Originally coined by cognitive psychologists Robert A. Bjork and Nate Kornell, interleaving is an instructional approach of that involves mixing different concepts. This is in comparison to a more traditional instructional approach (referred to as, “blocking”) that may require students master one concept before moving onto the next.
Research on interleaving suggests that using this instructional approach can deepen student learning. By requiring students to learn about multiple concepts concurrently, they’re required to focus much more intently on them all than they would need to by tackling one concept at a time. Some disciplines provide this type of instruction naturally. For example, language learning courses often require student to simultaneously divide attentions across vocabulary, grammar, and cultural contexts as they work toward language mastery.
The authors of Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning offer the example of a study conducted in an art history class. In one class, blocking was used. During lectures, students were shown paintings created by specific painters, and the class discussed defining characteristics of each artist’s work. After seeing all of the paintings created by one artist, the class moved on to the next. In another class, interleaving was used. Instructors showed paintings by specific paintings, but did not show them in blocks. The first painting would be by one artist, the next by another artist, and so on. Each time a new painting was presented, the class discussed the artist and examined its defining characteristics.
When the classes were tested on their knowledge of these paintings and their artists, not only did the class where interleaving was used performed better than the class that used blocking, but students in the interleaving class were also more accurate in correctly identifying works by the artists that they had not seen in class.
Does interleaving sound like something that may benefit your students? Feel free to reach out your Office of Teaching Excellence & Innovation liaison for a consultation. We’re happy to help brainstorm!