Search
Close this search box.

Games as Study Aids

Credit: iStock.com/insta_photos
Credit: iStock.com/insta_photos
Studies show that many students do a poor job of studying (Miller, 2017). Quite a few just scan the readings again or cram the night before a test in hopes that the information will last until the next day. But neither strategy is especially effective. The best strategy for preparing for a test is to use spaced retrieval practice which involves answering questions about the course content at intervals. This forces the student to draw the information out of their long-term memory. Not only does this reinforce the information—essentially hardening it to make it easier to produce in the future—but it also mimics the exam experience where the student needs it. Retrieval practice is analogous to a batter practicing by hitting balls in a batting cage, while rereading is a bit analogous to watching another batter practice.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

One Response

  1. I have been using Kahoot for some time and students like it. New features include a kahoot challenge, designed more for individual play – that can be untimed. I hear there is a new feature to be available this fall as well.

    I also use Socrative (paired with the Socrative student app) for in class mini quizzes of five questions. Students fell as though they are getting “inside my head”

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
Students often underestimate how much study time is required to master course concepts for an exam (Chew, 2014)....
Education once came through the total immersion technique. The apprentice worked with a master within the profession to...
Whether you teach synchronously online or create asynchronous video content for your students, producing professional-looking material has always...
I didn’t always offer full-throated endorsements of audiobooks in my literature courses. Maybe that’s because I’m not really...
If we’re to believe the conversations around higher education’s proverbial water cooler, our students are coming to us...
It’s always disheartening to peek at a student’s notes after class and discover how far they are from...

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.