Distributed learning is defined as opposed to massed learning. Reviews of material separated by a long period of time ("spaced") yield more learning than reviews separated by a shorter period of time ("massed"); this is called the spacing effect. Review of material increases long-term memory best when there is more time between introduction and review of material. It has been suggested that it would be better for exams to be taken after a break than before, assuming there was a review before the exams, because of the spacing effect.
According to a behavioral study, distributed learning across a 24 hour interval does not enhance immediate memory performance but instead slows the rate of forgetting relative to massed learning. The savings in forgetting were specific to relational memory, but not item memory.
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