In the last blog, I describe why it is more effective to move new content into long-term memory by using spaced/distributed practice sessions, over time, as opposed to only completing one or two longer massed session(s). That said, if a separate distributed practice plan is created for every new skill learned, it would be a logistical nightmare! Fortunately, there is a practice procedure, Cumulative Practice (CP), that makes Distributed Practice (DP) more manageable: You “accumulate” related skills, or the information you want to learn, one-by-one as you initially learn them, and then practice them together in the same session. Thus, CP simply requires that you systematically add “just-learned” information, perhaps a particular kind of math algorithm or theorem, to previously learned and related skills or information. This allows the new material to be practiced together during distributed practice sessions[1]. Simply put: “Learn, Add, Practice, Repeat” (See the figure below where this process is illustrated.)

             Cumulative Practice is typically used when a number of related skills or concepts are organized and learned in a logical sequence (e.g., the four laws of thermodynamics) or are functionally grouped, such as different rules for making nouns plural, various formulae for calculating the volume of different three-dimensional shapes, and so on. Cumulative Practice serves two functions in the learning process. First, it assures related content will be studied/practiced in a distributed fashion (i.e., you spread it out systematically), thus effectively transferring skills or information to long-term memory (as described in the Distributed Practice blog). Secondly, it helps with discrimination which is a very big deal on exams! Discrimination allows you to recall and understand how information is slightly different from similar material. For example, if you are learning to calculate the volume of three-dimensional shapes, all of which require a slightly different formula, you may have initial difficulty discriminating which formula should be used with which shape.

            When people are learning new, but similar, formulas with new but similar objects, they often get them confused. In other words, CP allows the opportunity to practice selecting (discriminating), using, and explaining the correct formula because they are being practiced in the same session. It forces you to genuinely know the details of different concepts. This is a big deal when it comes to midterm and final exams because that’s when all the information is presented at once forcing you to really know how to apply each concept. Because you are practicing in the same session, your brain learns to “pay attention” to critical aspects or attributes of the shapes that impact which formula to use. This leads us to the next blog and another procedure, that, when used with DP and CP, will further increase discrimination, retention, and transfer.

BRAIN TIP  

 In addition to building accuracy of selecting the correct problem-solving procedure as well as using it correctly, also practice explaining why a particular formula was used. Explain to another person what you are doing and why you are doing it strengthens both accuracy and understanding.  This process makes connections between the different ways of applying or understanding new information.  As the saying goes, if you want to truly understand something, teach it.

[1] Cumulative Practice is different from Cumulative Review which is when all content (related and unrelated)  learned over a period of time (e.g., an instructional unit is reviewed during one long session before an assessment).