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Do you stare at your notes, hoping the information will just sink in?

Bart Simpson looking at a book trying to study. The caption reads 'No! No more distractions!'

❗ Stop...

There's a better way.

Homer Simpsons running around happily

Use flashcards to learn more in shorter chunks so you have more time to spend on things you enjoy!

What are flashcards?

Flashcards are small two-sided note cards.

Student at desk looking through flashcards. Other students are walking around her

Each side of the card has a purpose:

Front

❓ A prompt or question

e.g. Capital of Brazil

Flashcard reading Capital of Brazil

Back

⭐ The explanation or answer

e.g. Brasília

Back of a flashcard with the answer 'Brasilia'

How do I use flashcards?

Flashcards should be used regularly.

It's proven that studying for shorter chunks but at regular intervals actually improves your brain's ability to remember information.

This learning technique is called spaced repetition.

A student says, 'That's so cool!'

Step 1

Decide how often you're going to look at your cards.

👉 e.g., daily for 20 minutes over the course of two weeks

Step 2

After answering a flashcard put it in a Yes or No pile.

✅ Yes = correct

❌ No = incorrect

Step 3

Next time you use your flashcards, start with the No pile.

If you get it right, add it to the Yes pile.

Step 4

Repeat!

Did you know?

Rumie is a nonprofit community dedicated to making innovative learning free for everyone.

Paper vs digital flashcards

You might be thinking paper flashcards sound like a bit of a pain, and there must be an app for that!

Characters from Spongebob Squarepants walking up to an old computer and saying 'we have technology...'

Explore the pros and cons of both, to work out what sort of flashcards will work for you.

Paper flashcards

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Pros

  • Unique and personalized to you

  • Gives you a break from screens

  • You control when you see a card again

Cons

  • Easy to lose or damage

  • Hard to manage and keep track of the cards you struggle with

Digital flashcards

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Pros

  • You can use pre-made cards if you're short on time

  • Easily accessed on the go with your phone

  • Uses spaced repetition software to track which cards you struggled with

Cons

  • Adds to your daily screen time

  • You can't control the cards you see each time

Quiz

Susan's thinking about using flashcards to improve her knowledge of flags. Which method would be best for her?

Take Action

Start acing your learning game with flashcards!

Oprah meme expressing: Learn everything with flashcards

License:

This Byte has been authored by

CT

Clare Thompson

Learning Technology

English

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