An integral part of each course I teach is the incorporation of the "testing effect" (see Statement of Teaching Competence). In general, the "testing effect" refers to the higher probability of retrieving an item which results from the same process in memory (testing). The earliest observation of this effect was made by Gates (1917). For a review see Roediger and Karpicke (2006) - link below. This concept serves many purposes inside a classroom (see link). In my experience, it has provided transparency, structure, dialouge and higher student performance. In the future, I hope to implement and document this effect more rigidly and effectively. As mentioned in the Statement of Teaching Competence, I utilize the online learning supplement MyEconLab to incorporate the "testing effect" outside of the classroom. This has been a tremendous success for me. I plan to use this learning platform for many of the courses I teach going forward.

References

Gates, A.I. (1917) Recitation as a Factor in Memorizing, Archives of Psychology, 6, No. 40.

Roediger, H.L. and Karpicke, J.D. (2006) The Power of Testing Memory: Basic Research and Implications for Educational Practice, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1, 181-210.

There is a vast amount of research dedicated to university-level teaching. Through the University of New Hampshire's Center for Teaching Excellence, I have been introduced to many avenues of research as well as other university-based teaching departments. Below, I have provided a few sites that I found particularly helpful on a wide range of levels. Enjoy!