Keep sharp brings earlier course learning back into the learner’s path. Creators can add in-course refresher stops and enable scheduled follow-up checks after a unit or course. A missed check becomes due again sooner so the learner has another opportunity to practice.
What the learner experiences
A learner finishes an earlier goal, encounters a brief refresher during a later unit, and returns for scheduled checks when follow-ups are configured. For example, a circuit refresher can ask them to identify a complete conducting path before moving on.
| Moment | Result for the learner |
|---|---|
| Reach a configured in-course stop | Answer a short check on earlier learning goals. |
| Finish the unit or course used as the follow-up anchor | A configured check becomes due according to the retention schedule. |
| Submit an incorrect scheduled check | The same schedule step becomes due again sooner: one day later under the default retry policy. |
| Complete a successful scheduled check | Advance to the next configured interval. |
| Pause or snooze follow-ups | Retention scheduling respects the learner’s preference. |
This is an example of the configured workflow, not a claim that the system automatically inserts a stop for every mistake.
Why use it
A correct answer immediately after a lesson is only one observation. Returning to earlier goals gives learners another opportunity to retrieve and apply them after time has passed. Review later performance to judge retention, rather than treating completed review counts as mastery.
Enable it step by step
- Open the course editor's Settings → Retention.
- Enable Keep sharp to inspect the available settings.
- Choose In course for checks drawn from earlier material. The interface requires at least three units for these look-backs.
- Choose Check in after if learners should receive checks after finishing. Review its cadence before saving.
- Choose Mixed, Situations, or Checks, then set Questions per check.
- Select Save retention settings when the configuration is ready.
An assignment can use Custom retention to override its content's schedule. Learners can pause or snooze their own follow-up checks.
How the schedule works
Keep sharp supports two kinds of reinforcement:
- In-course refreshers revisit earlier learning goals before the learner moves into later units. Creators choose the goals through the course outline; adding stops to an existing course prefers goals from recent earlier units.
- Follow-up checks bring learners back to configured refresher stops after completing a unit or course. Their timing follows the course or assignment’s retention schedule.
A refresher draws questions for its configured goals from the learner’s course revision, with authored refresher questions as a fallback. Question selection spreads practice across those goals. It does not currently rank questions by the learner’s past mistakes or automatically add new refresher stops wherever they struggle.
Performance does affect the follow-up schedule: an incorrect refresher result keeps the current schedule step and makes another attempt due one day later under the default retry policy. A successful check advances to the next configured interval. Skipping does not count as evidence of understanding. Reminder delivery also depends on the workspace’s alert settings and the learner’s pause or snooze preferences; a due check does not guarantee an immediate message.
Follow-ups need refresher stops to link to. When enabling Check in after, confirm the course has suitable stops and questions, including courses without in-course refreshers.
Check the result
- Use a test course with at least three units and questions for the goals selected by the refresher stops.
- Enable and save In course, then inspect the course outline for the stops. Apply the course changes through the normal publishing and review process.
- Open a later unit as a learner and complete its refresher. Confirm that the questions address earlier goals and have correct answer keys.
- If Check in after is enabled, finish the configured unit or course and inspect the due review schedule. Confirm that suitable refresher stops exist to receive the follow-up.
- During a scheduled check, verify that an incorrect result retries at the current step and a successful result advances the cadence. Check reminder delivery separately from the due date: delivery depends on alert settings and learner preferences.
Related support
For immediate help with repeated mistakes, Proactive Tutor can offer a conversation. Adaptive Courses — Beta can add accepted remedial topics when a gap needs extra teaching.
Study banks have their own review flow
Study banks and spaced repetition let learners open the course’s flashcards and quiz questions for self-directed practice. Recall ratings control those item-level review intervals. Keep sharp uses course refresher stops and the course or assignment’s follow-up schedule.