Evaluating the use of preparation guides in interteaching versus a quiz alternative

Schena et al. (2024) tested two ways to get college students ready for class. One group filled out a short prep guide before the lesson. The other group took a quick pop quiz on the same material.

Both groups were undergrads in a behavior analysis course. The study lasted one semester. Test scores were compared at the end.

Final test scores were almost identical. The prep guide group did no better or worse than the quiz group.

When students were asked, most said they liked the prep guide more than the quiz.

MacNaul et al. (2021) saw the same null result. They let online students pick flash cards or a study guide. Grades stayed flat, matching the 2024 finding.

Kelly-Sisken et al. (2025) show a different picture. They found equivalence-based instruction beat a PowerPoint lecture on matching tasks. Yet both studies used college classes and quasi designs, so the null versus mixed split is worth watching.

Ferguson et al. (2022) also compared two teaching tools. Progressive DTT was faster and better liked than equivalence training, but both reached mastery. The pattern—equal outcomes yet a user preference—echoes Schena’s prep guide win on liking while scores stayed tied.

If two tools give the same learning, pick the one your students enjoy. Swap pop quizzes for prep guides and keep the goodwill without hurting scores. Check that learners actually complete the guide; engagement, not format, is the real variable you can control.