Interleaving is more effective for materials with a low degree of discriminability¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2021 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Kang and Pashler (2012) and Zulkiply and Burt (2013) found interleaved practice more effective for materials with a low degree of discriminability, supporting the discriminative-contrast hypothesis. → Ouhao Chen & Fred Paas & John Sweller 2021

Evidence¶

Ouhao Chen & Fred Paas & John Sweller 2021¶

Ouhao Chen & Fred Paas & John Sweller. (2021). Spacing and Interleaving Effects Require Distinct Theoretical Bases: a Systematic Review Testing the Cognitive Load and Discriminative-Contrast Hypotheses. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09613-w

q2 · i? · review · r2

Narrative review attributing this finding to Kang and Pashler (2012) and Zulkiply and Burt (2013), who interleaved similar paintings, in one condition interleaved by easily discriminated cartoons. The review reports "interleaved practice was found to be more effective for materials with a low degree of discriminability."

"In both studies, interleaved practice was found to be more effective for materials with a low degree of discriminability, supporting the discriminative-contrast hypothesis."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• All 67 reviewed interleaving studies demonstrated the interleaving effect using very similar interleaved concepts — related
• The discriminative-contrast hypothesis treats spacing and interleaving as distinct effects, with interleaving benefits more likely for similar than dissimilar interleaved tasks — a broader claim this one bears on
• When trivia questions space out exemplars, spacing and interleaving are subadditive: interleaving beats blocking only with contiguous presentation, and spacing helps blocked but not interleaved study — related
• Interleaving benefits are small for mathematical tasks and absent or reversed for expository texts and words — related
• The interleaving benefit is not caused by spacing, and the benefit extends to delayed tests — related
• Interleaving is especially useful for inductive, subtle pattern learning without a clear verbal rule, but can equal or exceed blocking in rule-based domains too — related
• Inserting trivia questions between interleaved exemplars impairs inductive learning when it disrupts juxtaposition of categories, with total spacing held constant — related
• Interleaving category examples improves inductive category learning for visual and mathematical materials, but not for expository texts or word categories — related
• When exemplars are already interleaved, larger temporal spacing between same-category exemplars yields better inductive learning than smaller spacing — related
• Interleaving—presenting different concepts in alternation rather than repeating the same concept—improves students' discrimination among similar concepts, terms, and principles — related