Using FlashCardz is like studying with a friend and keeping each other sharp!

When I was in school almost 40 years ago, we had fewer distractions than today's students. There was very little television, no mobile phones, social media, or video games.

We did not go for tuition classes, but studying was a much more social activity than it is today. A typical study session would involve three of us studying together. The process was very simple - study a topic, and then ask each other questions. If we did not know the answer well, the person asking the question (& holding the book) would correct us right away, and ask the question again after some time.

We did not know this at that time, but research has shown that the act of information retrieval is vital to pushing information into our long term memory. Friends studying together and giving each other feedback does 3 vital things that are essential for deeper learning, and sadly missing from today's study methods.

Active recall

Just reading books and notes, and watching videos is a one way process. It feeds our brain with information and often creates an "illusion of learning". This illusion is broken in an exam when the student is unable to recall the information when faced with the question. Studying with friends breaks this illusion because the student is asked to answer questions in a low-risk, non-threatening environment. Numerous studies have shown that the act of retrieval (or self-testing) is absolutely vital to effective studying.

Instant feedback

When we are unable to answer a question, and get immediate feedback, it creates a stronger hook for the brain to retain that information. The methods used by kids and teachers today - class tests, exams, and test series - are unable to provide this level of instant feedback. The feedback is given well after the fact, and in bulk. It is not immediately tied to the act of retrieval.

Spaced repetition

When we studied, we would often ask a question again if our friend had failed to answer it satisfactorily the first time. Somehow, intuitively, we knew that spacing out the repetition is more effective - a fact that has been borne out by research. Such repetition ensured that "weaker" concepts were repeated more often, and so the time was spent more effectively.

It was more fun than reading a book!

Studying with friends and engaging in this sort of question / answer session was a lot more fun than sitting alone and reading a book. We used to look forward to such sessions, and get into little competitions with each other to get better every time.

So how does FlashCardz work?

Most kids do not study with friends these days. So we created a system that simulates such an environment, and actually improves its effectiveness many-fold using technology. It is based on an intelligent use of flashcards, crosswords, and quizzes for continuous self-testing.

Once a topic has been taught at school or at the coaching class, a student uses the FlashCardz system to simulate "studying with a friend". The system throws up a question, encourages the student to recall the answer, and then verify his/her answer by turning the card over. The student also rates his/her mastery over the card, and the system automatically repeats the cards intelligently to firm up the learning.

Subject crosswords, and intelligently designed quizzes give the child a sense of fun and confidence. All this self-testing breaks the dangerous "illusion of preparation" before the exam!

Just as Yoga and Meditation have made a comeback as proven practices to improve physical and mental well-being, we are happy to bring back the age-old practice of studying with friends to help students learn faster, remember longer, and perform better.

Thousands of students have used FlashCardz and love it. After all FlashCardz is a friend who does not judge them, helps them get better and improves their exam scores!