The Effectiveness of Multiple-Choice Type Flashcards for the Identification of Fish Species

Abstract

Mobile learning apps such as Duolingo have allowed millions of students to study new subjects that they might not otherwise be able to. One study mode utilized in mobile learning is a digital "flashcard," a tool used by students for studying and memorizing content both in and out of the traditional classroom. Here I investigate whether a multiple-choice type flashcard, which asks the user to identify the picture from one of 4 options, performs better than a digital flashcard to help users identify pictures of fake, cartoon fish. The results of the study so far are inconclusive, not finding statistically significant differences in quiz scores between participants who use the standard flashcards and those who used the multiple-choice flashcard. However, the results may indicate that participants who studied using the multiple-choice flashcard achieved similar scores while studying less on average than those who studied using the standard flashcards.