What is Interleaving?
Interleaving is a learning technique where one switches between ideas, topics and even subjects! The idea is to mix different topics and ideas in a study session to enhance the learning process. However, this doesn’t mean switching topics and ideas before you fully understand each topic first!
How is interleaving a crucial study skill?
It’s not a very popular study strategy amongst students and teachers. It feels like they are grasping the material more slowly. It also seems harder for students; just as they’re starting to retain new material, they make a switch which feels confusing. However, research is increasingly showing that it leads to better long term retention of study material. It embeds the information so that future knowledge is easily built on and enhanced. Just focusing and repeating one topic for a long period of time before going to the next (called blocked or massed learning/practice) gives immediate satisfaction but does little to master topics in the long term.
An example of the interleaving technique
For example: Let’s say in one study session you are learning about different concepts in Maths. Let’s call them topics A,B,C,D. The standard strategy for students is to do all the exercises in Topic A before going to the exercises in Topic B, C etc.. However, with interleaving, we finish a few exercises in Topic A but then go on and complete some in B, then C and D, go back to B, C etc…. In this way, we are applying concepts in different scenarios while developing the ability to transfer knowledge across different contexts and domains. It seems the illogical, harder path to take when learning but recent research is proving that its a much more effective learning practice !!
Few tips to keep in mind when practicing interleaving
- Make links between the different topics/ideas as you’re switching between them.
- Don’t spend too much time or too little time on any one topic. It’s important that you understand one topic first before you move on to the next.
- Go over the ideas again in different order to strengthen your learning.
Try it today and you won’t regret it…
All the best!
Ztoon
it’s useful