Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Test-Enhanced Learning and Incentives in Biology Education.

Bryn St Clair1, Paul Putnam1, Harold L Miller2

  • 1Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602.

CBE Life Sciences Education
|September 2, 2020
PubMed
Summary

In science education, test-enhanced learning improves recall. However, this study found that incentive levels did not affect student learning in a biology course, contrary to lab findings.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Faith, Science, and Choice: Vaccine Attitudes Among Religious University Students.

Vaccines·2026
Same author

Conflation between knowledge and acceptance may contribute to the knowledge gap between Judeo-Christian and non-religious people.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Complex Degradation Mechanisms Accessible to Anion Exchange Membrane Ionomers on Model Catalysts, NiO and IrO<sub>2</sub>.

ACS electrochemistry·2025
Same author

Intervention Strategies to Overcome HPV Vaccine Hesitancy Among Hispanic Immigrants in the USA: A Video-Based Approach.

Vaccines·2025
Same author

Comparison of Predictive Factors of Flu Vaccine Uptake Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Using the NIS-Teen Survey.

Vaccines·2024
Same author

Real-World Survival Impact and Utilization of Adjuvant Radiation in Advanced Laryngeal Cancer.

Ear, nose, & throat journal·2024

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Educational Psychology
  • Biology Education

Background:

  • Test-enhanced learning, including the testing effect, is recommended for science classrooms.
  • The testing effect enhances information recall through retrieval practice.
  • The impact of incentives on the testing effect in classroom settings is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of incentive levels on the testing effect in a postsecondary biology course.
  • To determine if varying point incentives moderate student learning gains from testing.

Main Methods:

  • A quasi-experimental design was employed in a postsecondary biology course.
  • Exams were administered with two incentive conditions: low and high point values.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Student learning was measured to assess the impact of testing and incentives.

    • Main Results:

    • Exposure to exams significantly predicted improved student learning.
    • The level of point incentives (low vs. high) did not moderate the learning benefits of testing.
    • Results contrasted with laboratory studies suggesting higher incentives can decrease recall.

    Conclusions:

    • Incentives may not play a significant role in enhancing the testing effect in real-world postsecondary biology classrooms.
    • Further research is needed to understand discrepancies between laboratory and classroom findings on incentives and the testing effect.
    • Findings have implications for designing effective learning strategies in higher education science courses.