Flashcard Fundamentals #3: Generating Flashcards using AI
The previous blog posts in this series provided practical guidance for creating effective flashcards. Retrieval practice with well-designed flashcards is one of the best ways to learn and remember factual information. The process of making good flashcards can be quite time-consuming, however. Manually putting together a list of foreign-language vocabulary items and their translations, or […]
Flashcard Fundamentals #2: Designing the most Effective Cues and Answer Options for Retrieval Practice
Thomas Wilschut and Myrthe Braam Retrieval practice is generally seen as one of the best learning methods: testing yourself is amongst the most effective ways to learn. In this blogpost series, we present a guide to making the best content for retrieval practice. In our last post, we discussed that retrieval works well for both […]
Flashcard Fundamentals: Choosing the Right Question
Memory retrieval is the process of fetching memories from storage and making them usable. Practising retrieval can be a fantastic aid to learning new information. Building a solid knowledge base is important in any classroom or training setting. Traditionally, this is done with flashcards, and while digital tools like MemoryLab have improved on the format, […]
Adaptive Learning in Educational Practice: More than an Engineering Challenge
Adaptive learning systems are a prime example of applied cognitive science. They implement theories of cognition in computational models, these models enable a quantified interpretation of learners’ behaviour, and this interpretation is used to shape the learning experience. Using these systems in real-world educational settings confronts us with new questions about whether technological solutions developed […]
The non-linear journey of the creative process
Being creative makes our lives meaningful, from finding solutions to problems in everyday contexts to building new innovations in the workplace. But how do we go from an idea to building something valuable? In reality, it’s a process, and Design thinking might be the solution. Design thinking is a non-linear process that aids UX-Designers in […]
Multiple-Choice Questions with Related Distractors: A Viable Alternative to Open-Ended Questions in Vocabulary Learning
In a world where knowledge is the key to success, the process of studying remains a fascinating and crucial subject. Everyone has at some point embarked on learning a new language, whether it was for a German exam at school or an intensive French course leading up to an upcoming vacation. Many individuals regularly question […]
Making sense of the memorability of second-language vocabulary items
When you learn a new language, you’ll find that some of the new vocabulary is easy to memorise, and some of it more difficult. In several recent studies we looked at retrieval practice data from Dutch secondary school students learning English and French words and phrases (van der Velde et al., 2021, 2023). In one […]
Vocal Vantage: Is Automatic Speech Technology Changing Education?
Today, talking to your computer is no longer reserved for science fiction movies or imaginary friends. The development of deep learning technologies and the fast increase of computation power has paved the way for the emergence of a technology that allows human speech to be processed into a written format by a computer in real […]
From Awareness to Achievement: Metacognitive Strategies for Adaptive Learning pt.2
The previous blog in this two-part series described the role of metacognition in the context of adaptive learning. In this blog, we discuss how the use of metacognitive strategies can encourage more effective learning behaviors. How do we encourage learners to use metacognitive strategies? Before a learning session begins, there are a number of things […]
From Awareness to Achievement: Metacognitive Strategies for Adaptive Learning pt.1
Every learner is unique. With differing needs, they each approach learning in a unique way. In the field of adaptive learning, we try to understand these needs such that learning can approach the learner in a unique manner, tailored specifically for them and their needs. There is a resource that can help adaptive learning designers […]
