خلاصة:
This study investigated various testing conditions for their influence on long-term
retention of reading materials. To do so, 84 English as Foreign Language (EFL)
learners were randomly selected from a total of 746 and were randomly divided
into two equal groups to participate in two experiments. In each experiment, the
participants studied some texts and participated in some initial testing conditions
before taking a 10-day delayed final exam. The testing conditions of the first
experiment were 1) study + simultaneous open-book test, 2) study + open-book
test, 3) study + closed-book test + feedback, 4) study + closed-book test, 5) no
study no test, and 6) study with no test. The second phase was a replication of the
first 5 testing conditions of the first phase accompanied by 3 more conditions,
namely, 6) study + study, 7) study + study + study, 8) study + study + study +
study. Analysis of variance results showed that different test types, feedback on
test, and restudying could differently influence long-term retention. It was found
that feedback on test had the highest effect on retention. Similarly, taking a test
after study was more influential than restudying. Finally, open-book testing
worked better than closed-book testing.
ملخص الجهاز:
According to the well-established psychological phenomenon known as ‘the testing effect’, it is believed that retrieval processes being used when taking a test have powerful effects on learning in general and long-term retention in particular (Roediger & Butler, 2011).
In addition to CBT, OBT, the effect of feedback on the retention of studied material has also been highly reflected in the literature (Mendenhall, Beaver, & Beaver, 2002).
Similarly, the feedback given after initial tests is found to influence long-term retention (Jacob & Lefgren, 2004; Pashler, Cepeda, Wixted & Rohrer, 2005).
Agarwal, Karpicke, Kang, Roediger and McDermott (2007) found that both CBT and OBT produced a testing effect on long-term retention.
Although the study by Agarwal, Karpicke, Kang, Roediger and McDermott (2007) has come up with invaluable findings about the effects of different test types and feedback types on long-term retention, the field is still in need of more well-documented studies to better clarify the issue.
In response to this shortcoming, a two-phase experimental study was run to answer the following research question: RQ: Are there significant differences between CBT, OBT, Simultaneous OBT, CBT plus Feedback, Initial Study Period and Restudying regarding their effect on long-term retention?
3. Discussion of Phase 1 It was found that the ascending order of mean scores for the four testing conditions of CBT, simultaneous OBT, OBT and CBT plus feedback was the same on the initial and the final tests.
Generally speaking, it can be asserted that initial study period, closed- book test, closed-book test plus feedback, open-book test, and simultaneous open-book test could influence the long-term retention of materials, but to different degrees.