Distributed learning

"Distributed learning" may refer to "distance education".

Distributed learning is defined as opposed to massed learning. Reviews of material with longer time elapsed between the first and second review (spaced) yield more learning than reviews with less time elapsed between the first and second review (massed); this is referred to as the spacing effect. Review of material increases long-term memory best when there is more time between introduction and review of material. It has been suggested that it would be better for exams to be taken after a break than before, assuming there was a review before the exams, because of the spacing effect.

According to an fMRI study, distributed learning across a 24 hr interval does not enhance immediate memory performance but instead slows the rate of forgetting relative to massed learning. The savings in forgetting were specific to relational, but not item, memory.

See also

• Episodic memory
• Learning theories
• Memory consolidation
• Spaced learning

References

• Learning – A summary of theories (Why Taking Exams after Winter Break is best for Students: What the Experts Say.)[www.window.state.tx.us/schoolstart2004/taskforce/mtg041215/winterbreak.doc]
• Willingham, D. (2002). How we learn. Ask the cognitive scientist: Allocating student study time. “Massed” versus “distributed” practice. American Educator. 26(2) pp. 37–39.
• Litman L, Davachi L. Distributed learning enhances relational memory consolidation. Learn Mem. 2008 Aug 26;15(9):711-6. PMID: 18772260. [1]
• Dempster, F. (1991). Synthesis of Research on Reviews and Tests. Journal of Educational Leadership. 48(7). pp. 71–76.
• Terry, W. (1983). Recognition of sentences from text after massed vs spaced readings. The Journal of General Psychology. 109 pp. 67–71.