thePlasticsPaper - April 16th

For decades, flashcards have remained a popular study tool for students of all ages and academic levels. These small cards, often made of paper or index cards, have been shown to be an effective way to learn and retain information. However, like any tool, they have their limitations. Let's deep-dive into the good, the bad and the ugly.

The Good

One benefit of flashcards is that they allow for active recall, a powerful learning technique that involves recalling information from memory. This process strengthens neural pathways in the brain and improves long-term retention (Kornell & Bjork, 2008).

Additionally, flashcards can be used in conjunction with spaced repetition software, enabling students to optimize their study time and retention (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). Personalization is another advantage of flashcards, as students can create their own cards with information they need to learn or use pre-made ones that align with their course materials or standardized exams (Dunlosky et al., 2013).

Lastly, flashcards are portable and can be used anywhere, allowing students to review them during their commute, at a coffee shop, or while waiting in line (Kornell & Bjork, 2008).

The Bad

However, flashcards also have their limitations. They present information out of context, hindering understanding and retention, and may not be as effective for learning complex concepts or higher-order thinking skills (Karpicke & Roediger, 2007; Dunlosky et al., 2013).

Moreover, flashcards can give students a false sense of confidence in their knowledge and abilities, leading to overconfidence on flashcard-based assessments and struggles on exams that require more application and critical thinking (Kornell & Bjork, 2008).

Finally, creating and reviewing flashcards can be time-consuming, potentially leading to students neglecting other study techniques or not having enough time to review all of their material (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006).

The Ugly

When it comes to the "ugly" side of flashcards, one software that often comes to mind is Anki. While Anki has gained popularity among students and language learners, it also has a steep learning curve and can be very difficult to use. The interface can be overwhelming for beginners, with many options and settings that can be confusing to navigate (Hersh, 2016).

Here are the 15 steps to get started on Anki: yikes!

A common support email I get is, "Umm so how do I downloa the Anki?". It can be time-consuming to set up, especially for students who are not tech-savvy. Anki's spaced repetition algorithm is a powerful tool for improving retention, it can also be challenging to adjust the settings to suit individual learning needs. Students may struggle to find the optimal interval for each card or to adjust the difficulty level of their decks, leading to frustration and discouragement (Hersh, 2016).

Gender Reassigment: 1% regret. 

This systematic review found that regret after gender affirmation surgery is rare, with a prevalence of 1.0%. However, the review had limitations such as a focus on Western countries, reliance on self-reported data, and a lack of examination of long-term outcomes

Read this PRS Article