Tier 4

pge - Pedagogy/Educational Orderings

Pedagogy/Educational Orderings

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Overview

Learning science shows that orderings optimized for immediate performance often hurt long-term retention, and vice versa. These orderings optimize for durable understanding, not quick completion.

Ordering Rules

Rule 1: Interleaving Over Blocking

  • Mix different topics/types rather than doing all of one type then all of another
  • Feels harder but produces better discrimination and long-term retention
  • When: learning to distinguish between concepts, studying for exams

Rule 2: Spacing Over Massing

  • Distribute practice over time rather than cramming
  • Review material at increasing intervals (1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks…)
  • When: any learning that needs to stick long-term

Rule 3: Test Before Teaching

  • Ask the question before providing the answer
  • Even failed retrieval attempts improve subsequent learning
  • When: introducing new material, review sessions

Rule 4: Concrete Before Abstract

  • Start with specific examples, then extract the general principle
  • Multiple examples before the rule, not rule then examples
  • When: teaching concepts, building intuition

Rule 5: Desirable Difficulty

  • Make learning slightly harder than comfortable
  • Slow down presentation, remove scaffolding gradually
  • Too easy = no learning. Too hard = frustration. Find the edge.
  • When: skill development, progressive training

Rule 6: Elaborative Interrogation

  • After each concept: “Why does this work?” “How does this connect to X?”
  • Forces deeper processing than passive review
  • When: reading, studying, any intake of new material

Application

  1. Identify learning goal (recognition, recall, application, transfer?)
  2. Choose ordering: higher-order goals need more interleaving and testing
  3. Design practice schedule with spacing
  4. Resist making it “easier” — desirable difficulty is the point

When to Use

  • Curriculum design, study planning, training programs
  • Self-directed learning, skill acquisition

Verification

  • Topics interleaved (not blocked)
  • Practice spaced (not massed)
  • Retrieval practice included
  • Difficulty level appropriate (challenging but achievable)