Teacher Practical Guidance:
Studying: Spaced vs Cramming
Category: Strategy
Rank Order
33
Effect Size
0.60
Achievement Gain %
22
How-To Strategies
Spaced Practice (Dunlosky, et.al 2013)
To effectively incorporate spaced practice into teaching:
- Frequent Low-Stakes Quizzes: Regular assessments can help reinforce previously learned material and encourage ongoing engagement with the content.
- Scaffolded Assignments: Break down larger tasks into smaller components with intermediate deadlines, allowing students to revisit and build upon their knowledge gradually.
- Cumulative Reviews: Incorporate reviews of earlier material throughout the course to facilitate connections between concepts and enhance retention.
- Encourage Metacognitive Awareness: Educate students about the benefits of spaced practice compared to cramming to help them make informed study choices
Differences Between Spaced and Mass Practice
Spaced:
- Shorter sessions
- Better long term retention
- Allows time for processing
- Encourages retrieval; Example: study a little each day
Massed:
- Longer session in one-sitting
- Poor retention
- Higher cognitive load
- Superficial learning; Example: cramming before exam
References
Albulescu, P., et.al. (2022). Give me a break! A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS ONE 17, (8).
Dewar, M., et.al. (2012). Brief wakeful resting boosts new memories over the long-term. Psychological Science, 23, (9). 955-960.
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14, 4–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
Kim, S. K., & Webb, S. (2022). The effects of spaced practice on second language learning: A meta‐analysis. Language Learning, 72(1), 269-319. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12479
Rohrer, D., & Pashler, H. (2007). Increasing retention without increasing study time. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(4), 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00500.x
Shea, J. B., & Morgan, R. L. (1979). Contextual interference effects on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of a motor skill. Journal of Experimental psychology: Human Learning and memory, 5(2), 179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.5.2.179
Soderstrom, N. C., & Bjork, R. A. (2015). Learning versus performance: An integrative review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 176-199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615569000
Teo, W. Z. W., Dong, X., Yusoff, S. K. B. M., Das De, S., & Chong, A. K. S. (2021). Randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of mass and spaced learning in microsurgical procedures using computer aided assessment. Scientific reports, 11(1), 2810. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82419-6
Wahlheim, C. N., Dunlosky, J., & Jacoby, L. L. (2011). Spacing enhances the learning of natural concepts: An investigation of mechanisms, metacognition, and aging. Memory & cognition, 39, 750-763. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-010-0063-y
Studying: Spaced vs. Mass Cramming
DEFINTION
Spaced Studying (Distributed Practice): This method involves studying or practicing material over several shorter sessions that are spread out over time. For instance, a student might study for one hour every other day for two weeks. Research shows that spaced practice enhances long-term retention and understanding of material as it allows for cognitive processes such as encoding and retrieval to occur more effectively.
Massed Studying (Blocked Practice or Cramming): In contrast, massed practice consists of fewer, longer sessions where students engage with the same material intensively in a single sitting, often referred to as cramming. For example, a student might study for six hours straight the night before an exam. While this approach can lead to short-term gains in performance, it is generally less effective for long-term retention.
DATA
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5 meta-analysis reviews
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510 research studies
-
183,000 students in studies
5 meta-analysis reviews
510 research studies
183,000 students in studies
Hattie (2023) p. 348
QUOTES
“Massed practice or cramming, is a less effective way to acquire and retain information in the long term because our brains need time to move information from short-term (or working) memory to long-term memory, thereby allowing us to retain that information. When students have time to spread out their learning, they return to key concepts and terms and can shift that new information from working memory to long-term memory.” Rohrer et.al (2007)