November 6, 2026 · Knowledge Management Made Simple
Imagine spending three hours studying.
Your notes are beautiful. Every important sentence is yellow, pink, or green.
“Wonderful!” says Pavel. “I’ve learned everything!”
Oxana asks one question.
Silence.
Apparently, the highlighter remembers more than Pavel.
Psychologist John Dunlosky and his colleagues reviewed ten popular learning techniques in 2013.
Their research revealed that some familiar study habits are less effective than we think.
Let’s explore three funny examples.
1. The Rainbow Notebook
Pavel highlights every important sentence.
Soon, the entire page is yellow.
“Excellent! Everything is important!”
Oxana looks at the notebook.
“Then why isn’t anything standing out?”
What did we learn?
Highlighting can help identify information, but highlighting alone does little to guarantee long-term learning.
2. The Night Before the Exam
Pavel studies English for five hours on Sunday.
On Monday, he remembers everything.
On Friday?
“What’s the English word for refrigerator?”
“Cold cupboard?”
Oxana suggests shorter study sessions spread across several days.
What did we learn?
Distributed practice generally improves long-term retention compared with cramming.
3. The Surprise Quiz
Oxana gives Pavel five questions about yesterday’s lesson.
“No! I haven’t studied enough!”
“Exactly. Let’s find out what you remember.”
Pavel answers three correctly.
They check the mistakes together.
“Interesting,” says Pavel. “Now I know what to practise!”
What did we learn?
Practice testing helps strengthen memory and identify learning gaps.
The Big Idea
Dunlosky’s review rated practice testing and distributed practice highly.
Highlighting and rereading received lower overall ratings, although they can still be useful for specific purposes.
Why This Matters for Knowledge Management
A knowledge system shouldn’t merely help us collect and reread information.
It should also support recall, feedback, and learning over time.
What About Artificial Intelligence?
AI can generate quizzes, schedule reviews and identify areas needing practice.
But its answers and feedback require verification.
“We rated two strategies—practice testing and distributed practice—as the most effective of those we reviewed”
John Dunlosky, Strengthening the Student Toolbox: Study Strategies to Boost Learning, American Educator, Fall 2013.
The takeaway: Don’t just make your notes beautiful. Make your knowledge memorable.
Because the exam doesn’t care how many highlighters you own.
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