nature of the knowledge being assessed.

If nothing else, the study creates a new avenue for debate in a debate-battered industry. One place that most will agree is on the value and power of well delivered formative assessment. Unfortunately, what is usually sold as “formative” is test prep.  The truth is most people do not know the difference between the two, even educators. Maybe the folks at Purdue have delivered enough incentive for the education world to get it straight.