SuperMemo 8 for Windows is a program for computer-assisted
learning. It uses a number of recently developed technologies that make the
learning process more effective. It can be used by individual learners or by learning
systems authors. It provides all authoring abilities needed to develop attractive and
effective interactive hypermedia courseware and presentations.
The most important technologies used in SuperMemo 8:
- repetition spacing - SuperMemo 8 implements
repetition spacing, a modern speed-learning method based on computing
optimum intervals between repetitions. This methods greatly increases the speed of
learning new material and practically eliminates the problem of forgetting. This
technology is proprietary to SuperMemo World and has
been the mainstay of its success over the last seven years.
- active recall - SuperMemo 8 makes it easy
to properly represent material used in learning and allows the user to create simple quiz
elements based on active recall. For example, question-and-answer pairs, spelling tests,
pronunciation tests, drag-and-drop tests, multiple choice tests, mind maps, programmed learning procedures, and many more
- mnemonic hypermedia - SuperMemo 8 combines
all popular computer data formats such as graphics, sound, animation, video, etc. These
formats are enhanced by programmability with interpreted scripts and binary components
developed for procedural learning (EXE and DLL formats). All
elements taking part in learning are placed in a tree structure called the knowledge
hierarchy that simplifies the knowledge access and navigation. Last but not least,
all components, including sounds, graphics, etc. can be hyperlinked with other sections of
the learned material.
- linear and selective learning modes -
learning can proceed in the sequence programmed by the author of the course or in the
sequence chosen by the student (e.g. pick-and-learn mode, find-and-learn mode, random
learning, etc.).
- dual knowledge representation approach -
there is a strict by-definition division between knowledge that is used for learning, and
knowledge that is used for rehearsing the learned material. In addition, knowledge used
only as reference or comment can also be included in the course.
- processing attributes - all portions of
material used in learning are clearly marked as: (1) reference material, (2) unprocessed
learning material (sorted for learning priority), (3) processed material (sorted for the
priority of rehearsal). The program provides rich statistics that illustrate the student's
progress in processing individual sections of the material.
The general steps in using SuperMemo 8:
- the authors create collections of pages containing the learned material (these pages can include
questions-and-answers, graphics, video, special exercises, reference material, executable
modules, hyperlinks, mind maps, and many more)
- (optionally) the authors build knowledge hierarchy by organizing all pages into a tree structure (this tree can also
be used to automatically generate the learning scenario)
- (optionally) if there is a larger group of students or
customers, the teacher or students themselves create a subset copy of the learning system for individual use by each student (including learning statistics,
editable material, individual comments and annotations, etc.). An alternative solution is
to replicate the learning material on CD-ROM media (see SuperMemo Store for examples of commercial systems
distributed with SuperMemo)
- the students proceed with learning.
The program is armed with a feature for hiding the authoring shell behind the learned
course. In this way, the student can practically go through the entire course by knowing
only the functions of buttons Learn (start learning) and Next repetition
(go to the next presentation or exercise).
Note: there is no compilation stage before releasing a course in SuperMemo 8. Indeed, the author can give the
students a free hand to expand and/or improve upon the system!
SuperMemo 8 is also ideally suited for
self-learning. In such a case, all complexities of the program can be
circumvented by choosing only two options: (1) Add a new item which adds a new
question-answer pair to the system, and (2) Learn which
rehearses the introduced material. Indeed, this mode has made SuperMemo
one of the most popular software applications ever developed on Polish soil
The list of most prominent features implemented in
SuperMemo 8.
- Standard features of SuperMemo also found in earlier implementations (SuperMemo 8 is
a superset of SuperMemo 7 for Windows):
- possibility of creating independently named bodies of
learning material, the so-called knowledge systems (earlier simply called databases)
- repetition spacing algorithm,
widely known as the SuperMemo method, used in computing optimum intervals between
repetitions in the process of learning
- comprehensive statistics for supervising the learning
process including: daily and monthly calendar of repetitions, average number of items to
repeat per day, average repetition time, expected number of future repetitions, difficulty
distributions, inter-repetition interval distributions, etc.
- tools for managing the learning process such as: selective
memorizing and resetting individual elements, rescheduling outstanding repetitions, etc.
- various element browsers (for memorized items, difficult
items, item subset, items selected by an item filter, etc.)
- element editing tools such as clipboard operations,
duplicating elements, etc.
- knowledge system management tools such as Copy, Delete,
Move, Transfer, Export, Import, etc.
- fast searching for text substrings, search-and-replace, etc.
- recovery procedure for rescuing corrupted files
- Novel features of SuperMemo 8 (not found in earlier implementations):
- modern interface (MDI, toolbars, tabbed notebooks, pop-up
menus, hints, Tip of Day on start-up, context-sensitive help, configurability,
configuration auto-save, etc.)
- hypermedia (sound, graphics, animation, video, scripting, binary components, etc.) and all tools for composing learning elements
and changing properties of individual components (e.g. hyperlinks, registry associations,
color, font, size, alignment, sound, video subsections, scripts, and many more)
- standard navigation tools (Contents, Search, Back, Forward,
History, etc.)
- knowledge that can be organized in a tree structure called
the knowledge hierarchy. A number of tools can be used to operate only on
selected branches of the knowledge hierarchy
- maintaining objects registries with fast access to
all objects in the system such as: texts, words, image files, fonts, scripts, programs,
translation strings, transcriptions, etc. including access to all elements that use
particular objects. All registries, including the full lexicon are updated on-the-fly
(i.e. there is no separate build operation). Registries are editable
- possibility of hiding the authoring shell of SuperMemo
behind the course (this exposes the student to the simplest interface possible). Including
read-only and learn-only modes in addition to full-access mode (for an illustration of an
exemplary interface produced with SuperMemo 8 see pictures at Deine
Chancen in Deutsch)
- practically unlimited number of elements that can be stored
in the system
- tools for easily releasing courseware and presentations on
CD-ROM (including a separately available, favorable license for
SuperMemo 8 itself)
- greatly improved repetition spacing
algorithm (also licensable for software developers as a
separate DLL module)
- easy import from databases created with SuperMemo 7
- export and import of the learning process alone
- Specialist features in SuperMemo 8:
- programmability (knowledge systems can be extended by
scripts and programmed components written in any programming language)
- automatic student testing
- user-defined degree of attention given to individual
elements or entire branches in knowledge hierarchy. By changing the so-called forgetting
index, the probability of forgetting for all individual elements can be controlled!
- element templates used for quick creating of a large number
of pages designed along the same style
- interactive translation of the entire course to other
languages and translation of the program's interface (the
translation strings are kept in a translation registry like all other objects in the
system)
- customizable sound feedback at learning
- tools for creating lexical databases associated with a given
course
- random learning and random review in the knowledge system,
in browser and in registries
- great number of new statistical parameters documenting the
progress of the learning process
- debugging version makes it easier to spot bugs in the system
- and many many more
For more implementation details in reference to
SuperMemo 8 see History of SuperMemo 8 Development and SuperMemo
8 Beta-Testing Programs (8.2 and 8.4).
Minimum requirements:
- 486 DX
- 4 MB RAM (8 MB recommended)
- 2.5 MB hard disk space (more will be needed for your
knowledge system you intend to develop)
- Windows 3.11, Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0
- 800x600 resolution recommended
Additionally, the following hardware might be useful:
If you are interested in using SuperMemo 8 choose one of
the following: