Interleaved Practice
Interleaved practice is a learning technique that involves mixing different topics or skills during study sessions, rather than focusing on one topic at a time (blocked practice). It enhances long-term retention and transfer of knowledge by forcing learners to discriminate between concepts and apply them in varied contexts. This approach is widely used in education, sports training, and professional skill development to improve problem-solving abilities.
Developers should use interleaved practice when learning complex technical skills, such as programming languages, algorithms, or frameworks, to build deeper understanding and adaptability. It is particularly effective for preparing for interviews, mastering multiple technologies simultaneously, or transitioning between different project requirements, as it reduces context-switching costs and improves recall under pressure.