| As we approach finals, how can we help our students keep track of all the learning that occurred this semester? You might be familiar with the learning practice known as interleaving. Interleaving is a learning technique where mixing different topics is more beneficial than studying them separately (blocking). Research has proven its effectiveness in both controlled studies and real-world classrooms across various subjects. However, some educators expressed concern that it might be too difficult for students without initial focused study on individual topics. A recent study by Veronica Yan and Faria Sana found that interleaving was superior to blocking all the time (with the small exception when things were too hard or too easy – it didn’t matter if you blocked or interleaved). The findings suggest that even less skilled students facing challenging problems benefit more from interleaving than studying topics in isolation. |
