Spaced repetition is a memory technique. It is well understood that spreading your study sessions is more efficient than cramming, and by using an app, you can customize your very own spaced repetition schedule, helping you to effectively build lasting memories for any content you desire.
Michael Nielsen shares a great discussion about his experience with spaced repetition on Twitter:
He discusses how he selects what to incorporate into his review system, what the appropriate volume of information is for each item, and what memory alone lacks (understanding of the process that involves the memorized items). Nielsen is quite passionate about its advantages:
The most significant change is that memory is no longer a random occurrence, left to chance. Instead, I can assure myself that I will remember something, with minimal effort: it turns memory into a choice.
There are numerous apps/programs that can assist you in managing a spaced repetition system, but Nielsen chose Anki (ankiweb.net), which is open source and features both desktop and mobile applications (that synchronize with each other, which is handy if you want to input information while at a computer and then review it on your mobile while waiting in line for coffee or any other situation).
Checking out Anki, it looks quite appealing, and I’ve come to realize I can use it to tackle a cognitive bias we all experience: the inclination to overlook facts that contradict our beliefs.
Charles Darwin remarks on this in his autobiography:
“I had, also, during many years, adhered to a golden rule, namely, that whenever a published fact, a new observation, or idea came my way, which contradicted my general conclusions, to make a note of it without delay; for I had found through experience that such facts and ideas were far more likely to slip from my memory than favorable ones. Due to this practice, very few objections were raised against my views that I had not at least acknowledged and attempted to address.”
(Darwin, 1856/1958, p123).
I possess notebooks, and I share Darwin’s tendency to forget “unfavorable” facts, yet I wonder if my reasoning might improve not just by noting these facts but by being able to retain them in memory – employing a spaced repetition system. I’m going to try it out.
Links & Footnotes:
Anki app (ankiweb.net)
Wikipedia on spaced repetition systems
The Autobiography of Charles Darwin, 1809–1882, edited by Nora Barlow. London: Collins
For further insight into the science, refer to this recent review for educators: Weinstein, Y., Madan, C. R., & Sumeracki, M. A. (2018). Teaching the science of learning. Cognitive research: principles and implications, 3(1), 2.
I note that Anki-based spaced repetition also provides a complementary opportunity for retrieval practice and interleaving (other effective learning strategies).