Research-to-Resource: Introducing Retrieval Practice in Jazz Pedagogy

Abstract

Evidence-based practice in education is the implementation of research-supported teaching tools to enhance students’ learning. Retrieval practice is among the top performing learning techniques in scientific literature, with decades of research supporting its incorporation in educational contexts. Testing enhances posterior performance of the studied material, compared with restudying for an equivalent amount of time. Its benefits extend beyond long-term retention: it diminishes anxiety, fosters learning transfer, and reduces the negative consequences of acute stress on memory retrieval, among other desirable outcomes. Its implementation is inexpensive as it requires only minimal supplies. Despite research indicating the potential of retrieval practice to significantly improve student learning, this technique is rarely implemented in music education contexts. The main objective of this work is to propose the incorporation of retrieval practice in jazz performance education. The article outlines a description of retrieval practice, characterizes optimal conditions for its application, and provides step-by-step examples of its use in the classroom.