Comparing Adaptive Retrieval Practice and Traditional Test Preparation: Effects on Students’ Long-term Vocabulary Retention

Abstract

The high number of tests in Dutch secondary education has raised interest in alternative assessment methods. This study investigates whether adaptive spaced retrieval practice (SRP) can serve as an alternative. SRP is an effective learning strategy that involves actively recalling information (retrieval) at different moments in time (spacing). In this quasi-experimental study, we compared learning outcomes between SRP and practice-as-usual (i.e., traditional test preparation), on a test shortly after learning (T1) and on an unannounced retention test (T2) after 2 and 5 weeks. Students in the SRP condition used MemoryLab, adaptive software that adjusts SRP to individual learners and provides feedback on when sufficient learning has occurred. Across two waves (n1 = 108; n2 = 108), third-year secondary students learned Dutch-German word pairs using either MemoryLab (SRP) or their usual study method (control). Results showed that the SRP condition scored significantly higher on T1 (both announced and unannounced) and significantly higher on T2 after the unannounced T1 than the control condition. These findings suggest that SRP can be a valuable alternative to traditional vocabulary tests. However, future research should examine whether adaptive SRP programs can make accurate retention predictions to implement adaptive SRP as an alternative to vocabulary tests.