Chapter 10 Quiz

Desirable Difficulties: Why Making Learning Harder Makes It Last

Answer all questions without referring to the chapter. After completing the quiz, check your answers in Appendix I and use the results to identify which concepts need additional retrieval practice.

Multiple Choice

1. The concept of "desirable difficulties" was introduced by: - a) John Dunlosky - b) Robert and Elizabeth Bjork - c) Manu Kapur - d) Allan Paivio

2. According to the Bjork framework, storage strength refers to: - a) How quickly you can access a memory right now - b) How deeply embedded a memory is in your long-term memory system - c) The physical space a memory occupies in the brain - d) The emotional significance of a memory

3. A student crams the night before an exam and performs well. Using the Bjork framework, this student has built: - a) High storage strength and high retrieval strength - b) High storage strength and low retrieval strength - c) Low storage strength and high retrieval strength - d) Low storage strength and low retrieval strength

4. The generation effect refers to: - a) The finding that younger generations learn differently than older ones - b) The finding that generating an answer produces better learning than reading one - c) The effect of group study on individual learning - d) The process of creating flashcards

5. In Richland, Kornell, and Kao's study on pretesting, students who took a pretest before studying a passage: - a) Performed worse on the later test because the wrong answers confused them - b) Performed the same as students who simply read the passage - c) Performed significantly better on the later test, even though they got most pretest questions wrong - d) Only performed better if they got most pretest questions right

6. The hypercorrection effect is the finding that: - a) Students who make errors rarely correct them - b) Errors made with high confidence are corrected more thoroughly than errors made with low confidence - c) Correcting errors is always unpleasant and should be avoided - d) Teachers who correct errors too quickly prevent student learning

7. In Kerr and Booth's study on variable practice with beanbag throwing, children who alternated between 2-foot and 4-foot throws: - a) Performed worse on the 3-foot test than children who practiced at 3 feet - b) Performed the same on the 3-foot test as children who practiced at 3 feet - c) Outperformed children who practiced at 3 feet on the 3-foot test, despite never having practiced that distance - d) Could only perform well at the distances they had practiced

8. A difficulty is desirable only when: - a) It makes the learner feel uncomfortable - b) The learner can engage with it, it triggers productive processing, and the learner can eventually succeed or receive feedback - c) It increases the total study time - d) The teacher intentionally designed it to be hard

9. According to the new theory of disuse, when you haven't used a well-learned memory in years: - a) Both storage strength and retrieval strength decay to zero - b) Storage strength remains but retrieval strength has decayed - c) Retrieval strength remains but storage strength has decayed - d) The memory is permanently lost

True or False

10. The lower the retrieval strength when you successfully retrieve a memory, the more that retrieval increases storage strength. - True / False

11. Productive failure works even without formal instruction following the initial struggle. - True / False

12. Variation of practice produces better performance during practice compared to constant practice. - True / False

13. Contextual interference is a broad term that encompasses both interleaving and variation of practice. - True / False

14. A difficulty caused by unclear instructions or confusing presentation is a desirable difficulty because it forces deeper processing. - True / False

Short Answer

15. Sofia Reyes can play her recital pieces perfectly in her practice room but falls apart in performance. Using the storage strength/retrieval strength framework, explain why this happens and what she should do about it. Reference at least two specific desirable difficulties in your answer.

16. Mia Chen started pretesting herself on calculus problems before attending lectures. Explain why this strategy improved her understanding during the lectures, using at least two concepts from this chapter (e.g., pretesting effect, hypercorrection effect, generation effect, productive failure).

17. A classmate tells you: "I tried interleaving my study sessions and I'm getting way more wrong answers than before. This clearly isn't working." Using the Bjork framework, write a response explaining why more wrong answers during practice can actually indicate more effective learning.

Application

18. Design a 30-minute study session for a topic of your choice that incorporates at least three desirable difficulties. For each difficulty you include, name it, describe specifically how you'll implement it, and explain why it builds storage strength according to the Bjork framework.

Answer Key Guidance

When checking your answers: - Questions 1-9: One correct answer each - Questions 10-14: True or False with explanation required for "False" answers - Questions 15-18: See rubric criteria in Appendix I; focus on whether your answer demonstrates understanding of the Bjork framework (storage vs. retrieval strength) and the distinction between desirable and undesirable difficulties

Scoring guide: - 16-18 correct: Strong mastery — you're ready for Chapter 11 - 12-15 correct: Solid foundation with some gaps — review the sections where you struggled - 8-11 correct: Significant gaps — reread Sections 10.1, 10.2, and 10.6 carefully, then retake - Below 8: Start with the vocabulary pre-loading table and reread Section 10.2 (storage vs. retrieval strength) before retrying

Full answers appear in Appendix I.