The acquisition and retention of knowledge is impacted by a multitude of factors, one of which is the distribution of practice over time. Memory research has shown that separating practice repetitions by a delay (i.e. spacing) enhances retention. The spacing effect is one of the most widely replicated results in psychology (Cepeda, Vul, Wixted, & Rohrer, 2006), and its potential educational applications are substantial. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and distinguish between computational cognitive models of the spacing effect. By distinguishing between these models, we can advance our understanding of the architecture of human memory. Additionally, by distinguishing between these models we can inform education and training practices.
• • • • •
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 354–380.
Matthew Walsh 