ABSTRACT
Spacing is a powerful tool for educators, but not everything needs to be remembered long-term. It is important to weigh the administrative and planning costs of spacing practice against its learning benefits, and this typically means using spaced practice on the most important material only: key concepts, foundational skills, and so on. Given the option of practicing one type of activity in one long session or practicing this activity in multiple, shorter sessions spaced out over time, the latter results in better long-term learning. The retention benefits are significant: Research suggests that a group learning using spaced practice will remember about 67 percent better than a group learning the same material through massed practice. While the possible applications of spaced practice could apply to all content—historical facts, basketball, factoring—the key to successful use is prioritizing the essential learning goals and focusing practice accordingly.
