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Testing and transfer: Retrieval practice effects across test formats in English vocabulary learning in school
Author(s) -
Barenberg Jonathan,
Berse Timo,
Reimann Laura,
Dutke Stephan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.3796
Subject(s) - test (biology) , context (archaeology) , vocabulary , transfer of learning , psychology , univariate , transfer (computing) , multivariate statistics , computer science , natural language processing , developmental psychology , machine learning , linguistics , paleontology , philosophy , parallel computing , biology
The application of knowledge to new contexts (i.e., transfer) is a central aim of learning processes and has become a new focus of testing effect research. In a quasi‐experimental design, we investigated the transfer of retrieval practice effects on English vocabulary learning on eighth‐grade students ( N = 182) by applying a typical testing effect study paradigm including study, initial test or restudy, and final test. The final test comprised four test formats, one identical to the initial test (non‐transfer context), and three deviating from the initial test (transfer context). Comparing testing and restudy conditions yielded a significant multivariate effect of testing across all final test formats and significant univariate effects in three of the four test formats. Comparing transfer and non‐transfer contexts revealed smaller retrieval practice effects when transfer was required. The results are discussed against the theoretical background of transfer‐appropriate‐processing, elaborative retrieval, and a distribution‐based model of retrieval.