Interventions to Promote Retrieval Practice: Strategy Knowledge Predicts Intent, but Perceived Cost Predicts Usage

Retrieval practice is an effective strategy to promote long-term retention and learning, but students do not always use it in the most effective ways. Applying various intervention design principles that leverage socio-motivational research, we created an intervention targeted at not only teaching students about the efficacy of retrieval practice, but also at changing their study behaviors. We focused on increasing students’ understanding of how to implement retrieval practice effectively and decreasing their perceived cost of using retrieval practice. We found that our intervention increased students’ procedural metacognitive knowledge (that retrieval practice can be implemented flexibly in various formats) and intended use of retrieval practice, but it did not reduce perceived cost (that engaging in retrieval practice costs too much time and effort), as compared to a traditional retrieval practice intervention. There were also no effects of our intervention on reported use of retrieval practice. Further, results from a structural equation model analysis showed that self-efficacy of procedural metacognitive knowledge was positively associated with students’ intended use of the strategy, whereas perceived cost was negatively associated with their reported use of the strategy. Alleviating perceived cost could be a potential venue for future intervention aimed at encouraging the self-regulated use of retrieval practice.