MASSED VERSUS DISTRIBUTED PRACTICE IN COMPUTERIZED SPELLING DRILLS

journal abstract: Conditions of massed and distributed practice were studied using a within-Ss design in a situation involving computerized spelling drills. In the distributed condition, 2 sets of 3 words each were presented once every other day over a period of 6 days. The learning trials on 6 other sets of words were massed so that all of the trials for that set occurred on the same day. Ss were 29 5th graders. The probability of a correct response for words in the massed condition was higher than that for the distributed condition during the learning sessions, but on retention tests (given 10 and 20 days later) the words learned under distributed practice were better remembered. A mathematical model of the learning process is presented and shown to provide a fairly adequate account of the experimental data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.