Comparing and combining retrieval practice and concept mapping.

Retrieval practice enhances the learning of educational materials, and prior work has shown that practicing retrieval can enhance learning as much as or more than creating concept maps. Few studies have combined retrieval practice with other learning activities, and no prior work has explored whether concept mapping and retrieval practice might produce especially robust effects when the two activities are combined. In two experiments, students studied educational texts and practiced retrieval (by freely recalling the texts), created concept maps, or completed both activities. In the combined-activity condition, students studied and created concept maps prior to practicing retrieval. On a 1-week delayed assessment, practicing retrieval enhanced learning relative to creating concept maps. Surprisingly, combining concept mapping and retrieval practice failed to produce any benefit over retrieval practice without concept mapping, even though students in the combined condition spent substantially more time engaged with the materials than did students in single-activity conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)