Trial & error over many years to finesse how I implemented retrieval practice, advice below!

If any of my students see this, please feel to chime in w/ your thoughts! https://twitter.com/tiffany_peltier/status/1291052079910354944

I'm always super explicit about WHY we use retrieval practice, why it works, how it works, and what it will look like for this class. I even include some citations as evidence on my syllabi.

I make sure to explain (repeatedly) how I use retrieval practice - prepping for conference talks, remembering students' names, and even using it in my equestrian sport learning. This makes it more "RP helps learning" and not just "you should use RP because you're a student."

Retrieval practice HAS to be low/no-stakes. I even call it RP (vs. quizzing). I review sheets, but to look for students' notes & Qs (meaning, I don't grade).

My students try HARD on the RPs, esp. as the semester goes on, because they see them work.

Spacing x 100. RP Qs at the start of each class draw from readings for that day, a bit ago, and "deep throwback." If there's struggle on a throwback, that Q & variations will show up again & again.

They are diagnostic. Daily sheets kick off class, mix of multiple choice & open. Chat w/ peer & then whole-class discuss:
-Which Qs were trickier/easier & WHY? (content, approach to reading, etc.)
-How will today's RP inform your studying going forward?

Celebrate wins. Students quickly see that RPs help and it's FUN to see them get excited. Yes I'm enthusiastic about using RP but they are the ones who maintain that enthusiasm. They use it in other classes, they tell friends, they spread the word.

Embrace the suck, openly. YES it's hard but whew, that means it's working! Explain desirable difficulty. Draw parallels to athletics. As semester goes on, easier to tackle the suck when they see it working.

Those strategies are probably why I found what I did in my midsemester feedback: https://twitter.com/DressageProf/status/1291032338902777858

When we switched to remote teaching, I kept up the routine at the start of our (optional) Zoom sessions. I also posted RPs & their answers online for students to work through. I'm sure there are many more effective ways to make it work online, though!