6 sixth-grade social studies classes from a middle school in Columbia, Illinois were used in this study. 

University of California, Davis

In 2006, middle school teacher Patrice Bain's sixth-grade social studies classes were used in a study to understand the testing effect in the classroom. This was done through the introduction of mini quizzes.

Testing Effect Studied in a Sixth-Grade Social Studies Class

Brown, Peter C, Henry L Roediger, and Mark A McDaniel. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2014. 

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

Subjects (Testing Effect in 6th-Grade class)

Occasional short quizzes were given covering 1/3rd of the material covered by the teacher. The quizzes were "no stakes" (doesn't affect student grades) and the teacher was required to leave the room while the quizzes were in session to be unaware of the material tested. 

3 types of quizzes were given:
- quiz at start: This quiz was given at the beginning of class and tested on assigned readings not yet discussed in class.
- quiz at end: This quiz was given at the end of class after the teacher covers class material.
- review quiz: This quiz was given 24 hours before each unit exam. 

Quizzes were administered through clicker questions and correct answers were revealed once all students answered the question. Besides implementing the quizzes, the class structure, material, and teaching methods were kept the same.


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