Spacing Learning Units affects both learning and forgetting

The effect of spaced learning on the learning outcome and retention of nurse anesthesia students: a randomized-controlled study

BACKGROUND

Poor learning and retention are common problems of students, which may be alleviated by optimization of widely used educational methods such as lectures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of spaced learning on the learning outcome and retention of nurse anesthesia students.

METHODS

This was a randomized controlled study with a pre-and post-test design on 64 nurse anesthesia students who were divided into two groups of spaced lecture (n = 32) and conventional lecture (n = 32). The spaced lectures included three 30-minute training sessions with 10-minute intervals while the conventional sessions including 90 min of continuous training. Students' knowledge was measured using one valid and reliable questionnaire developed by the research team. All students in both groups took a pre-test, and their level of knowledge acquisition was evaluated immediately after the training. Their level of knowledge retention was tested two and four weeks after the lecture.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). In the pre-test, the mean score of knowledge in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group, there was no significant difference (p = 0.177). But after the intervention, the mean scores of learning outcome and retention in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.001, eta = 0.576). Also, the results showed that learning outcome and retention across the three academic semesters in the two groups are significantly different, and students with a higher academic semester obtained a significantly higher mean score of knowledge and retention (p < 0.001, eta = 0.604).

CONCLUSION

Spaced learning improves nurse anesthesia students' knowledge and retention more than conventional method. Future studies focusing on spaced learning should specifically examine the impact of duration and number of intervals, as well as the time gap between training and measurement of learning retention.

Evaluation of changes in the cognitive function of adult cynomolgus monkeys under stress induced by audio-visual stimulation by applying modified finger maze test

Stress in life is ubiquitous and unavoidable. Prolonged exposure to severe stress can lead to physical intolerance and impair cognitive function. Non-human primates are considered to be the best animal model for studying cognitive function, especially memory and attention. The finger maze test, with the advantages of short training time and lower cost, is recommended to evaluate learning and memory in non-human primates. In this study, we modified the finger maze test method to evaluate the cognitive function of single-housed cynomolgus monkeys. The flexibility and attention of cynomolgus monkeys were assessed by performing the complex task test and the stranger intrusion interference test, respectively, which increased the difficulty of obtaining rewards, and the ability of long-term memory was also evaluated by the memory test. Furthermore, the changes in cognitive function of the cynomolgus monkeys were tested by using the finger maze test after audio-visual stimulation, and the changes in the cortisol levels during stimulation were also analyzed. We found that, after completing the learning test, there was no significant decrease in their success rate when monkeys processed multitasks at the same time. In the stranger intrusion interference test, all subjects were distracted, but the accuracy did not decrease. The monkeys completed the memory tests in the 1st and 2nd months after the learning tests, with a high success rate. However, the success rate decreased significantly at the end of the 4th month. During audio-visual stimulation, the plasma cortisol level significantly increased in the first 2 months and was maintained at a high level thereafter. One month after audio-visual stimulation, the accuracy of the memory test was significantly reduced, and the total time of distraction was significantly prolonged. In conclusion, chronic audio-visual stimulation can increase blood cortisol levels and impair cognitive function. The modified finger maze test can evaluate many aspects of cognitive function and assess the changes in the cognitive function of adult cynomolgus monkeys under stress.