Many students often engage in 'cramming': learning a lot in a short period of time. This knowledge sticks in the short term, but not in the long term. The last evening before a test, doing some 'cramming' is a common learning strategy among students. This way of learning ensures that superficial knowledge sticks briefly. This is effective for small tests in the short term, but it bypasses deep knowledge and is largely forgotten after a few days. We can only handle a limited amount of information and start forgetting it immediately. Distributed learning in short blocks is therefore much more effective. This is evident from theories such as the Cognitive Load Theory and the Forgetting Curve. It is important to know that students often feel that rereading or cramming is effective (see Illusion of Fluency), while in reality, it may not be. It is therefore advisable to give students insight into these theories and help them with distributed learning. Additionally, it is important to realize that, on average, due to brain development, only 10% to 15% of students plan ahead. So help them with planning, as students often cannot do this yet.
Weinstein, Y., Sumeracki, M., & Caviglioli, O. (2018). Undertanding how we learn: a visual guide. New York, Verenigde Staten: Routledge