Abstract
The present study aimed at exploring an effective, time-efficient, motivating repetition-learning method, based on a reactivation theory of spacing effects. From the theory, 2 principles for realizing such a method were derived:(1) to sort all items by their recall rates in ascending order for the subsequent session, at the end of each learning session;(2) to omit items whose recall rate had reached a criterion level. In Experiment 1, the effectiveness of a repetition-learning method employing the first principle, the “Low-First Method”, was examined. Participants (university freshmen: 12 women, 28 men) evaluated the method for 4 motivation-related criteria. The results showed that the Low-First-Method was very effective and also was highly evaluated on some of the criteria. In Experiment 2, the effect of adding the second principle to the Low-First Method was examined (participants were university freshmen: 15 women, 25 men). Comparison of the data from Experiments 1 and 2 revealed that the 2 principles, especially when combined, significantly enhanced the method's effectiveness and time-efficiency, and produced higher evaluations on all criteria. Finally, the relationship among the first principle and retrieval effects, rehearsal, and levels of processing, and the motivating function of the Low-First Method are discussed.
