Breaking the Cramming Cycle and Improving Memory

How much will students remember from your course tomorrow, next week, next month, next semester, or next year? Let's be honest, in most cases, not as much as we would hope or as much as they should. What's at the root of this problem? Students often get distracted during class, and they don't listen well. They cram before exams, take the tests, and then promptly forget most of what they “learned.” But there is good news: teachers can use proven strategies that help students break this nonproductive pattern and learn course material more deeply.

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