If you’ve ever forgotten something right after a training session, you’re not alone. Most of us do – not because we weren’t paying attention, but because our brains simply need time to process and reinforce new information. That’s where spaced practice comes in.
Rather than cramming everything into a single workshop or eLearning module, spaced practice spreads learning out over time. It allows people to revisit material in short bursts – giving their brains a chance to rest, reconnect, and retain what matters most.
For learning designers, trainers, and program managers, spaced practice is one of the most effective, science-backed methods to boost retention, performance, and confidence.
Key takeaways
- Spaced practice improves retention: Revisiting material over time strengthens memory and counteracts the natural decline in memory over time.
- Evidence-based learning theory: Spaced practice is backed by decades of research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
- Works across subjects and skills: From compliance training to language learning, spaced learning helps content stick.
- Combines well with retrieval practice: Encouraging learners to recall knowledge during spaced intervals deepens understanding.
- Easily implemented with AI tools: Tools like LEAi can help build learning materials of different modalities that can be used at various times, as well as, assessments and question banks.
What is spaced practice?
At its core, spaced practice means learning something, stepping away, and then returning to it later — repeatedly. Each return strengthens the memory, much like retracing a trail through a forest until it becomes second nature.
This approach helps move information from short-term to long-term memory by giving the brain time to consolidate and reinforce knowledge. Instead of overwhelming learners with too much at once, it builds mastery over time.
Organizations that use spaced practice in onboarding or professional development programs consistently see higher engagement and retention rates. Learners remember more — and they need fewer refreshers down the road.
How spaced practice works
The power of spaced practice lies in its timing. You start by revisiting new material soon after the first exposure, such as the next day. Then, review it again after three days, a week, and finally, a month. Each repetition refreshes memory and helps it stick.
From a cognitive neuroscience perspective, spaced practice enhances memory consolidation — the process by which short-term memories become long-term. When learning is spaced:
- The brain has time between sessions to reorganize and stabilize the new information.
- Sleep and rest periods between sessions help reactivate and strengthen neural pathways involved in that learning.
- Each spaced retrieval reactivates the memory, prompting synaptic changes that make it easier to retrieve later.
Essentially, learning continues between sessions — during the downtime, not just during active study.
When combined with retrieval practice—the act of recalling information rather than rereading it—spacing becomes even more powerful. Asking learners to retrieve knowledge at intervals builds confidence and strengthens memory far better than passive review.
How to implement spaced practice
When applying spaced practice, it’s important to remember that more spacing isn’t always better. The goal is to find intervals that are long enough to allow for some forgetting—so the act of retrieval strengthens memory—but not so long that learners can no longer recall the material. Effective spacing strikes a balance between short-term forgetting and long-term retention.
For longer-term learning goals, such as those spanning several weeks or months, distributing practice sessions across multiple days is far more effective than concentrating them into a single session. This approach helps reinforce knowledge gradually and supports the transfer of information into long-term memory.
A practical way to structure this is by reviewing material at intervals that increase over time in proportion to the retention goal. For example, learners might revisit new information after one day, then after several days, and again after a week or more. This schedule allows each review to strengthen the memory trace without overwhelming the learner.
While some research explores the benefits of expanding intervals (where each gap increases over time), evidence has not yet shown a consistent advantage over fixed spacing. Therefore, using fixed intervals—where reviews occur at regular, predetermined times—is both safe and effective as a starting point.
Finally, when designing spaced learning within a system or program, it’s essential to account for factors such as feedback and exposure. Ensuring that each learning session provides meaningful reinforcement and opportunities for retrieval helps prevent confounding variables and maximizes the benefits of spaced practice.
Designing spaced practice doesn’t require a full overhaul of your learning program – just a shift in how you structure and revisit material. Try these steps:
- Chunk content: Break long lessons into smaller, focused modules.
- Schedule reviews: Set specific intervals for learners to revisit key topics.
- Use microlearning: Reinforce ideas through short videos, quizzes, or flashcards.
- Send reminders: Use email or app notifications to prompt timely reviews.
- Track performance: Monitor learner progress and adjust the spacing based on their results.
How timing impacts the “spacing effect”
The benefit of spacing depends on the interval between study sessions and the retention interval (i.e., the time required to retain the information). One study found that the optimal gap before reviewing grows proportionally with the total retention time.
For example, if you need to recall something a week later, reviewing after one day may be best; if you need to remember it for months, reviewing after a week works better.
If the gap is too short, you don’t benefit much because you haven’t forgotten enough to make retrieval effortful. If the gap is too long, you risk forgetting entirely, and the review feels like relearning rather than reinforcement.
Examples of spaced practice in action
- Compliance training: Instead of a single, annual course, employees complete short, focused modules every month.
- Sales enablement: A new product feature is introduced, then reinforced with short quizzes and follow-ups over several weeks.
- Language learning: Learners review vocabulary daily, then weekly, gradually increasing the spacing between sessions.
- Technical skills: Developers practice a coding technique every week to maintain and strengthen their skills.
Spaced practice isn’t about adding more work – it’s about spreading learning out, so it becomes more effective and less overwhelming.
Spaced practice vs. massed practice (cramming)
Aspect | Spaced Practice | Massed Practice (Cramming) |
Timing | Spread over days or weeks | Done all at once |
Retention | Builds lasting memory | Quickly forgotten |
Cognitive load | Low – smaller chunks processed easily | High – leads to fatigue |
Effectiveness | Encourages deep understanding | Promotes short-term recall only |
Spaced practice vs. interleaved learning
Aspect | Spaced Practice | Interleaved Learning |
Focus | Revisits the same material over time | Mixes multiple skills or topics |
Goal | Reinforce one concept deeply | Strengthen the ability to differentiate concepts |
Use case | Ideal for building foundational knowledge | Suitable for advanced problem-solving and adaptability |
Both methods are highly effective, and when used together, they create a well-rounded and resilient learning experience.
Incorporating spaced practice worksheets and exercises
To make spacing practical, use worksheets and exercises that guide learners to review material on a schedule. These can include reflection prompts, short quizzes, case studies, or flashcards — anything that encourages active recall.
Consistency is key: the goal is to engage learners multiple times with enough spacing in between for forgetting (and relearning) to happen naturally.
AI-powered learning systems can now automatically generate spaced exercises, tailoring review sessions to each learner’s performance and progress.
FAQs
What is the spaced practice theory?
The roots of spaced practice go back to the 1800s, when psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the “forgetting curve.” He found that people lose new information rapidly if it isn’t reviewed. The insight was simple but powerful: to remember more, revisit material just before you’re about to forget it.
That insight became the foundation for the spacing effect, one of the most reliable findings in the field of learning science. Today, neuroscience confirms that learning doesn’t only happen during a lesson – it continues in the breaks between them. During those pauses, the brain consolidates what it has learned and strengthens the pathways that store it.
What is spaced repetition?
Spaced repetition is a learning technique where information is reviewed at gradually increasing intervals. In other words, spaced repetition involves revisiting material multiple times over several days or weeks, rather than studying it once.
How do you practice spaced repetition?
To practice spaced repetition, learners start by reviewing material soon after learning it, then increase the time between reviews as they become more confident. Practicing spaced repetition can be done through flashcards, short quizzes, or digital learning platforms that automate the review schedule based on performance.
What is spaced practice in psychology?
In psychology, spaced practice refers to distributing learning over time rather than cramming it into a single session. Spaced practice in psychology enhances long-term memory, reduces cognitive overload, and facilitates learners’ ability to retrieve information more effectively when needed.
What is spaced practice in teaching?
Spaced practice in teaching involves revisiting key lessons periodically, rather than just once before an assessment. Teachers use spaced practice to help students retain and apply information more effectively over time, supporting deeper understanding and sustained learning outcomes.
What is spaced retrieval practice?
Spaced retrieval practice combines two powerful strategies: spacing and active recall. Learners revisit material at timed intervals and are asked to retrieve it from memory rather than reread it. This combination strengthens both understanding and long-term memory retention.
What’s the difference between spaced practice and cramming?
The difference between spaced practice and cramming lies in timing and effectiveness. Cramming forces the brain to absorb too much information in a short period, leading to rapid forgetting. Spaced practice spreads learning across multiple sessions, allowing time for reflection and reinforcement that produces lasting results.
How long should the intervals be in spaced practice?
There’s no single perfect schedule for spaced practice intervals. Typically, spacing begins with short gaps (a day or two) and gradually extends (a week, a month, or longer). The ideal timing depends on the complexity of the content, its frequency of use, and the learner’s level of mastery.
Can spaced practice be used in workplace learning?
Spaced practice in workplace learning is highly effective for onboarding, compliance, product training, and leadership development. By revisiting key topics at scheduled intervals, employees retain critical knowledge without feeling overwhelmed, making learning more efficient and engaging.
How LEAi supports spaced learning
Spaced learning is most effective when content is delivered in small, focused segments that can be revisited over time. LEAi helps learning designers achieve this by automatically analyzing long-form training materials—such as manuals, eLearning modules, or instructor guides—and breaking them into modular, microlearning units.
These shorter lessons can then be easily scheduled across days or weeks, making it simple to reinforce learning without overwhelming participants. For example, a 60-minute onboarding course can be transformed into a series of six 10-minute lessons, each revisited at strategic intervals to maximize retention.
To strengthen recall, each review in a spaced learning program should involve some form of active engagement rather than passive rereading. LEAi can generate a variety of reinforcement materials, including quick quizzes, flashcards, scenario-based questions, or reflection prompts. It can also create question banks, allowing instructors to draw on random questions from a repository, so learners are not retaking the same quiz every time they practice.
These can be scheduled at increasing intervals—such as after one day, three days, a week, and a month—to align with research on the spacing effect. By automating this process, LEAi ensures that learners interact with content repeatedly and meaningfully, facilitating the transfer of knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.
Beyond efficiency and personalization, LEAi also ensures that content design aligns with established principles of learning science. Finally, LEAi makes it easy to keep spaced learning programs up to date. As course content evolves, the AI can quickly refresh or generate new learning assets, ensuring that all reinforcement materials remain current and consistent.
Contact us to learn how LEAi can transform the way learning teams create and manage spaced learning content.
