Distributed practice in classroom inquiry science learning
Abstract
This study is inspired by laboratory studies demonstrating that distributing study sessions over time better supports learning and retention than clustering sessions. We compare two implementations of a multi-day inquiry science unit: in the clustered instruction condition, students completed an inquiry unit in five consecutive class periods. In the distributed instruction condition, students completed one activity per week for five weeks. Both conditions resulted in significant and similar gains in understanding and retention overall. Students’ self-directed revisits to previously studied materials differed by condition, with students in the clustered condition tending to visit materials studied on previous days. These distal revisits explained variance in delayed post-test scores as an interaction effect with condition. Students in the clustered condition who revisited distal materials tended to score higher on the delayed post-test, whereas those in the distributed condition who did so tended to score lower. Our findings illustrate the complexity of realising laboratory findings in classrooms under real-world conditions.
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In real-world classrooms, most teaching and learning tend to be condensed into distinct units that are covered intensely over a short number of days, rather than being covered in a single longer session as is done in massed practice conditions.
“However, in real-world classrooms, most teaching and learning tend to be condensed into distinct units that are covered intensely over a short number of days, rather than being covered in a single longer session as is done in massed practice conditions (Svihla et al., 2017).”
From The Distributed Practice Effect on Classroom Learning: A Meta-Analytic Review of Applied Research (2025) · cites this paper as Svihla et al., 2017
Cites
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013) · Psychological Science in the Public Interest · doi:10.1177/1529100612453266 · Cited by 3,138 · see citing works
Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x · Cited by 2,867 · see citing works
Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354 · Cited by 1,888 · cited 2× · see citing works
“While their performance on the chapter test may be similar, hundreds of studies (e.g., as reviewed in Cepeda et al., 2006; Delaney et al., 2010; Donovan & Radosevich, 1999; Janiszewski et al., 2003) would predict Daniela will do better on the final exam because she spaced her study over time.”
MethodA meta-analytic review of the distribution of practice effect: Now you see it, now you don’t
Donovan, J. J., & Radosevich, D. J. (1999) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-9010.84.5.795 · Cited by 696 · see citing works
Janiszewski, C., Noel, H., & Sawyer, A. G. (2003) · Journal of Consumer Research · doi:10.1086/374692 · Cited by 268 · see citing works
(2010) · Psychology of Learning and Motivation · doi:10.1016/s0079-7421(10)53003-2 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Using tests to enhance 8th grade students' retention of U.S. history facts
Carpenter, S. K., Pashler, H., & Cepeda, N. J. (2009) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.1507 · Cited by 254 · see citing works
Distributed and massed practice from laboratory to classroom
Seabrook, R., Brown, G. D. A., & Solity, J. E. (2005) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.1066 · Cited by 211 · see citing works
Spacing effects in real‐world classroom vocabulary learning
Sobel, H. S., Cepeda, N. J., & Kapler, I. V. (2011) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.1747 · Cited by 183 · see citing works
The spacing effect in children’s memory and category induction
Vlach, H. A., Sandhofer, C. M., & Kornell, N. (2008) · Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2008.07.013 · Cited by 165 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Advantages for distributed practice have been found in terms of category induction (Vlach et al., 2008), and abstraction and generalisation (West, 2011).”
BackgroundAppleton-Knapp, S. L., Bjork, R. A., & Wickens, T. D. (2005) · Journal of Consumer Research · doi:10.1086/432236 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Kapler, I. V., Weston, T., & Wiseheart, M. (2015) · Learning and Instruction · doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.11.001 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Spacing Simultaneously Promotes Multiple Forms of Learning in Children's Science Curriculum
Gluckman, M., Vlach, H. A., & Sandhofer, C. M. (2014) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.2997 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
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The Distributed Practice Effect on Classroom Learning: A Meta-Analytic Review of Applied Research
Mawson, R. D., & Kang, S. H. K. (2025) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs15060771 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“…preceding 10 years likely add valuable information relevant to the application of distributed practice to classroom learning (e.g., Barzagar Nazari & Ebersbach, 2019a; Barzagar Nazari & Ebersbach, 2019b; Foot-Seymour et al., 2019; Greving & Richter, 2021; Lyle et al., 2019; Svihla et al., 2017).”
Implementing distributed practice in statistics courses: Benefits for retention and transfer.
Ebersbach, M., & Barzagar Nazari, K. (2020) · Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition · doi:10.1037/h0101860 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
- Authors
- Svihla, V., Wester, M. J., & Linn, M. C.
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico (US)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Svihla, Vanessa
- Venue
- Learning: Research and Practice
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-09
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 180-202
- ISSN
- 2373-5082 (ISSN-L)
- 2373-5090
- OpenAlex
- W2751338166
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Learning Research and Practice (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation (#0822388)
- University of New Mexico
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Keywords
- distributed practice, inquiry-based science learning, science education, retention, delayed recall
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