Here is the list of the most
important points of the thesis (terminology given in boldface was
included in the Glossary):
- The SuperMemo method
used in repetition spacing was presented
(Chapter 3). The following elements of the method marked
the most significant steps in its development:
- application of the recall
principle (Chapter 3.1)
- application of the minimum
information principle (Chapters 2 and
3.1)
- application of the optimum
repetition spacing principle (Chapters 2
and 3.1)
- introducing E-factors
(Chapter 3.2)
- introducing the
function of optimum intervals (Chapter
3.3 and 3.4)
- application of interval
dispersing (Chapter 3.5)
- application of the
propagation of changes in the matrix of optimal
intervals (Chapter 3.7)
- Software implementation of
the SuperMemo method was described (Chapter 4)
- SuperMemo on paper was
described (Chapter 7)
- The function of
optimum intervals was found by means of three
methods:
- specially designed
experiment (p.16)
- univalent
matrices of optimal factors in the Algorithm
SM-5 (Chapter 3.6)
- model of
intermittent learning (Chapter 11.4)
- A comprehensive analysis of
the SuperMemo learning process was presented:
- an accurate
simulation model of the SuperMemo process was
constructed (Chapter 5)
- function of the
acquisition rate was found (p.68)
- all-life, maximum acquisition
rate was predicted to be about 230
item/year/min (this value may be substantially
lower in case of ill-structured SuperMemo databases,
or, possibly, higher in case of further
development of the knowledge structuring techniques)
(p.68)
- the all-life capacity
of the human brain was estimated to be about
several million SuperMemo items (p.
72)
- long-term acquisition
of knowledge with the use of the SuperMemo
method was shown to be close to linear
(p.69)
- workload
function was found (p. 65)
- reducing the forgetting
index was found as of little value for
the speed and quality of learning
- eliminating items
characterized by low E-factors was
demonstrated to be crucial for the speed of
learning (p. 68)
- it was found that
only 5% of the learning process can be spent on
acquisition of knew knowledge, the rest is
consumed by repetitions of the old material
- forgetting
rate in case of the cessation of
repetitions was found to be much higher than the acquisition
rate (e.g. after 5 years of the process,
60% of knowledge is lost in the first year after
the cessation) (p. 70)
- burden
parameter was proposed as a very accurate measure
of the learning progress in SuperMemo (p.53)
- model of
intermittent learning was constructed
(Chapter 11)
- relationship between
the forgetting index and knowledge
retention was found to be close to
linear. For the index equal to 10%, as in the Algorithm
SM-5, the long-term retention was
predicted to be 94% (the presently reported
retention reaches 96%) (p. 154)
- the increase of the stability
of memories was found to be the greatest
if the intervals are twice as long as the optimal
intervals (it corresponds to the
forgetting index equal to 20%) (p. 156)
- the function of the workload-retention
trade-off was found (p. 155)
- the function of the workload-retention
trade-off was used to determine
that the desirable value of the forgetting
index falls in the rage 5% to 10% (p.
155)
- Method-independent
prerequisites of the successful application of SuperMemo
were formulated (Chapter 6)
- Results of a questionnaire
collecting opinions of SuperMemo students were presented
(Chapter 8)
- Biological aspects of
learning in the light of the SuperMemo method were
analyzed:
- distinction between stochastic
and deterministic learning was
proposed (Chapter 10.2)
- optimum repetition
spacing in stochastic learning was found to be
possibly less dense than that of deterministic
learning (p. 95)
- illustrative,
hypothetical models of neural circuitry involved
in stochastic and deterministic
learning were described (p. 106)
- arguments for the
presynaptic character of the facilitation in case
of stochastic learning were
listed as well as arguments for heterosynaptic
facilitation in deterministic learning (Chapter
10.2)
- discussion of the
nature of short-term and long-term memory was
included (Chapter 10.1 and 10.3)
- new arguments for the
postsynaptic membrane as the location of
long-term memory were put forward (Chapter 10.3)
- E-factors
were proposed as a reflection of the number of
synapses involved in remembering particular items
(Chapter 10.4.1)
- existence of at least
two components of memory was postulated and
demonstrated: retrievability and
stability (Chapter 10.4.2)
- phosphorylation of
proteins was considered as possibly responsible
for retrievability (Chapter
10.4.3)
- the number of
postsynaptic receptors was considered as possibly
responsible for stability
(Chapter 10.4.3)
- Possible future applications
of SuperMemo were outlined (Chapter 12). As an
illustration, software supervising a touch typing
training was described (p. 87). A simple method for using
SuperMemo in learning to play musical instruments was
presented (p. 92). Universal nature of learning based on
repetition spacing was suggested (p. 165).
- The mere existence of the
SuperMemo METHOD refutes or calls in question a pretty
large number of common sense conceptions and dogmas of
the psychology of learning. The most prominent examples
are listed below:
- opposition of
memorization to logical thinking is pointless.
Memorization (or according to my terminology deterministic
learning) lays ground for the refinement
of the circuitry of the brain which is later on
used in the process of thinking (p. 167)
- ever-lasting memory
acquired by a single learning act is unlikely.
Cases of supernatural memory refer to either
short-term memory, mutant individuals or must be
otherwise seriously reconsidered [Luria, 73] (p.
168)
- time necessary to
learn a given material is proportional to the
first, not second power of the size of the
material. This refers only to long-term memory
and properly spaced repetition process (p. 169)
- forgetting has a
biochemical nature (trace-decay theory) and is
only partially caused by interference
(interference theory). Proper application of the minimum
information principle, principle
of univocality, mnemonic techniques etc.
allows to one to reduce interference to a
negligible level (Chapter 10.4)