Include a small block of problems of a new skill at the start of an assignment, then interleave the rest¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The authors state the findings "do not suggest that blocked practice be avoided entirely" and that "a small block of problems might be optimal, especially at the outset of an assignment given immediately after students are introduced to that kind of problem", because it lets students focus on executing the strategy. Beyond a few problems in immediate succession, students receive sharply diminishing returns on additional effort.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• The block should immediately follow introduction of the new kind of problem
• Students should not work many problems of the same kind in succession beyond a few

Constraints¶

• This is the authors' recommendation; the optimum block size was not experimentally optimized in this study

Target Learners¶

• seventh-grade mathematics students
• mathematics learners generally

Target Learning Goals¶

• initial execution fluency with a newly taught strategy
• long-term retention via subsequent interleaving

Related Strategies¶

• Strategy Choice Discrimination Association Account
• Interleaved Practice
• Interleave Practice Types
• Interleaving
• Cumulative Review

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Rohrer, D., Dedrick, R. F., & Stershic, S. (2015). Interleaved practice improves mathematics learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(3), 900-908. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000001