Are We Forgetting Something? Two of the Most Effective Learning Strategies Are Not Explained in Teacher-Education Materials

Educational reforms often emphasize that students should learn to learn and use good learning strategies. Spaced repetition and retrieval practice are two effective and well-documented strategies that reliably improve both comprehension, retention, and knowledge transfer. They can also increase interest and reduce test anxiety, making them especially relevant for teachers. However, many learners misunderstand or underutilize these strategies, and research indicates they are underrepresented in teacher education curricula. To investigate this, we analyzed assigned readings in Norway’s largest postgraduate teacher training programs (PPU-A). Using zero-shot text classification, we identified 992 excerpts likely to address repetition or retrieval. Two coders then evaluated whether these excerpts contained accurate explanations or examples. We found no complete explanations of either strategy. Some excerpts provided clear examples, but most were incomplete or ambiguous. This suggests that two fundamental cognitive strategies with clear educational relevance are being overlooked or misconceived in teacher education curricula.