Boulder, CO — Feb. 07, 2019 —Amplifire has added a new product, GapFinder, to its Amplifire knowledge engineering platform that allows administrators to easily create practice tests for learners. The feature lets learners see where they have gaps in their knowledge so they know where to focus their study efforts. It recommends learning modules based on topics the learner is strong or weak in and lists additional resources that learners can review to fill those knowledge gaps.
Practice tests are proven to be one of the most effective learning techniques. According to Robert A. Bjork, Distinguished Research Professor in Cognitive Psychology at UCLA and a member or Amplifire’s Science Board Advisory Board, “Taking a test does more than assess knowledge; tests can also provide opportunities for learning. When information is successfully retrieved from memory, its representation in memory is changed such that it becomes more recallable in the future. “
Known as the testing effect, the practice of retrieving information stored in memory through testing, can have a greater impact on learning than additional study (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006). This is especially true when compared to passive study habits such as rereading notes or re-watching a lecture.
Feedback is another known factor that increases learning and improves retention. The GapFinder gives learners feedback on how well they performed on the assessment and how long it took them to complete it.
Learners can quickly see which questions they answered incorrectly and review the correct answer along with the explanation. This helps them measure their own mastery of the concepts and build confidence in their knowledge as they prepare for an exam or certification.
Learners can retake the GapFinder assessment as many times as they like. They also have the ability to skip questions and flag them for later, a particularly beneficial feature for timed-assessments.
“Incorporating practice tests into our learning platform will help students prepare for exams and certification tests by giving them performance feedback and a chance to restudy the material they answered incorrectly,“ said Nick Hjort, Amplifire’s SVP of Product Development.
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), one of the IT industry’s top trade associations, is the first organization to incorporate this new feature. It gives professionals studying for their IT credentials the opportunity to practice taking their certification exams.
Pearson Education plans to incorporate the GapFinder Assessment in their online courseware, MyLabs and Dynamic Study Modules (DSMs), giving college students the ability to practice taking their high-stakes exams. Other Amplifire customers, including a global telecom, have expressed interest in using this feature to assess and benchmark employee knowledge prior to training.
About Amplifire
To date, Amplifire has delivered 1.9 billion learner interactions and remediated 193 million instances of Confidently Held Misinformation. Healthcare, Education, and Fortune 500 companies use Amplifire’s patented learning algorithms, knowledge analytics, and diagnostic capabilities to drive improved outcomes with a significant return on investment that ultimately saves time, money, and lives.