Retrieval practice and judgements of learning enhance transfer of physiology information

It is well-documented that retrieval practice enhances the recall of simple and complex information (Karpicke and Aue in Educ Psychol Rev 27(2):317–326, 2015). Evidence is also accumulating that retrieval practice can enhance other cognitive processes such as the ability to critically evaluate research articles (Dobson et al. in Med Educ 52(5):513–525, 2018) and transfer of learning (Butler in J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 36(5):1118, 2010). One aim of this investigation was to explore the effects of retrieval practice on transfer of learning with physiology information. A second aim was to compare recall and transfer of physiology information following retrieval practice versus a judgment of learning task (JOL) that is potentially less time consuming for students to use. Participants were randomly assigned to learn three physiology texts using each of the following strategies: (1) studying a text four times (S–S–S–S), (2) studying and then retrieving a text two times (S–R–S–R), and (3) studying a text four times while completing multiple JOL during the second and fourth repetitions (S–S/J–S–S/J). Recall and accuracy on transfer questions were assessed 1 week after the learning phase, and the results were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVAs. The S–R–S–R strategy (21.35 ± 1.08%) produced significantly greater recall than the S–S–S–S strategy (17.35 ± 0.86%), and both the S–R–S–R (44.60 ± 2.55%) and S–S/J–S–S/J (41.79 ± 2.63%) strategies lead to significantly greater transfer than the S–S–S–S strategy (36.07 ± 2.40%). These results provide evidence that retrieval practice enhances recall and transfer of physiology information and that a JOL task can also prove to be beneficial but to a lesser degree.