Robert A. Bjork - Long-Term Memory

Spacing improves long-term retention

When learning new material or new skills, spacing the learning episodes over large periods of time will improve the long-term retention of the material or skills.  Cramming (or massed practice) will enable a student to perform well on an exam hours later, but unfortunately most of that information will be forgotten rapidly.  The more learning is sensibly spread apart the larger the long-term benefits.

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Personal background
Personal background
My interest in long-term memory
My interest in long-term memory
The NEW theory of Disuse
The NEW theory of Disuse
Dissociating learning from performance
Dissociating learning from performance
The theory of disuse and the role of forgetting in human memory
The theory of disuse and the role of forgetting in human memory
Storage strength vs. retrieval strength
Storage strength vs. retrieval strength
An example of adaptive memory in real life
An example of adaptive memory in real life
Retrieval induced forgetting
Retrieval induced forgetting
Using memory shapes memory
Using memory shapes memory
How to improve learning
How to improve learning
Desirable difficulties - slowing down learning
Desirable difficulties - slowing down learning
Spacing improves long-term retention
Spacing improves long-term retention
The benefits of interleaving practice
The benefits of interleaving practice
Input less, output more
Input less, output more
The effect of context on memory
The effect of context on memory
What's up next
What's up next
The future of learning
The future of learning