Insights
May 6, 2025
Flashcards work, but Luna makes them work harder
Written by Natalie Bull
Flashcards have been a go-to study tool for generations, but how does Luna take them to the next level?
Like many parents, I started with simple flashcards to help my children recognise letters and build vocabulary (FYI: it worked too well).
As they grew, we used flashcards to learn languages, identify birds and plants, and now, older still, to memorise scientific definitions, tricky spellings, and complex maths equations.
Flashcards are a tried-and-tested favourite for one simple reason: they work. And you know what else? They're actually fun.
Learning by doing
When learning a skill like juggling, skateboarding, or baking, you don't just watch; you have a go, mess up, try again, and get better each time. Studying works the same way. You test yourself, learn from mistakes, and gradually retain and apply knowledge more effectively.
Flashcards turn studying into a game of self-testing, far more powerful than just re-reading notes. Each time you challenge your brain to find an answer, you flex your memory muscle and actively engage rather than passively review.
It's more satisfying, too; just like landing the perfect kickflip or crafting that showstopping sponge, there's real pride and progress with every card you get right.
The brain-training trio
Active recall is the foundation of effective learning. Combine it with spaced repetition – reviewing material at strategically increasing intervals – and you beat the brain's natural forgetting curve, helping knowledge stick.
Add metacognition – the ability to reflect on what you know and what still needs work – and learners can focus their efforts where they matter most.
Testing yourself with flashcards is great. But without regular review, you risk forgetting; without reflection, you miss gaps in understanding. And without a smart system to manage it, well, it's easy for all that hard work to go to waste.
Proven learning strategies
For many years, the concept of learning styles – tailoring lessons to visual, auditory, or kinesthetic preferences – has been a popular approach in education, with the belief that people learn better when taught in a way that matches their learning style.
However, recent research, like this systematic review published in Frontiers in Education found a lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of this method. While accommodating preferred learning styles may aid motivation or initial engagement, it does not necessarily translate into improved learning outcomes.
On the other hand, methods like active recall, spaced repetition, and immediate feedback (hello again, flashcards!) are backed by strong evidence and have been shown to improve memory and understanding. If we want to support students with evidence-based learning strategies, these proven approaches are the ones to focus on.
No felt-tips required
When I was at school, making flashcards meant trawling through endless papers to find essential insights, carefully handwriting each one in felt-tip pens, and colour-coding them by subject.
Today, flashcard apps can streamline this in seconds, but that doesn’t mean the productive learning process is lost. Research such as this from the American Psychological Association shows that creating your own digital flashcards strengthens memory and comprehension by actively involving the learner in the study process.
Students need to find and feed in the content and can fine-tune the flashcards generated – rephrasing ideas, adding context, and choosing question types that suit their requirements. This hands-on process supports deeper cognitive processing and improves long-term retention.
When paired with spaced repetition to optimise review timing, self-created flashcards become an even more powerful and personalised study tool.
Flashcards, but supercharged
Luna combines everything that makes flashcards effective into one supercharged study tool. Here's how it works:
Retrieve and refine.
Paste your material into Luna to instantly extract key facts and turn them into Q&A or True/False flashcards. Edit or remove cards as needed, and organise them into colour-coded collections.
Recall and review.
Test your memory by flipping flashcards and rating your confidence on a scale of 1 to 3.
Reinforce and repeat.
Luna's Smart Scheduling tracks your progress and builds a personalised revision plan to maximise retention.
Resources.
Luna helps students maintain a positive mindset during high-pressure periods with access to study tips, wellbeing guides, expert advice, and support services.
Ready when you are.
Luna works across all your devices so you can revise whenever and wherever.
Kick-start revision
When preparing for exams, knowing what, how, and when to revise can be overwhelming.
It's tempting to cram the night before, but spacing out your study sessions is a far more effective strategy for long-term retention, as this research by psychologist Nate Kornell (2009) demonstrates.
Three ways to power up your flashcards:
Stick to one idea per card.
Focus each flashcard on a single fact or concept to make recall easier.
Shout it out.
Say the answer before peeking! This forces you to commit, boosting active recall.
Keep sessions short.
Rather than cramming for hours, study in 20–30 minute bursts with regular breaks to keep your brain fresh.
Instant flashcards, lasting knowledge
Flashcards work, but Luna makes them work harder, blending science, simplicity, and support into one clever tool.
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To find out how it can help your students study smarter, get in touch for a free trial licence.