Learn less, memorize more – New mastery system to improve spaced learning habits
Let’s talk about a familiar feeling—that moment when you’ve done just enough to feel productive, but still wonder if it’s really enough. You want that “that’ll do for today” moment without pushing so far that you become fatigued and slip into overlearning. Finding the study sweet spot is a delicate balance between feeling accomplished (happy […]
Why knowledge-based exams are harmful to the goals of education.
Why knowledge-based exams are harmful to the goals of education. Centuries of research have demonstrated that the best long-term retention of educational materials is achieved when the materials are studied in a spaced fashion. This means that students should not invest the time they have available for studying in a single study session, but instead […]
Modality Matters: Benefits of Speech-Based Learning in Learners with Dyslexia
Abstract Developmental dyslexia is a common learning disorder that affects reading, writing, and spelling, often leading to academic difficulties. In this study, which was awarded the 2024 Computational Modeling Award by the Cognitive Science Society, researcher Thomas Wilschut aims to address some of these challenges by improving the process of vocabulary learning in dyslexia. He […]
Optimizing vocabulary learning: The Impact of MemoryLab’s ‘Quick Skip’ algorithm
Adaptive learning systems are designed to tailor learning experiences to the personal needs of each student. These systems can track and predict student performance, and based on this data, develop personalized repetition schedules of to-be learned material. This can enhance the retention of declarative knowledge, such as vocabulary or toponymy (Lindsey et al., 2014; Papousek […]
Towards adaptive, inclusive and personalised assessment and learning technology
Digital learning technologies create new opportunities for personalising the learning process. By personalising each learner’s environment, we can better align it to their needs. When thinking about personalisation in this context, there are several important questions to consider. Which elements of a learning environment can be personalised? And who decides what to personalise and how? […]
Data-driven skill discovery to personalise education
Imagine facing a task you have never encountered before. Perhaps a broken vacuum, a challenge unfamiliar yet oddly conquerable. Recalling how you tackled a clogged drain by clearing a blocked pipe, you then remember using a broom to retrieve your shoes from under the couch. Skill A meets Skill B, and you wield a stick […]
Personalized Adaptive Learning Systems: From Simple Facts to Complex Materials
Adaptive learning systems like MemoryLab have changed the way we learn, by tailoring digital learning sessions to the needs of individual learners. To date, such systems have been particularly helpful in memorizing vocabulary and factual knowledge. In a recent collaboration with Hogeschooltaal, a publisher of language learning materials for applied university education in the Netherlands, […]
MemoryLab’s new Model-Based Mastery algorithm helps students learn faster
Adaptive learning systems can redefine learning experiences by shaping education to individual needs, optimizing student performance. Within this landscape, MemoryLab has recently introduced the Model-Based Mastery (MBM) algorithm, which strategically excludes sufficiently studied facts from repetition schedules, increasing learning efficiency. In this blog post I delve into our comparative analysis of the MBM algorithm versus […]
Building TafelTrainer #4: Evaluating learner performance in the Multiplication Trainer
In the previous blog posts, we gave an insight in the process of designing and developing the Multiplication Trainer, a multiplication app that can help learners to automatise multiplications through repeated retrieval practice. As part of the design and implementation process, we conducted a pilot to test the system in over 500 primary school students. […]
Building TafelTrainer #3: How we designed an adaptive algorithm for learning multiplication facts
What is 7 x 6? Multiplication facts like the one above are a cornerstone of the mathematics curriculum around the world. Having a good grasp of basic mathematical skills like multiplication sets learners up for success in more complex mathematical domains. Children in primary education in the Netherlands are expected to achieve fluent mastery of […]
