Desirable Difficulties in Theory and Practice

• Published in: Journal of applied research in memory and cognition Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 475 - 479
• Main Authors: Bjork, Robert A., Bjork, Elizabeth L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washigton Elsevier Science 01.12.2020; Elsevier Inc; Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
• Subjects: Desirable difficulties; Forgetting; Human; Learning and forgetting; Memory; Occupations; Practice; Self-Regulated Learning; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching, instruction, and practice; Theories; Teaching, instruction, and practice; Learning and forgetting; Desirable difficulties
• ISSN: 2211-3681; 2211-369X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2020.09.003

This article discusses the special issue of Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. The articles in this special issue have triggered memories of the events and research findings that led us to the idea that difficulties can be desirable, but they have also emphasized the complexities and challenges of trying to incorporate such difficulties into teaching and self-regulated learning. The articles for this special issue illustrate in a compelling way the range of potentially important applications of desirable-difficulties research. The articles also, however, do an excellent job of documenting the challenges that are inherent in trying to introduce desirable difficulties into real-world settings where the necessary changes may well be undesired by learners—and perhaps by teachers as well. The commentaries in this special issue have made us look both backward and forward with respect to the real-world applications and implications of desirable difficulties findings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)