What Everyone Gets WRONG About Spaced Repetition
Misunderstandings about Space Repetition
In this video, Dr. Justin discusses the misunderstandings surrounding space repetition and its limitations. He is joined by Stephanie and Marvin, who share their experiences with using Anki flashcards for studying.
Personal Experiences with Space Repetition
- Stephanie is a heavy user of Anki flashcards, but sometimes struggles to retain information despite repeated reviews.
- Marvin initially thought that flashcards were overhyped and did not use them much before trying Anki. However, he found that he spent more time setting up Anki than actually studying with it and ultimately went back to his regular study methods.
Limitations of Space Repetition
- While there are benefits to space repetition, it is important to understand its limitations and not expect miraculous results.
- The problem lies in people misunderstanding what space repetition is designed to do and the research behind it.
- Normalizing these limitations can lead us to accept suboptimal learning outcomes as "just how learning is."
Does It Really Work?
- Some people may argue that space repetition works for them despite its limitations. However, if you need to repeat something five or six times for it to stick, can you really say that it's working effectively?
The Effectiveness of Space Repetition
In this section, the speaker discusses the effectiveness of space repetition and how it relates to learning.
Space Repetition and Learning
- Some information can be held onto for a long time without repetition, such as hobbies or favorite books.
- The human brain is able to learn effectively but only with information that it's meant to hold on to. Irrelevant information will be forgotten.
- Early research on spacing showed a positive effect on retention and learning outcomes when using spaced retrieval. However, later research shows that space repetition may only be useful for holding onto isolated random facts and not for problem-solving or complex information.
Effectiveness of Space Repetition
- Flashcards and space repetition are common techniques used by top achievers but also by those who fail.
- Flashcards are not effective for higher levels of education where assessments require bringing multiple concepts together, evaluating their quality, and discussing them in detail.
Assessments in Higher Education
In this section, the speaker discusses how assessments change as students progress through higher education levels.
Assessments in Higher Education
- As students progress through higher education levels, assessments become more about bringing multiple facts and concepts together to create a web of understanding.
- Flashcards are not helpful for these types of assessments because they do not help with problem-solving or relating multiple concepts together.
Alternatives to Anki
In this section, the speaker talks about alternatives to Anki and how they can be effective.
Marvin's Experience with Alternatives
- Marvin shares his experience with using alternatives to Anki.
- He felt disarmed when he stopped using Anki and switched to a different system.
- He now uses a chunk map instead of Anki and finds it more effective.
- The new system feels like magic because the information sticks better.
Outdated Research on Studying
In this section, the speaker discusses how research on studying is outdated and not producing consistent results.
Limitations of Space Retrieval
- More recent research shows that space retrieval is not producing consistent results.
- A minority of students using this technique are actually getting good results.
- There is usually a 10 to 20 year delay between practitioners realizing something's up before research can pick up on it.
Transitioning from Anki
- The smoothest transition into a more effective way of space repetition depends on how entrenched you are in the Anki system.
- If your whole system is based on space retrieval, it will be difficult to extract yourself from it.
- A good first step would be to look at your existing deck of Anki cards or the next time you're about to make them, spend some time comparing ideas against each other.
Encoding Information for Long-Term Memory
In this section, the speaker explains how encoding information can help store it in long-term memory.
Sensory Information and Encoding Process
- When sensory information comes into our brain, we have the opportunity to change the way we think about that information.
- Activating a more efficient encoding process helps store information in long-term memory.
- Certain cognitive shortcuts and pathways can be forcibly activated to achieve this.
Rote Learning vs. Alternative Methods
In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of being aware of cognitive pathways and making decisions about what information can be learned through alternative methods rather than relying solely on rote learning.
Rote Learning Through Repetition
- Rote learning is necessary for some types of information.
- The suitability of rote learning depends on one's ability to do the encoding process effectively.
- Most people are not able to encode effectively because they were never taught how to do it properly.
Detecting Effective Encoding Methods
- If we can detect what types of information we are able to encode more effectively through alternative methods, we can make rote learning through flashcards a last resort.
- This opens up possibilities for other methods of encoding and consolidating information.
- For beginners, finding ways to think about the information that makes it seem obvious or relating it to prior knowledge can be effective alternatives.
Developing Advanced Organizational Structures
- As proficiency in alternative methods increases, less reliance on rote learning will be necessary.
- More complex and advanced organizational structures can be formed through chunking and compressing information, forcing relevance, and encoding it as we practice it.
- Taking small steps towards developing these skills is important in achieving success over time.
English Interleaving and Spacing
In this section, the speaker discusses the concept of interleaving and how it differs from massed practice. The speaker also talks about breaking up a single session with multiple different angles of hitting the same topic, which is known as interleaving. Additionally, the speaker explains how spacing intervals work and their importance in fine-tuning settings for space retrieval.
Interleaving vs Massed Practice
- Massed practice involves practicing something all in one block.
- Interleaving involves breaking up a single session by spreading it with other things in between.
- Interleaving can be practiced by approaching a topic from multiple different angles.
Different Approaches to Interleaving
- A classic example of massed practice is throwing a basketball from the same spot repeatedly.
- An example of interleaving would be to throw a basketball five times from one spot, then move one step to the left and repeat.
- There are many ways to approach interleaving, such as creating questions for answering questions or practicing with someone actively trying to block you.
Importance of Spacing Intervals
- Expanding gaps based retrieval is a concept that involves increasing the gap between each interval when practicing space retrieval.
- Doing the same method every time while doing space retrieval is not effective because it leads to saturation.
- Fine-tuning settings for space retrieval intervals can lead to more effective learning per time spent studying.
The Importance of Encoding and Spaced Repetition
In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of encoding information properly in order to retain it better. They also explain how spaced repetition works and why it is important for effective learning.
Encoding and Forgetting Curve
- Proper encoding is crucial for retaining information.
- The forgetting curve shows that we forget information quickly at first, but retention improves with repetition.
- The amount of time between repetitions should increase as retention improves.
Spaced Repetition and Retrieval Gaps
- Spaced repetition involves repeating information at increasing intervals to improve retention.
- Retrieval gaps should be expanded as retention improves.
- Longer retrieval gaps allow for more realistic testing of knowledge and identification of weaknesses.
Good vs. Poor Encoding
- Good encoding allows for longer retrieval gaps without significant loss of knowledge.
- Poor encoding requires shorter retrieval gaps to prevent significant loss of knowledge.
Fixed Intervals vs. Expanding Gaps
- Fixed intervals between retrieval sessions are not time-efficient because they do not account for new information learned.
- Expanding gaps between retrieval sessions allow for more efficient use of time by freeing up time to focus on better encoding.
Conclusion on Time Efficiency in Learning
In this section, the speaker concludes that proper encoding is crucial for effective learning and that expanding gaps between retrieval sessions are more time-efficient than fixed intervals.
Proper Encoding is Key
- Proper encoding allows for longer retrieval gaps without significant loss of knowledge.
- Investing time in proper encoding frees up time previously spent on frequent retrieval sessions.
Expanding Gaps are More Time-Efficient
- Fixed intervals between retrieval sessions are not time-efficient because they do not account for new information learned.
- Expanding gaps between retrieval sessions allow for more efficient use of time by freeing up time to focus on better encoding.
Consolidating and Encoding
In this section, the speaker discusses the problems with consolidating and encoding information for retrieval sessions.
Problems with Consolidation and Encoding
- The fundamental problem is that encoding may be done wrong or not good enough, resulting in forgetting more.
- More frequent spacing takes away time from fixing the fundamental issue of how information is encoded.
- Timing of spacing doesn't matter as much as how well information was encoded in the first place.
- Room for flexibility in timing is directly proportional to how well information was encoded.