Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-2-the-importance-of-spacing-learning

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment - Seneca Certified Assessor](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor.md) › The Importance of Spacing Learning

# The Importance of Spacing Learning

CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment (by Michael Chiles), topic 2.1.2

## The Importance of Spacing Learning

Typically, we check for pupils’ understanding during and/or at the end of a
lesson. But the information pupils have received at this point in the lesson
is likely to still be in their working memory.

### Bjork's theory of disuse

![Bjork's theory of disuse](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/d7a48672-5053-48a4-8796-ebcc16dfc3b8/exam-students.jpg)

- Bjork’s theory of disuse gives an explanation of the benefits of spacing
learning, indicating that the memories we encode have both a retrieval and storage strength. 
 - For example, pupils will often mention to me after an assessment that they revised for it and thought they knew the concepts and processes, but when it came to completing the assessment, they say their minds went blank.

### The disadvantage of cramming

![The disadvantage of cramming](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/32f6dd6b-e2b1-45c5-b845-336a731e7a12/shutterstock_119956342.jpg)

- This is because the process of cramming information in a short space
of time causes the information to be lost at a faster rate. This is because it has a high retrieval strength and low storage strength. 
 - Retrieval strength is how easily a memory can be recalled. 
 - Storage strength is how well a memory has been encoded into our mind.

### Contextual example

![Contextual example](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-04/b1f3eebd-63ef-43a3-be9d-12a0f382fe98/mobile-phone-.jpg)

- When something is well learnt – for example, your mobile number – it has a high retrieval and storage strength. You know it well and can easily recall it when required to do so. 
- In comparison, when buying a new house, the postcode of your new address may
have a high retrieval strength but a low storage strength.

### Improving strength of learning

![Improving strength of learning](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/6290908a-897a-4377-9bde-0ae39fe99b06/calendar.png)

- When teachers demonstrate to pupils _how_ to space their learning repeatedly over a set period of time rather than cramming, the strength of learning can be improved.

## Test yourself on The Importance of Spacing Learning

- What does it mean if a piece of information has a high retrieval strength but low storage strength?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/0ca96d36-7b23-451b-bac3-a78ec368872f/section/e708f719-c78a-4a12-a201-16418e1bd8f4/session)

- Previous topic: [2.1.1 Semantic & Episodic Memory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-1-semantic-and-episodic-memory.md)
- Next topic: [2.2.1 How Long and How Often to Review Material](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-2-1-how-long-and-how-often-to-review-material.md)

## CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment (by Michael Chiles) contents

### 1 ‘C’ - How Can Knowledge be Effectively Condensed?
- 1.1 'C' - Condense
  - [1.1.1 The Basics of Condensing Knowledge](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-1-1-the-basics-of-condensing-knowledge.md)
- 1.2 Strategies for Condensing
  - [1.2.1 Condensing the PowerPoint](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-1-condensing-the-powerpoint.md)
  - [1.2.2 The Four Cogs to Expert Explanations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-2-the-four-cogs-to-expert-explanations.md)
  - [1.2.3 Cornell Notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-3-cornell-notes.md)

### 2 'R' - How do we Generate Reflective Learners?
- 2.1 Research on Memory
  - [2.1.1 Semantic & Episodic Memory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-1-semantic-and-episodic-memory.md)
  - [2.1.2 The Importance of Spacing Learning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-2-the-importance-of-spacing-learning.md)
- 2.2 Timings for Reviewing Previously Learnt Material
  - [2.2.1 How Long and How Often to Review Material](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-2-1-how-long-and-how-often-to-review-material.md)
- 2.3 Strategies for Generating Reflective Learners
  - [2.3.1 BUG Twist](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-3-1-bug-twist.md)
  - [2.3.2 Low-Stake Spaced Quizzing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-3-2-low-stake-spaced-quizzing.md)

### 3 ‘A’ - Using Assessment as a Responsive Tool
- 3.1 Formative & Summative Assessments
  - [3.1.1 The Problem of Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-1-the-problem-of-assessing-on-or-off-track.md)
  - [3.1.2 Summative vs Formative Evaluation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-2-summative-vs-formative-evaluation.md)
- 3.2 Determining Whether Learning has Taken Place
  - [3.2.1 Proxies for Learning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-2-1-proxies-for-learning.md)
- 3.3 Strategies for Assessing Student Learning
  - [3.3.1 Hinge Questions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-3-1-hinge-questions.md)
  - [3.3.2 Exit Tickets](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-3-2-exit-tickets.md)

### 4 'F' & 'T' - Precise Feedback to Feedforward
- 4.1 Giving Effective Feedback
  - [4.1.1 Creating an Effective Feedback Culture](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-1-1-creating-an-effective-feedback-culture.md)
  - [4.1.2 Effectiveness of Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-1-2-effectiveness-of-feedback.md)
- 4.2 Grades
  - [4.2.1 Research on Giving Grades as Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-2-1-research-on-giving-grades-as-feedback.md)
- 4.3 Strategies for Providing Feedback
  - [4.3.1 The Language of Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-3-1-the-language-of-feedback.md)
  - [4.3.2 'In the Moment' Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-3-2-in-the-moment-feedback.md)