Welcome back to our deep dive into Make It Stick! In earlier chapters, we learned that human beings often underestimate the power of quizzes, spaced reviews, and other “desirable difficulties” for deeply encoding new knowledge. Now, in Chapter 8 – the final chapter - the authors give us a wealth of practical, research-backed techniques, complemented by real-life success stories that illustrate each strategy in action. Below is a closer look at how you can use these insights—whether you’re a student, teacher, or lifelong learner—to transform the way you acquire and retain new skills.
Embrace Difficulty: The Foundation of Strong Learning
First and foremost, Chapter 8 emphasizes embracing difficulty. When learning feels too smooth—like when you reread a highlighted passage until you can almost recite it by heart—you’re not necessarily building durable knowledge. By contrast, struggling to recall a concept or wrestling with a tough problem before the solution is given (a technique called generation) strengthens memory pathways in the brain. It may feel slow or awkward in the moment, but it pays off in lasting mastery.
A stellar example from the text is Michael Young, a medical student at Georgia Regents University. As someone without a traditional pre-med background, Young initially found himself lagging in a highly competitive environment. By repeatedly testing himself, forcing retrieval of complex names and enzyme pathways, and ensuring he spaced out those practice sessions over time, he jumped from the bottom of his class to top ranks—proving that difficulty, done right, can be transformative (211-214).
Retrieval and Spaced Practice: Better Than Rereading
Much of this chapter drives home two central methods: retrieval practice and spacing. Retrieval practice means actively calling information to mind—through quizzes, flashcards, or teaching someone else—instead of passively rereading. Timothy Fellows, an undergraduate in a psychology course, excelled by quizzing himself on key concepts, reorganizing material into self-made study guides, and testing what he actually knew versus what he only “felt” familiar with. His strategy—using repeated retrieval throughout the semester rather than marathon cramming—led to consistently high grades on everything from multiple-choice to short-answer exams (216-217).
Spacing is equally pivotal: rather than tackling material in a single binge session, you return to it periodically, leaving time in between so you partially forget before trying to recall again. The extra mental effort required to retrieve something you studied a few days (or weeks) ago cements it more effectively than continuous, uninterrupted review.
Interleaving: Mix It Up to Master Material
Interleaving—alternating among different topics or problem types—also weaves through Chapter 8. Instead of finishing all the “volume of a sphere” problems in one block, try mixing them with problems on cylinders or cones. Nathaniel Fuller, a professional actor for the Guthrie Theater, effectively uses interleaving when he practices lines for different characters and scenes out of sequence. He covers his script, recites from memory, then bounces to a new scene, continually returning to previous dialogue in a random pattern. This interleaving not only helps him master difficult lines but prepares him for last-minute understudy roles when needed (217-222).
From Classrooms to Boardrooms
Chapter 8 also demonstrates how these principles apply far beyond school:
Teachers can design quizzes that reach back to old topics, helping students avoid “cramming and forgetting.” Biology professor Mary Pat Wenderoth assigns her students weekly “learning paragraphs” to reflect on key concepts, deepen understanding, and draw connections with real life (210).
Trainers and coaches in the workplace see the same effect. At Jiffy Lube, employees can’t even begin working on a car until they pass knowledge quizzes and demonstrate skills on the job under supervision, ensuring repeated retrieval and immediate feedback (245-247).
Farmers Insurance uses constant role-play and scenario-building, interweaving marketing and sales training so that new agents must continuously refresh, apply, and refine the knowledge they gain (241-242).
Taking It Forward
In essence, Chapter 8 puts learning science into practical steps:
Retrieve regularly: quiz yourself often, rather than rely on rereading.
Space your practice: revisit material periodically instead of massing it into one block.
Interleave different topics or skills: vary your tasks so you continually switch between problem types, forcing your brain to discern which strategy is needed when.
Embrace mistakes: acknowledge that errors are part of the learning curve. Correcting them cements accurate knowledge.
Reflect on what you learn: rewrite key concepts in your own words or visualize them, forging richer mental connections.
Real-life examples—from Michael Young’s medical success to Jiffy Lube’s hands-on process—prove that these strategies work. They hold the power to transform classroom performance, improve job training, and help you become a truly self-directed, lifelong learner.
That’s the heart of Chapter 8’s message: tackle the tough stuff and trust the process. The effort spent wrestling with material—through retrieval, spacing, interleaving, and reflection—isn’t wasted energy; it’s the very route to genuine, lasting knowledge.
We’ve arrived at the final stop in our Make It Stick journey. The overarching lesson of this book—and all eight chapters—is that durable learning grows out of strategic effort. Embracing spaced practice, retrieval, interleaving, and reflection may feel awkward at first, but the payoffs are unmistakable: deeper understanding, stronger recall, and genuine mastery. By continuing to challenge yourself rather than choosing only what’s comfortable, you’ll develop the mental habits that transform information into lasting knowledge—and that’s what truly makes it stick.
Eckert Centre is staffed with educational psychologists in Calgary, Alberta who specialize in teaching students of all ages the science of learning. Academic coaching services can support students of all ages to make what they are learning stick!
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Madison is a Psychology Assistant & Digital Marketing Assistant at Eckert Centre. She's currently deepening her understanding of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Madison brings her passion for mental health to our community through her writing. As our blogger in residence, her contributions offer a fresh perspective and shed light on the importance of mental wellbeing and school psychology. We are grateful for her eloquent words and the insights she shares on her journey towards cultivating a "Wise Self."
Works Cited
Brown, Peter C., Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2014.
