Topic 3: Interleaving Studies

Question 1

Geometry

Answer 1

Question: Is learning with interleaving more effective than learning without interleaving?

Task/Protocol: Train on geometry problems → delay → tested on geometry problems

Condition: Performance on interleaving (Test) vs. performance on blocked (test)

Measure: % of correctly answered questions (accuracy)

Findings: Performance on interleaving (Test) > performance on blocked (test)

Question 2

Complex motor skills

Answer 2

Question: Is interleaving more effective than blocking for motor skills?

Task/Protocol: Learn different sequences of complex movements → Initiate movement based on cue → Complete movements as fast as possible → delay → perform movements (test)

Condition: Block training & testing, blocked training + interleaved testing, interleaved training + blocked testing, interleaved training & testing’’

Measure: Mean response time taken to perform movements (in sec)

Findings:

• Learning with blocked = easy
• Learning with interleaving = difficult
• Most effective = learn with interleave, test with blocked
• Least effective = learn with block, test with interleave

Question 3

Children

Answer 3

Question: Is interleaving effective for children?

Task/Protocol: Fourth graders learn four different formulas to calculate the number edges, face, corners and angles of prisms → delay → test

Condition: Learning with blocked, learning with interleaving

Measure: Accuracy (% of correctly answered questions)

Findings:

• During practice: Blocked better than interleaving
• During test: Interleaving better than blocked

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

1) Interleaving has better test performance, though it is harder to practice with then blocked
2) Learning with interleaving and testing with blocked is the most effective
3) Interleaving is still effective when teaching children over time, compared to blocked conditions