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Testing to learn

The NYT has highlighted a recent article in the journal Science that students who take "retrieval practice tests" have better recall of material than students who study with other methods. The study was small in scope and limited in its claims, so we shouldn't rush to test students at the end of each class period, but we might do well to think about how testing can fit in with active learning strategies and constructivist approaches. The NYT article frames a bit of a constructivist vs. testing approach, but Cathy Davidson (of Duke and HASTAC) does a nice job of explaining how testing might work well with progressive pedagogical techniques.