The number one study strategy among students is rereading the text. Studies have shown this study strategy is time-consuming and does not produce beneficial results for students. Also, many students use cramming as a way to study for tests and quizzes. Cramming, also know as massed practice, is when students try and squeeze a large amount of information in a short amount of time. Students turn to this study strategy because it feels more comfortable, and often, it helps them get through their exams. They do not realize that more than half of the information they cram for the exam is forgotten. Researchers conducted a study to test cramming as a study method, and the results of the experiment were that two days after cramming for the exam, students forgot 50% of what they studied. Additionally, those students who used retrieval practices to study had only forgotten 13% of what they had learned (Jacoby, 1978).
Research shows that retrieval practice is the most beneficial study strategy for students. Retrieval practice is a study strategy where bringing information to mind helps enhance and boost learning. Researchers suggest that instead of rereading the text, they should get into the habit of quizzing themselves often. This study strategy allows students to understand what they know and what they do now know. Additionally, this strategy will enable students to recall information easier for when they need it in the future, and it helps to strengthen what they already know (Brown et al., 2014).
An example of retrieval practice is the use of flashcards. Flashcards are a great study resource for students because they are easy to create and can be used in all subject areas. Students can make flashcards using note cards, or there are many great resources online. For flashcards, to benefits students, they must space out their practice. Spaced out practice is when students study the material on their cards more than once and space out time between study sessions. Spacing out practice is beneficial for students because it causes them to forget some of what they learn. This process requires them to use more effort to retrieve the information, which helps strengthen the material to memory. We will explore two flashcard websites, and I will discuss the features each online resource has for students and then make a recommendation based on which site I feel will benefit students.
For users to have access to all the website features, they have to create an account. Account set up is user friendly and requires an active email address. Once you sign up for the website, you can easily create a stack of flashcards by selecting the create stack button. Teachers can create a stack of flashcards they can share with students, and students can create their own to study. This website includes a frequently asked question section where users can find specific information about the website. Additionally, Study Stack provides users with a lengthy video on how to create their stack of cards and how to use the website if they cannot navigate it on their own. When users are setting up their cards, there is an option for them to allow other users to see and edit their cards or set it to private.
Users can create a name for each stack and give a description of the cards they make. Users can also select if they would like their cards to be question answer, terms, or definitions, and can customize their stack based on the class. Although users have the option of what format they want to use, they cannot add images to their cards. Not being able to add images can be a problem for those classes where an image is required to study. Finally, once flashcards are created, there is an audio feature for those individuals with disabilities to use when studying.
Study Stack has many features beyond basic flashcards such as games, libraries, and sharing. Users can take the flashcards they created and play games and use them to study in a quiz or test form. Some of the games are matching, crosswords, unscramble, type in the answer, chopped, and snowman (similar to hangman). The games are user-friendly and allow users to study the material in a new medium. The website includes various libraries of several subjects. These subjects include business, history, science, languages, math, and more. Users can select their topic of study and find flashcards made by other users. Finally, users can share their flashcards with others by selecting public or private. Viewers rated this site three stars out of five because it is highly engaging with students and has various subjects they can study. Many users liked that the site is easy to navigate and easy for teachers/students to type in. However, users had an issue with the games on the website because they can be inconsistent and sometimes do not work altogether.
Users interested in using Study Stack can be found online at studystack.com and through the Apple and Google Play stores. Users can use the product for free online and through the app. The website is funded through advertisements to keep it free for users. However, those users who wish to turn the advertisements off on the website can pay $10.00 for the year or $1.50 per month. There is also a teacher account pan that removed ads for the teacher and their students. This package is only $20.00 for the year and can be accessed through the website under the upgrade page.
For users to create flashcard sets, they have to create an account on the website. The account set up is user friendly and requires an active email address. Once you sign up for the website, you can easily create flashcards by selecting create a new study set. Users can create their own set of flashcards or use a set created by their teacher. Teachers can create flashcard sets for their students to access online. Students will need to be provided with the teacher's information to access the flashcard created for their class. This website provides a help center tab that gives the user account information, billing information, studying information, troubleshooting, and community safety. Quizlet is thorough in providing information to the users about creating, editing, and sharing card sets.
Additionally, the website provides statistics on study sessions and gives users scientific reasoning on how Quizlet works. They provide users the links to research they use to validate the importance of retrieval practices and how they enhance learning. Finally, users can allow their sets to be edited by people in the class they share by anyone who has their website or can set it to private where no one can edit it.
Users can create their flashcard sets by naming the set and providing a brief description. To create flashcards, users can manually input terms and definitions or upload from a document across Microsoft. Additionally, users can create quiz questions, upload diagrams/images, and customize their flashcards based on their classes. On the website, users can practice their cards normally or choose a few game mode options such as matching and gravity, which is an interactive game where the user sees the term and type in the answer. There is also a function that will read the cards created for students with disabilities.
Quizlet has several features that go beyond basic flashcards. You can collaborate with other teachers and students within the class and there are several subjects and class available to students that have been updated by other users. Some of the subjects included on the website are science, mathematics, language arts, psychology, economics, and social studies to name a few. Viewers of this site rate it four stars out of five because the site is easy to use, users can make, share and even find study material created by other users, has support for several languages, and has various study modes. However, some users felt the price of premium membership was expensive and many features only appear in the premium version.
Users interested in using Quizlet can be found online at quizlet.com and through the Apple and Google Play stores. Users can use the product for free online and through the app. However, the free version has advertisements, and it does not allow users to have full access to all the features Quizlet has to offer. If users wish to get rid of advertisements and have full access to all the features, they will have to subscribe and pay for the premium plus package. This package is $3.99 a month or $47.88 for the year. One advantage to teachers having access to premium features is that it allows the teacher to use the feature like class progress. This will allow them to monitor which students have started or even completed their study sessions. Additionally, they can turn their flashcard sets into a game for the entire class.
Study Stack and Quizlet are great websites that can enhance students' learning, but I would recommend Quizlet over Study Stack. Although they are both user-friendly and offer affordable premium features, Quizlet has more to offer its users who opt for the website and app's free use. Overall the look and feel of the Quizlet are more current and has better functionality than Study Stack. Users can search for flashcards by subject, topic, definition, class, and more. Additionally, Quizlet allows users to update their flashcards using Word, Excel, Google Docs, and more and Study Stack does not. Users of Study Stack have to type in all information, which can make creating your flashcards more difficult. Quizlet also allows users to upload diagrams and images when creating and gives the user an abundance of information on creating their flashcards. I enjoyed Quizlet because it gave scientific evidence to the user why flashcards are a beneficial retrieval practice.
To implement Quizlet into the classroom, I would create my own set(s) of flashcards the students can use to study and then have them create their own. Once students have finished creating their flashcards, I would have them practice what they created and show them using the website how well they have done. I would teach them how to check what cards they have answered correctly and those they will need to study more. It is important that students understand the importance of spacing our practice, so I would also help them create a study schedule.
1. Brown, Peter C. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Belknap Harvard, 2018.
2. Jacoby, L. L. (1978). On Interpreting The Effects of Repetition: Solving a Problem Versus Remembering a Solution. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 17(6), 649–667.