The timely practice app ensures that learners are more likely to retain their learning by timely practice of questions.

The app schedules the reviews - i.e. a practice question - using increasing interval retrieval practice or spaced repetition system (SRS) to maximise retention of learning with the minimum number of questions.

Traditional teaching supposes the model of teaching and learning ends after the teacher has found that the learner has learned "it", - the teacher and learner behave as if that is the end of the learning experience i.e. after a (single or a few) positive assessment(s) every one can say "job well done".

teach - practise - learn - assess - "job well done"

Whereas the timely practice app replaces the "job well done" with a rolling maintenance program.

wait - practise - assess - repeat

This cycle:  wait - practise - assess - wait - practise - assess etc is the retrieval practice cycle.

The increasing interval retrieval practice or spaced repetition system (SRS) which timely practice uses, is a way of deciding how long the - wait - part of the cycle should be.

The timely practice logo shows the "compound interest" the learner gets from each practice or review. After every review (skim on the water) the learners memory of "it" becomes stronger and lasts for longer.

The retrieval practice cycle (from the teacher and learner perspective):

• the teacher creates a timely practice assignment - which asks the learner a questions on some layers (chosen by the app) from the ready layers,

• the learner completes the assignment - asking for help if they need it,

• the teacher assess the assignment,

• etc

The retrieval practice cycle (from the timely practice app and layers perspective):

After the teacher assess a question from a layer,

• if the question is answered independently and accurately the app increases the interval;

• if the question is answered incorrectly and the teacher judged it needed feedback (because the learner is not accurate or has forgotten or muddled some of the steps) the app decreases the interval;

• if the question is not answered (despite the learner having enough lesson time, and the teacher deciding that feedback might work) then the need for feedback is urgent and the app will dramatically decrease the interval;

• if the teacher decides that the question is not answered well enough and feedback won’t be worth it (we call this best learned later) then the app will remove the layer from the retrieval practice pool and put it in the best learned later pool;

The layers in the retrieval practice pool wait until they are chosen to go into a timely practice assignment again.

The layers in the best learned later pool wait until the teacher decides to teach them again.