Where it is used
Each entry identifies the volume, edition, chapter or appendix in which the work appears.
The evidence behind the series
Follow the research.
Explore every source.
Browse the scientific research and professional literature used across all seven volumes of The Science of Learning for Educators.
7book volumes
8author ranges
1searchable library
Search the collection
Find a paper, author or idea.
Choose an author range, search a title or concept, or narrow the collection by source type. Open any result to see where it appears in the books, read its evidence summary and follow available source links.
1 reference
-
- Vol 5 RE: Chapter 8
retrieval practicemetacognitive judgmentsperceived mental effortdesirable difficultystrategy selectionrestudy preferenceinstructional interventionJournal article Evidence summaryAt a glance
Fan and colleagues investigate why learners use retrieval practice less often for difficult material and whether brief instruction can change that choice. In Experiment 1, participants rated perceived mental effort and judgments of learning after studying items, then chose retrieval practice or restudy.
Key ideas
Difficult items elicited greater perceived effort, which was associated with lower judgments of learning and, sequentially, a reduced likelihood of choosing retrieval practice. In Experiment 2, an intervention explained that learners may prefer restudying difficult items even though retrieval benefits long-term retention for both easy and difficult material. Compared with a control group, instructed participants increased their odds of selecting retrieval practice for both item types. The study shows that strategy choice is shaped by metacognitive experience, not simply knowledge that retrieval is generally effective.
Why it matters
Instruction can correct an avoidance tendency, although the experiment did not directly establish that the changed choices improved later retention in that intervention. Teachers should explain desirable difficulty and scaffold successful retrieval rather than assuming students will select it independently.
A transparent research trail
More than a bibliography.
What it contributes
Evidence summaries explain the central idea and why the source matters to educators.
How to access it
Entries link to lawful full text where available, or to a publisher, library or purchase page.
Edition abbreviations
- TE
- Teacher Edition
- PE
- Practice Edition
- RE
- Research Edition
Citation checks
References are checked against publisher records, scholarly indexes, DOI or ISBN metadata, repositories and author records where available. An entry marked [Citation not verified] preserves the wording found in the relevant volume without attributing findings to an unconfirmed work.
From sources to a coherent pathway