The use of classroom time is a critical aspect of effective teaching. The effectiveness of a teacher’s use of class time can greatly influence how well students perform on exams. Maximizing students’ test success is a prime priority for teachers, and one way to do this is by utilizing class time most. Research on the testing effect has repeatedly shown that testing oneself on material results in greater long-term retention than merely studying the material alone (Marzuki et al., 2021). This can help students consolidate their learning and enhance their recall on exam day. Therefore, the teacher should integrate testing into their review session to maximize the brief amount of class time available.
The teacher could use the hour of class time to apply various active retrieval techniques, considering their understanding of the testing effect. Pre-test reviews are the first step a teacher can take. The pupils will be tested based on what they have already learned. This pre-test will help the teacher identify areas of weakness and strength among the students. In order to learn effectively, it is crucial to activate previous knowledge, which the pre-test review does (Bruning et al., 2011). The educator can then concentrate on the areas where most students need to develop.
Another approach is to purposefully recollect information from memory during the review session by using retrieval practice. Quizzes, practice issues, and other tasks requiring students to remember knowledge from memory can help accomplish this. Retrieval training efficiently improves test success and long-term memory (Bruning et al., 2011). The instructor can employ this method to assist students in honing their memory retention skills in preparation for the upcoming test. The teacher might alternate between separate and collaborative activities, use a variety of question styles, such as multiple-choice questions, basic answers, and summative assessments, and incorporate multimedia resources, such as films or interactive simulations, to keep the class involved and dynamic. This will help maintain pupil interest and prevent boredom or fatigue throughout that one-hour lesson.
The teacher can make the most of that time by incorporating the spaced practice into the review session. Spreading out practice periods over time is known as spaced practice. This method has been demonstrated to increase knowledge retention over time. The teacher can employ this strategy by dividing the review session into smaller, more spaced-out sessions over a few days (Gawrisch et al., 2019). The teacher can conduct a review session for a few minutes each day for a couple of days before the exam.
In order to help students identify their areas of strength and weakness and to boost their confidence in their capacity to retrieve and recall the material, the instructor should also frequently provide feedback and reinforcement to them throughout the hour. This feedback could be verbal praise, written feedback on quizzes or exams, or one-on-one feedback sessions with students who may be struggling with specific concepts or skills.
The teacher must stress the value of continued practice and retrieval of the material beyond the class hour. The testing effect suggests that continued practice and retrieval of material over time is key to improving long-term retention and recall (Bruning et al., 2011). As a result, the teacher could encourage students to continue engaging with the material through homework assignments or other extracurricular activities.
In summary, the testing effect significantly affects how teachers can make the most of class time to raise students’ test scores. Teachers can aid students in improving their long-term retention and recollection of important concepts and skills by adding active retrieval techniques, including practice testing, various retrieval activities, frequent feedback, and a focus on continued practice.
References
Bruning, R. H., Schraw, G. J., & Norby, M. M. (2011). Cognitive psychology and instruction, (5th ed.).
Gawrisch, D. P., Richards, K. A., & Killian, C. M. (2019). Integrating Technology in physical education teacher education: A socialization perspective. Quest, 72(3), 260–277. Web.
Marzuki, Murniati, & Yusrizal. (2021). The role of academic supervision variables, school culture, and work motivation on Teacher Performance Senior High School. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research. Web.