The three side by side
| Study apps and videos | AI tutor (Tutix) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Watch, read or flip cards | Answer questions, write, get feedback, try again |
| Feedback | Right or wrong, or none | What was right, what was missing and why |
| Personalization | A course or a deck for everyone | A plan that follows what you covered and missed |
| Best at | Introducing an idea; drilling facts | Practicing and correcting, with an explanation |
| Weakest at | Telling you why your answer was wrong | A first slow look at a topic you have not met (use it with a book or a video) |
| Cost | Free to a monthly subscription | Free plan, then a monthly plan |
What the research says builds memory
A large review of ten popular study techniques gave practice testing and spaced practice its top rating, because they help learners of different ages and abilities on many tasks, and rated re-reading and highlighting low. In a classic experiment, students who took repeated recall tests remembered 61% of a passage a week later against 40% for students who re-read it, even though the re-readers had seen the passage more often. These are lab and classroom findings, not a test of any one product, but they explain why the loop of answer, feedback and retry is the part worth protecting.
A week that uses all three
- Meet the idea in a video or a textbook section.
- Practice it in a live class where you write answers and get feedback on them.
- Keep it with short flashcard sessions spread across the week.
- Check it with a few exam-style questions, again a few days later.
A ready-made program gives that week an order to follow, and the Programs page compares the programs by hours at each of five levels.
Questions people ask
Are videos enough to learn a subject?
Videos are good for a first look, but watching is passive. The learning that lasts comes from answering questions and getting feedback, so pair videos with practice.
Are flashcard apps worth using?
Yes, for recall. Spaced practice is among the best-supported study techniques. Flashcards are weaker at explaining why an answer is right.
What should I do with an AI tutor that I cannot do with an app?
Write full answers, get feedback, understand the mistake and try again. That is the practice a deck of cards or a video does not give.
Can I use all of them?
Yes. Use videos to meet an idea, a tutor to practice it and flashcards to keep it.
Sources
- Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques, Psychological Science in the Public Interest (2013)
- Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention, Psychological Science (2006)
