by Babatunde Odofin

Learning represents a fundamental aspect of human cognitive processes characterized by the acquisition of new knowledge, skills or attitudes. However, the efficacy of learning is intricately intertwined with retention, which refers to the ability to store and retrieve information over time. Understanding the intricate relationship between learning and retention is paramount for young learners because it is an essential aspect of the academic journey and it can be quite challenging for college students. Learning can encompass either retaining the knowledge already acquired or expanding on it.

Let us consider the story of some students who were given a twenty-page book to read in one hour without being informed of a quiz afterward. After an hour, they were presented with a booklet containing questions to answer. To their surprise, only fifty percent of the students performed slightly above average. On the second day, the same book was given to these students to read for just twenty minutes and this time, the pass rate increased to about eighty percent. The same exercise was repeated the third time, this time for ten minutes and the pass rate increased to about a hundred percent.

The phenomenon behind this increase in the pass rate is spaced repetition in learning or the temporal theory of learning. The students had read, seen and engaged with the same material almost every time in a spaced period. Spaced repetition is a learning technique rooted in cognitive psychology and memory research that leverages the principles of optimal timing for reviewing information to enhance long-term retention. This method is based on the idea that distributing learning sessions over time, with increasing intervals between repetitions, is more effective than massed or crammed study sessions. It involves reviewing information at specific intervals that are strategically spaced to maximize memory retention. Initially, the intervals between repetitions are shorter and as the learner demonstrates mastery, the intervals gradually increase. This approach ensures that the information is revisited just before the learner is likely to forget it, reinforcing the memory.

As we continue to expose our brain cells to the same information, the connections between these cells are strengthened and the neural pathways become more efficient. By utilizing the spacing effect, spaced repetition facilitates a more effective learning process, reducing the total study time required while significantly enhancing the retention of information. This will be an invaluable tool for anyone who wishes to improve their study techniques and enhance their ability to retain information over extended periods.