How To Create Fun And Effective Educational Flashcards

Studying can significantly affect how well a student does in their academic career. There are several different study methods out there, each of which has its own upsides and downsides. 

Many people read and reread textbooks, highlighting important information and then reviewing it. This type of studying is often regarded as the most effective since it allows students to learn the source material slowly over time. However, there isn't much fun involved in this method, and for some people it simply doesn’t work.

Other study methods, such as flashcards, may provide a more effective and fun studying experience. But what makes a good flashcard? And how do you use them to create a fun learning experience? Read on to learn how to create fun and effective educational flashcards for students. 

What makes flashcards an effective study tool? 
Flashcards are effective for various reasons. The first involves information retention. Flashcards are deliberate in their design; they aim to enhance a student's ability to recall information. Active recall – the ability to learn and retain new information – is vital for studying because of the way it creates neural connections within the brain. The strengthening of these connections helps improve a student's memory over time. Because of this, their ability to remember things they have learned via flashcard studying is heightened. 

Flashcards also tell you what subject material you excel at and where you may need to pay a little extra attention. For information you aren't yet familiar with, you can repeat the study session using the same flashcards. This method is referred to as confidence-based repetition. It effectively establishes a stronger connection to the source material and a better educational outcome. 

Another learning tool that flashcards tap into is spaced repetition. Since you go through a deck of flashcards during one study session, you are naturally performing spaced repetition. Getting from the first to the last card in the deck takes time. Once you return to the first flashcard, a decent amount of time has passed since you first looked at it. This method aids in creating permanent memories of the things you’ve learned, contributing to information retention. 

How do you make homemade flashcards? 
There are various ways you can make flashcards at home. The first and most straightforward way is to purchase a blank card deck, write a question on the front of each card, and write the answer on the back. Repeat until you have gone through all the subject matter you need to learn for the test or exam. 

You could also opt for other ways of making flashcards depending on the material at hand. For example, if your child is learning to match state capitals with their respective states, you could write the state and the state capitals on separate cards, and you and your child can play a matching game during the study session. It will be more fun and still provide the same positive learning effects that flashcards bring. 

There is also the option of using digital flashcards through an app. There are many flashcard apps available that you can use to personalize your study experience. Digital flashcards can be specific to your lesson and include visuals, audio, and any other information you wish to add. They’re shareable too, so if you want to incorporate them into a study group session, they are a great addition.  

What's the best way to make flashcards? 
The best way to make flashcards depends on your child's learning style. While most flashcards revolve around the same basic principles, there are various ways they help students learn. Suppose your child is a visual learner and responds better to pictures. In that case, you may want to opt for digital flashcards over paper ones. For example, when learning about the presidents and the dates they were in office, your child may learn better when looking at a photograph of the president. 

On the other hand, if your child learns better through reading and writing information, paper flashcards are better. Your child can create the cards themselves in their handwriting. This method is even more effective for this type of learner because handwriting information helps with memory retention, in addition to retaining the information when using the flashcards. 

How can I make learning flashcards fun? 
The best thing about learning with flashcards is that you can turn it into a game, no matter your learning style. For example, suppose you're learning about animals and where they reside worldwide. You can use flashcards to play a charades game to act out the animal on each card. By turning the flashcards into a game, you and your child can make learning even the simplest of information more fun. 

Another game, which we briefly touched on above, is the matching game. It's often played with a deck of cards, but with flashcards, you can create a little more fun. Time yourself or your child as you match the question with the answer cards and try to beat your previous score.

Flashcards are the most accessible study tools you can turn into a game. And when learning is more fun, students are more likely to enjoy studying and retain the information more effectively. 

 

Featured image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash