Effort: Medium
What to notice
Ask for one low-stakes recall attempt before showing review feedback.
Where it fits
- Fits
- Learners checking understanding of previously viewed material.
- Use it when
- When a brief question can provide immediate explanation and feedback.
- Avoid it when
- When scoring unseen material or ambiguous decisions as single-answer facts.
How to build it
- Create one short question from previously learned material.
- Allow “not sure” and reveal feedback after any response.
- Assess later use with a different question.
Measure
- Main metric
- Share of eligible learners answering a delayed variant correctly
- Guardrail
- Dropout after errors and reported retrieval burden
- How to measure
- Allocate comparison groups before exposure and use equal follow-up and eligibility. Track Share of eligible learners answering a delayed variant correctly alongside Dropout after errors and reported retrieval burden.
When it backfires
Do not block progress until correct or shame memory failures.
Alternatives
Theory behind it
Retrieval practice
Distinguish practicing retrieval from simply rereading material.
Limited evidence
Informational feedback
Explain the gap to a goal and what to change, rather than offering praise alone.
Practitioner framework
Evidence limits: An editorial web application; conversion effects on this interface are unmeasured. Effects depend on feedback type and prior knowledge in educational research. Lengthy advice after every action can add burden.