The comparative impact of practice-testing and learning-by-teaching on transfer among fifth and sixth graders

Abstract

Generative learning strategies are widely accepted and implemented by practitioners. Their effects hold high values in the educational environment but their effects on elementary school children and transfer remain limited. Moreover, teachers and students often do not know what learning strategy to implement when the aim is transfer. This study investigated whether learning-by-teaching (LBT) or practice testing (PT) was more favorable for transfer during a homework activity. 17 participants from three elementary schools in the Netherlands studied a text about the human digestive system and got placed in either the LBT, PT or restudy condition to perform a homework activity over the weekend. After the weekend, participants engaged in a post-test consisting of transfer questions. Results indicated that there was no significant difference between the conditions. Yet, mean differences were observed. However, since this study lacks substantial statistical power, no reliable inferences can be drawn from this sample size, failing to generalize to the population. Future research should consider the following aspects when replicating this study: 1) yield more participants, 2) better monitor the level of retrieval success in practice testing, and 3) increase internal consistency of the post-test.