Spaced repetition serves as a memory enhancement technique. It is established that distributing your study efforts is more productive than intensive cramming, and with the aid of an application, you can customize your own spaced repetition timetable, enabling you to effectively form solid memories for any subject matter you choose.
Michael Nielsen shares an interesting discussion regarding his application of spaced repetition on Twitter:
He discusses how he determines what to include in his review mechanism, the optimal amount of information for each entry, and what memory alone fails to provide (comprehension of the process that incorporates the memorized items). Nielsen is quite passionate about the advantages:
The most significant change is that memory is no longer a random occurrence left to luck. Instead, I can assure that I will recall something with minimal effort: it turns memory into a decision.
Numerous applications/programs exist to help you manage a spaced repetition system, yet Nielsen utilizes Anki (ankiweb.net), which is open-source and offers both desktop and mobile versions (that synchronize with one another, which is helpful if you wish to enter data on a computer, then review it on your phone while waiting in line for coffee or similar).
After exploring Anki, it appears quite appealing, and I’ve come to realize that it can assist me in overcoming a cognitive bias that affects us all: the inclination to forget facts that conflict with our beliefs.
Charles Darwin reflects on this in his autobiography:
“For many years, I adhered to a golden rule: whenever I encountered a published fact, a new observation, or thought that contradicted my overall findings, I would promptly make a note of it; for I had discovered through experience that such concepts and facts were far more likely to be forgotten than those that were favorable. Due to this practice, very few objections to my theories arose that I had not at least acknowledged and sought to address.”
(Darwin, 1856/1958, p123).
I possess notebooks, and like Darwin, I have a tendency to forget “unfavorable” facts, but I ponder if my understanding might improve by not just recording these facts but being able to retain them – by employing a spaced repetition system. I plan to give it a try.
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 additional insights on the science, refer to this recent review aimed at 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 dose of retrieval practice and interleaving (other effective learning strategies).