Why should I fill this out?
We know that cognitively, it’s more challenging to write an answer than it is to recognize it from a list of options, and we want you to have the opportunity to flex those instructional design muscles.

Will I receive feedback?
You won’t get individualized feedback on your answer. Unfortunately, we just don’t have the technology or staff to make that happen right now. You will have the opportunity to compare your answer to at least one expert to see how you’re doing. In any self-study environment, you – as the learner – are the smartest entity in that system, so you are the best judge.

Where will my answer go?
Answers will be transmitted to the DBL Learner Record Store via an xAPI statement. DBL also will periodically review answers to see how learners are doing, and use that information to improve DBL courses. Your text entry information will never be shared or used for any other purpose. If you prefer that it not be used in this way, please contact us directly.

Do I really need to do it?
It is not required. You can skip it or type gibberish, and that’s up to you. You will, however, be missing out on the opportunity to practice and test yourself. Retrieval practice is an excellent way to embed an idea and to practice applying something you’ve learned. Either way, we encourage you to think about your answer before you read the expert version.

For more on Retrieval Practice, see the book Make It Stick by Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel.