Open thread for December 24-31, 2013

NancyLebovitz

Open thread for December 24-31, 2013 — LessWrong

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I wish someone would test spaced repetition software for high schoolers or undergrads. That even has the excuse of everyone needing a PC or a tablet to do it, and we being able to easily afford that only recently, for why it hasn't been done before. Mnemonics are great for quick low-effort cramming for remembering things overnight, but spaced repetition can be for life.

I'm having trouble coming up with any complex instruction given in schools that doesn't directly lead to being tested in an exam. Can think of very few lessons in any sort of metacognition, some half-hearted mindmap thing mostly, and none at all where a specific metacognition method was being used in concert with an actual course.

gwern13y20

I wish someone would test spaced repetition software for high schoolers or undergrads.

What makes you think they haven't? When I look through the cites in http://www.gwern.net/Spaced%20repetition the majority of stuff was done with students of various age levels between elementary & college.

1Locaha13y

Spaced repetition requires sincerity and discipline. You need to look at the question, understand it, decide just how well you remember the answer and act accordingly. And you need to do it every day. Moreover, efficient spaced repetition, as I found, requires custom-taliored questions. You have to use your own cards. I don't see most high schoolers adapting it.

2ChristianKl13y

That depends a lot on the school. Mathematical proofs that take an hour to complete don't lend itself to testing in exams. Mostly I think the problem is that schools are really bad at teaching things that don't lend itself to being tested. I had multiple teachers who did taught the idea that success is due to talent instead of being about the amount of time you put in. If someone would have set me down and explained to me that hard work is really important, that would have done a lot. Most subjects where some form of emotional intimacy is involved don't lend itself well to being tested.

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Open thread for December 24-31, 2013

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Open thread for December 24-31, 2013

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