We need to break the cycle of teach, test, forget
Over a recent coffee break, shared between an international mix of PhDs and postdoctoral research associates, we discussed the overwhelming joy of finishing undergraduate chemistry. It was a cathartic release of our groans over the rigmarole that underpins many university degrees – most notably, the bottled stress and anxiety of revising for exams during the holiday period, which tarnished years of happy memories and family gatherings.
The topic of forgotten knowledge from those undergraduate days followed. Through our rose-tinted lab goggles we could each recall lecturers imploring us: ‘Remember this! You’ll need it next year’. Although perfectly fitting advice from well-meaning and experienced tutors, it highlights a more complex underlying problem with our modern educational system: a focus on exams that rewards short-term memory over long-term understanding.
Teaching
The process begins with the noble and long-standing tradition of teaching. Lecturers, armed with passion and expertise, embark on a journey to impart knowledge, experience and wisdom to a room filled with eager minds. However, due to a series of logistical and economic limitations that are beyond the teacher’s control, this wealth of information is often presented in a heavily condensed time frame, akin to a flash flood of facts and concepts.
The challenge lies not only in the speed of delivery but also in the ability of students to absorb and retain this torrent of knowledge over a period of weeks to months. Additional course requirements with tighter deadlines take precedent, further reducing the time available to develop long-term understanding.
As the final weeks of term approach, the pace quickens to a sprint. Lab reports and literature reviews beckon students from the sidelines while lecturers scramble to keep the delivery of new content on track. Finally, students cross the finish line marked by the end of term and find respite over the holiday break – if only to revise and finally digest what was taught.
Testing
Enter the testing phase, the moment of reckoning where students are called upon to demonstrate their understanding. The pressure is palpable as students summon their mental faculties to regurgitate the acquired information in a race against the clock. Examinations have become the litmus test for comprehension and application. Whether this approach is actually effective at assessing true understanding is debatable.
To those whom memory tests come naturally, exam season can be a breeze. At this late stage of education, most students have found some ‘hack’ to survive: cue cards, mind maps, listening to podcasts while sleeping. Each year, a new fad is rumoured to achieve unbeatable results in record time. The intoxicating promise of high grades – and the effect these have on future careers beyond chemistry – is extremely attractive considering the economic investment made by students to attend university.
While these evaluations serve as checkpoints for progress, they inadvertently set the stage for a disconcerting phenomenon – the rapid erosion of knowledge once the exam papers are submitted.
Forgetting
Post-examination, forgetfulness unfolds. The facts and formulas that were diligently memorised now move towards the recycle bin, ready to be discarded to free up short-term memory space. A new term begins with new priorities needing complete focus, leaving behind a vague impression of what was diligently learned last semester. Consequently, lecturers stare into the void of a silent auditorium, filled with blank faces, as few recall a previously taught topic crucial for the lesson. Through the fog of academic amnesia, a memory emerges: Someone did mention to we ought to remember that.
Breaking the cycle
As we reflected on this curious cycle of ‘teach, test, forget’ over coffee, we debated why it happens. Some argued that the pressure-cooker environment of exams forces students to adopt a short-term, memorisation-centric approach. This is exacerbated by frequent, modular exams and formats that favour regurgitation over comprehension. Others pointed to a lack of practical application, where theoretical knowledge remains divorced from real-world contexts, making it easier to discard once the immediate need for it has passed. Increasing cohort sizes certainly doesn’t help and only serves to diminish valuable contact time with lecturers and tutors, diluting the opportunities for tangible learning experiences.
As we reflected on this curious cycle of ‘teach, test, forget’ over coffee, we debated why it happens. Some argued that the pressure-cooker environment of exams forces students to adopt a short-term, memorisation-centric approach. This is exacerbated by frequent, modular exams and formats that favour regurgitation over comprehension.
Others pointed to a lack of practical application, where theoretical knowledge remains divorced from real-world contexts, making it easier to discard once the immediate need for it has passed. Increasing cohort sizes certainly doesn’t help and only serves to diminish valuable contact time with lecturers and tutors, diluting the opportunities for tangible learning experiences.
Finally, as STEM subjects are increasingly advertised as valuable stepping stones to a diverse range of career opportunities, perhaps some simply see the degree as a means to an end.
So how can we break free from this seemingly binding cycle? How can we ensure that knowledge and understanding are not just maintained but built upon? We concluded that the answer lies with how many pedagogic experts are now reimagining the educational landscape. Engaging lectures in smaller groups, thought-provoking discussions, peer-assisted study schemes and interactive sessions form the foundation of a better approach. Emphasising experiential learning, fostering critical thinking and encouraging continuous engagement with the subject matter can transform education into a lifelong journey rather than a series of two-hour examinations.
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