Which approach helps in developing better retention of learned material?

Active practicing and application significantly enhance the retention of learned material because they engage learners in a more interactive and immersive experience. This approach encourages students to not only understand concepts but also apply them in various contexts, promoting deeper cognitive processing.

When learners actively engage with the material—whether through problem-solving, discussions, or hands-on activities—they create connections between new information and existing knowledge. This synthesis of information leads to better understanding and long-term memory retention. Moreover, active practice often includes feedback mechanisms, allowing individuals to refine their understanding and correct misunderstandings on the spot.

In contrast, merely reading textbooks multiple times tends to be a passive form of learning that does not guarantee deeper processing of the material. Listening to lectures passively may lead to surface-level engagement, while memorizing key points without contextual application often results in a lack of understanding and a transient form of knowledge. Therefore, the active practice approach stands out as the most effective for developing robust retention of learned material.