.6 Feedback and Retention

How long do people remember what they have been taught? Unfortunately, society and the teaching methods we use cater to short-term memorization rather than long-term retention. Students cram for a test, do well on the test, and then promptly forget everything. As a teacher, you must define a reasonable retention goal. How much of what you are teaching should your kids learn? And how much of what they learn can you expect them to retain - remember - and for how long? You must have the humility to understand that most retention is unmeasureable. Often, you never know what you've done that was effective because retention is only demonstrated by observing how students use the information they've learned in your classroom. Almost always, students use the information you are teaching in their own way. One of the most important issues of educational reform is how to revise instruction to emphasize long-term retention. There is lots we don't know, but feedback given in the context of application likely increases retention.

	Concerning feedback, what is one of the most important issues of educational reform?	Answer Here
	Mr. Parker teaches a seventh grade life science class. He has recently been discussing botany in his classroom. How can Mr. Parker be sure that the students in his class actually retained the information on botany that he has presented to them without giving them another test to cram for?	Answer Here