The influence of text length and prior knowledge on the testing effect in meaningful learning

Abstract

The testing effect, which states that testing information has more beneficial effects on retention than restudying, has consistently been found for retention of isolated facts (i.e., rote learning). However, research on the beneficial effects of testing on the retention of ideational units (i.e., meaningful learning) is rather scarce. Prior knowledge plays a pivotal role in meaningful learning and testing-effect theories seem to indicate that this also might be true for the testing effect. In this presentation, it is outlined how prior knowledge may influence the occurrence and magnitude of the testing effect in meaningful learning.