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Cited by 112Innovations in Medical EducationMemory Processes and InfluencesVisual and Cognitive Learning Processes

Teaching in small portions dispersed over time enhances long-term knowledge retention

Raman, Maitreyi, Mclaughlin, Kevin, Violato, Claudio, Rostom, Alaa, Allard, JP, Coderre, Sylvain·2010·Medical Teacher
DOI 10.3109/01421590903197019
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: A primary goal of education is to promote long-term knowledge storage and retrieval. OBJECTIVE: A prospective interventional study design was used to investigate our research question: Does a dispersed curriculum promote better short- and long-term retention over a massed course? METHODS: Participants included 20 gastroenterology residents from the University of Calgary (N = 10) and University of Toronto (N = 10). Participants completed a baseline test of nutrition knowledge. The nutrition course was imparted to University of Calgary residents for 4 h occurring 1 h weekly over 4 consecutive weeks: dispersed delivery (DD). At the University of Toronto the course was taught in one 4h academic half-day: massed delivery (MD). Post-curriculum tests were administered at 1 week and 3 months to assess knowledge retention. RESULTS: The baseline scores were 46.39 +/- 6.14% and 53.75 +/- 10.69% in the DD and MD groups, respectively. The 1 week post-test scores for the DD and MD groups were 81.67 +/- 8.57%, p < 0.001 and 78.75 +/- 4.43, p < 0.001 which was significantly higher than baseline. The 3-month score was significantly higher in the DD group, but not in the MD group (65.28 +/- 9.88%, p = 0.02 vs. 58.93 +/- 12.06%, p = 0.18). The absolute pre-test to 1-week post-test difference was significantly higher at 35.28 +/- 7.65% among participants in the DD group compared to 25.0 +/- 11.80% in the MD group, p = 0.048. Similarly, the absolute pre-test to 3-month post-test difference was significantly higher at 18.9 +/- 6.7% among the participants in the DD group, compared to 6.8 +/- 11.8% in the MD group, p = 0.021. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term nutrition knowledge is improved with DD compared with MD.

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  • Spaced learning is more effective than massed learning for facts, concepts and lists, skill and motor learning, classroom education including science and vocabulary learning, and generalization of conceptual knowledge in children.

    “For example, spaced learning is more effective than massed learning for facts, concepts and lists2–4, skill learning and motor learning5,6, in classroom education (including science learning and vocabulary learning)7–9, and in generalization of conceptual knowledge in children10.”

    From The right time to learn: Mechanisms and optimization of spaced learning (2016) · cites this paper as [4]

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Authors
Raman, M., Mclaughlin, K., Violato, C., Rostom, A., Allard, J., & Coderre, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Calgary (CA)
  • University Health Network (CA)
Corresponding author
Raman, Maitreyi
ORCID
Venue
Medical Teacher
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2010-01
Volume
32
Issue
3
Pages
250-255
ISSN
  • 0142-159X (ISSN-L)
  • 1466-187X
DOI
10.3109/01421590903197019
OpenAlex
W2128355205
Cited by
112
References
29
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
FWCI
4.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Medical Teacher (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
Keywords
spaced learning, massed learning, long-term knowledge retention, nutrition education, gastroenterology residents, medical education, knowledge retention
MeSH terms
Alberta, Analysis of Variance, Cognition, Curriculum, Educational Measurement, Faculty, Medical, Gastroenterology, Humans, Learning, Ontario, Prospective Studies, Psychometrics, Schools, Medical, Teaching, Time Factors, Knowledge, Nutrition Therapy

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