Transforming“Cram and Forget” into“Mastery and Retention”: A Longitudinal Analysis ofCumulative Writing-to-Learn in Organic Chemistry Using Linear MixedModels

Organic chemistry is frequently perceived as a subject requiring overwhelming rote memorization, often yielding “cram-and-forget” study patterns. This study investigates the impact of a structured voluntary remediation program designed to shift at-risk students from surface-level memorization to deep mechanistic understanding. The intervention integrated cumulative retrieval practice with “writing-to-learn” tasks with individualized, remote feedback provided via Google Classroom. Linear mixed-model longitudinal analysis revealed a significant increase in the quality of logical understanding (Mastery Proportion) over eight sessions (β = 0.07, p < 0.001), regardless of initial learning orientation. Notably, a significant gap was observed between students’ low preference for these effortful tasks and their high recognition of their pedagogical value, suggesting the development of sophisticated metacognitive awareness. Individualized remote feedback served as a crucial scaffold, providing psychological safety for struggling learners. Ultimately, these findings demonstrate that embedding “desirable difficulties” within a supportive, individualized framework can transform remedial education from rote repetition into a metacognitive process. This scalable approach offers a blueprint for fostering long-term retention and mechanistic reasoning in challenging scientific disciplines beyond organic chemistry.