Abstract:

Retrieval practice is an enhancing-learning strategy consisting in bringing information to mind instead of inserting it (Agarwal, Bain & Chamberlain, 2012). For the purpose of evaluating its effectivity in the classroom, we carried out one experiment (Yin, 2014) for long term learning through testing effect in a higher education setting with 109 undergraduate students from a private business school in Valencia, Spain. Subjects intervened were Consumer Behaviour and Critical Thinking in the Communications and Marketing programme, Contemporary Social Structure and Anthropology in the International Business programme, and Creative Mindset in the Business Administration programme. All subjects are taught in Spanish except for Creative Mindset, which is imparted in English. The experiment was carried out during a one term – four months – period. Students took 10 weekly low-stakes and no-stakes tests intended to help them put their knowledge on the subject on paper and on an online survey and questionnaire platform, ending with a final exam for each subject at the end of the semester. We expect results to evidence that retrieval practice brings short-term benefits in student performance to a moderate extent and can sustain learning in the long term. Future research should inquire into the effectiveness of retrieval practice on procedural knowledge and the role of metacognitive instruction in the adoption of retrieval practice by children and lifelong learners.

Keywords:

Retrieval Practice, Experiment, Testing Effect, Business Education.