Abstract: Retrieval practice effect, also termed as testing effect, refers to that retrieval practice facilitate long-term retention after initial study, compared to repeated studying costing an equal time, even when tests are given without feedback. Despite the wealth of empirical research illustrated that retrieval practice is one of the most potent strategies for enhancing learning, students and educators may only considered it as an assessment tool to measure what a student knows, consequently cannot change or facilitate learning behavior. Accordingly, a high-level goal of this paper is to advocate for increased use of practice testing as a means for improving student learning in authentic educational contexts, and to offer a reference for teachers and students to apply this strategy correctly and efficiently. The current paper firstly provide an overview of theoretical approaches that have been directed or indirected toward explaining the retrieval practice effect, such as elaborative retrieval hypothesis and episodic context account .Then review some fMRI studies,which provide insight by showing that several enhanced brain regions associated with retrieval practice but not with restudy. As a result, retrieval practice not only makes full use of the cognitive and affective, cortical and subcortical functions, but also plays the advantages of semantic and episodic memory to facilitate learning and memory. Secondly, we illustrate the specific characters of retrieval practice in education context. As we show, across a wide variety of materials and students throughout their lifespan, the testing effect remains a robust phenomenon; significant testing effects emerged at all retention intervals; prior knowledge or ability level has no influence on the effectiveness of retrieval practice; covert retrieval provides as much benefit to later retention as does overt retrieval and that both can be effective study strategies. Thirdly, research indicates that some factors have an important influence on retrieval practice effect size. On the basis of these influencing factors,we offer some basic prescriptive conclusions for students and educators as well as recommendations for enhancing learning and memory in education settings. For instance, multiple practice tests distributed across time, provide correct and delay feedback, enhance retention through reconsolidation and apply challenging retrieval forms to make the effect maximization. Finally, we consider some possible negative consequences (retrieval practice induces forgetting and negative emotion) of testing that may occur in certain circumstances, though these negative effects are often small and do not cancel out the large positive effects of testing. Frequent testing in the classroom may boost educational achievement at all levels of education by formative assessment and low-or no-stakes quizzes. In fact, frequent quizzing seems to alleviate test anxiety.

Key words: retrieval practice, testing effect, neuro-cognitive mechanism, learning and memory

摘要： 提取练习效应是指在学习与最终测验之间，等长时间的提取练习与重复学习相比，前者更能促进长时记忆的保持，也称为测试效应。大量研究表明提取测试是一种高效的学习策略，师生却对此认识不足，认为测试只是检测学习效果的评估工具，并不能改变或促进学习。本文主要从提取练习促进学习的认知神经加工机制、提取练习在实践应用中的特点、提高提取练习效应的方法及其在教学实践中的局限四方面梳理了相关研究，为提取练习广泛应用于教学实践提供支持，同时也为师生正确高效利用这一策略提供了参考，使学生获得更高效和持久的学习。

关键词: 提取, 测试效应, 认知神经机制, 学习与记忆