The Forgetting Curve and the Importance of Summer Home Learning for GCSE Geography Students

The Forgetting Curve and the Importance of Summer Home Learning for GCSE Geography Students

As we rapidly approach the summer holidays, we thought we’d explore the sometimes contentious matter of summer learning and the forgetting curve and share advice and support with those of you considering it. Typically, teachers fall into one of two camps: either students need a complete break, or the summer break is long, and there’s no harm in students revisiting prior learning. But what does the research suggest?

Understanding the Forgetting Curve

The forgetting curve is a concept introduced by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century. It describes the decline of memory retention over time when no attempt is made to retain the information. According to Ebbinghaus’s research, we forget approximately 50% of newly learned information within the first hour. This rate of forgetting continues to decline exponentially, meaning that without reinforcement, students can forget nearly all the information within a few days to weeks.

Ebbinghaus’s studies highlighted the importance of repeated review and reinforcement of knowledge to counteract this natural tendency to forget. By revisiting learned material at strategically spaced intervals, the forgetting curve can be flattened, and information can be retained more effectively in long-term memory.

The Significance of Summer Home Learning for GCSE Geography

Given the implications of the forgetting curve, setting home learning over the summer is crucial for GCSE Geography students. Here’s why:

1. Retention of Knowledge: The long summer break can lead to significant knowledge decay. Assigning regular geography-related tasks helps keep the subject matter fresh in students’ minds, mitigating the forgetting curve’s effects.
2. Skill Development: Geography involves memorising facts and developing analytical skills, such as interpreting maps and understanding spatial relationships. Regular practice over the summer can help maintain and sharpen these skills, ensuring students are ready to hit the ground running when the new school year begins.
3. Continuity of Learning: Geography is a subject that builds on previous knowledge. Summer learning tasks can provide continuity, linking last year’s curriculum with the upcoming topics. This can help students see the bigger picture and understand how different geographical concepts are interconnected.
4. Exam Preparation: Summer revision can be particularly beneficial for students heading into their final GCSE year. It provides an opportunity to review and consolidate previous learning, identify gaps in knowledge, and prepare for the exam’s content and format.
5. Encouraging Independent Learning: Setting summer assignments encourages students to take responsibility for their learning. This helps them stay engaged with the subject and fosters important life skills such as time management, self-discipline, and independent study.

Managing Workload for Staff and Students

It’s crucial that summer home learning does not increase teachers’ workloads or overwhelm students. Proper planning can ensure that the additional work is beneficial without being burdensome.

1. Avoiding Staff Workload Increase: Teachers can prepare a set of structured, self-guided activities that students can complete independently. Utilizing online resources and pre-existing materials can minimize the need for additional lesson planning and grading over the summer. Automated quizzes and online learning platforms can be particularly useful in this regard.
2. Student Workload Management: The assignments should be manageable and designed to take only a small portion of the students’ time, ensuring ample rest and recuperation. Activities such as reading assignments, interactive tasks, and project-based learning can be engaging without being excessively time-consuming.

Effective Strategies for Summer Home Learning

To make summer learning effective and engaging while keeping the workload manageable, consider the following strategies:

• Reading Assignments: Providing a list of interesting articles or books related to geography can stimulate curiosity and deepen understanding without requiring extensive teacher oversight.
• Interactive Tasks: Encouraging students to use online resources like geography quizzes, virtual tours, and interactive maps can make learning more dynamic and self-sufficient.
• Project-Based Learning: Assigning projects that require students to explore and analyze real-world geographical issues can enhance critical thinking and knowledge application while allowing students to work at their own pace.
• Review and Reflection: Setting up regular intervals for review and self-assessment can help students track their progress and retain information better without needing constant teacher intervention.

The forgetting curve underscores the importance of consistent and repeated engagement with learning material. For GCSE Geography students, summer home learning is not just a means to prevent forgetting but an essential strategy to build a strong foundation for future academic success. By carefully planning activities, teachers can ensure this additional work is effective and manageable, fostering a balanced approach to summer learning.

Internet Geography Plus support for Summer Home Learning

Subscribers to Internet Geography Plus have access to various resources to support summer home learning, including:

• Google/MS Form self-marking retrieval quizzes
• Multiple choice booklets (with mark schemes)
• The Final Countdown – guided revision resources (including links to online reference materials and self-marking quizzes)
• Revision Boost booklets
• GCSE Geography Transition – Geographical Concepts (Y9 going into Y10)
• Revision Mats (with mark schemes)
• Skills work booklets (with mark schemes)

Not a subscriber? Take out a low-cost subscription to Internet Geography Plus.

References:

1. Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. Translated by H.A. Ruger & C.E. Bussenius, Teachers College, Columbia University.
2. Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). “Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis.” Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
3. Wixted, J. T. (2004). “The psychology and neuroscience of forgetting.” Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 235-269.
4. “The Forgetting Curve: Why We Forget Information & How to Combat It.” Mind Tools, www.mindtools.com/pages/article/forgetting-curve.htm.
5. “Summer Learning Loss: What We Know and What We’re Learning.” Brookings, www.brookings.edu/research/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-and-what-were-learning/.
6. “The Importance of Summer Learning for Students.” Oxford Learning, www.oxfordlearning.com/importance-of-summer-learning/.
7. “Why Summer Learning Is Critical for High School Students.” Teach Thought, www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/summer-learning-critical-high-school-students/.
8. “GCSE Revision Tips for Students.” BBC Bitesize, www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zp8xvcw.
9. “How to Encourage Independent Learning in Your Students.” Edutopia, www.edutopia.org/article/how-encourage-independent-learning-your-students.
10. “Best Books for Geography Students.” The Guardian, www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/20/best-books-for-geography-students.
11. “Interactive Geography Resources.” National Geographic Education, www.education.nationalgeographic.org/.
12. “Project-Based Learning in Geography.” Edutopia, www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-geography.
13. “Review Strategies for Students.” Learning Scientists, www.learningscientists.org/research-topics/review-strategies