#Retrieval practice

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

Enhancing Training ROI with Spaced Repetition and Retrieval Practice in Microlearning

In the dynamic world of corporate training, organizations are continually seeking methods to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their training programs. Among the many strategies available, spaced repetition and retrieval practice stand out for their proven ability to boost retention and recall among learners. However, the true potential of these techniques is realized when they are used in conjunction, leading to significant improvements in overall training effectiveness and return on investment (ROI).

Understanding Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves breaking down information into smaller chunks and reviewing them over increasing intervals of time. This method leverages the spacing effect, which suggests that information is more easily recalled when learning sessions are spaced out over time rather than crammed into a single session.

The Science Behind Spaced Repetition

The spacing effect was first described by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century. His research demonstrated that people tend to forget information rapidly after learning it, but this forgetting curve can be mitigated by revisiting the material at spaced intervals. Each review session strengthens the memory trace, making the information more resistant to forgetting.

Benefits of Spaced Repetition

Enhanced Long-Term Retention: Spaced repetition helps transfer information from short-term to long-term memory, ensuring that learners retain knowledge over extended periods.

Reduced Cognitive Load: By distributing learning over time, spaced repetition prevents cognitive overload, making it easier for learners to absorb and process information.

Increased Engagement: Regular review sessions keep learners engaged with the material, reinforcing their understanding and commitment to the learning process.

Understanding Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice involves actively recalling information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. This technique is based on the idea that the act of retrieval itself strengthens memory and enhances learning.

The Science Behind Retrieval Practice

Research has shown that retrieval practice, often referred to as the testing effect, significantly improves retention. When learners attempt to recall information, they engage in a process that strengthens neural connections, making it easier to retrieve the information in the future.

Benefits of Retrieval Practice

Improved Recall: By repeatedly practicing retrieval, learners become more adept at recalling information accurately and quickly.

Enhanced Understanding: Retrieval practice encourages learners to process information more deeply, leading to a better understanding of the material.

Immediate Feedback: Frequent retrieval practice sessions provide opportunities for immediate feedback, allowing learners to identify and correct mistakes promptly.

The Power of Combining Spaced Repetition and Retrieval Practice

While both spaced repetition and retrieval practice are powerful learning techniques on their own, their combined use creates a synergistic effect that maximizes training effectiveness and ROI.

Complementary Strengths

Reinforced Learning: Spaced repetition ensures that information is revisited at optimal intervals, while retrieval practice reinforces the learning by requiring active recall.

Enhanced Memory Consolidation: The combination of these techniques promotes deeper processing and stronger memory consolidation, making it more likely that learners will retain and apply what they have learned.

Continuous Engagement: Regularly spaced retrieval practice sessions keep learners engaged with the material, preventing knowledge decay and maintaining a high level of readiness.

Practical Implementation in Microlearning

Microlearning, characterized by short, focused learning modules, is an ideal format for integrating spaced repetition and retrieval practice. Here’s how organizations can effectively implement these techniques in their microlearning programs:

Structured Review Sessions: Design microlearning modules that include built-in review sessions at spaced intervals. For example, after an initial learning session, schedule follow-up sessions a few days, weeks, and months later to reinforce the material.

Frequent Quizzes and Assessments: Incorporate regular quizzes and assessments that require learners to actively recall information. These can be short, formative assessments that provide immediate feedback and highlight areas needing further review.

Adaptive Learning Paths: Use adaptive learning technologies to customize the spacing and frequency of review sessions based on individual learner performance. This ensures that each learner receives the optimal amount of review based on their unique needs.

Gamification Elements: Incorporate gamification elements, such as badges and leaderboards, to motivate learners to participate in spaced repetition and retrieval practice activities. This adds an element of fun and competition to the learning process, increasing engagement.

Measuring the Impact on Training ROI

To fully appreciate the benefits of combining spaced repetition and retrieval practice, it’s essential to measure their impact on training ROI. Here are key metrics to consider:

Knowledge Retention Rates: Track retention rates through periodic assessments to determine how well learners retain information over time. Higher retention rates indicate the effectiveness of the training program.

Learner Engagement Levels: Monitor engagement metrics, such as participation in review sessions and completion rates of quizzes. Increased engagement is a strong indicator of a successful training program.

Performance Improvement: Assess the impact of training on job performance by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) before and after training. Improved performance demonstrates the practical application of learned skills and knowledge.

Cost Efficiency: Evaluate the cost efficiency of the training program by comparing the costs of implementing spaced repetition and retrieval practice against the benefits gained in terms of improved retention, performance, and reduced need for retraining.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Several organizations have successfully implemented spaced repetition and retrieval practice in their microlearning programs, achieving remarkable results.

Case Study 1: Tech Company Boosts Onboarding Success

A leading technology company integrated spaced repetition and retrieval practice into its employee onboarding program. New hires completed a series of microlearning modules followed by regular review sessions and quizzes. As a result, the company saw a 30% improvement in knowledge retention and a 25% reduction in time-to-productivity for new employees.

Case Study 2: Healthcare Provider Enhances Compliance Training

A healthcare provider implemented these techniques in its compliance training program. By incorporating spaced repetition and frequent assessments, the organization achieved a 40% increase in compliance test scores and a significant reduction in compliance-related incidents.

Conclusion

Spaced repetition and retrieval practice are powerful techniques that, when used together, can significantly enhance the effectiveness of microlearning programs. By leveraging these methods, organizations can improve knowledge retention, boost learner engagement, and ultimately achieve a higher training ROI. Implementing these techniques requires thoughtful planning and the right technological tools, but the benefits far outweigh the investment. In an era where continuous learning and adaptability are crucial for success, combining spaced repetition and retrieval practice offers a proven strategy to maximize the impact of training initiatives.

[sweetteachings]

For anyone interested in listening, here is my Cognitive Science podcast assignment on the Testing Effect. The author of the article does some detailed research and study into the effectiveness of the Testing Effect and it's benefits to memory retrieval as I discuss some sample exercises that I could introduce into my future classroom.

Here is the reference to the article in my podcast:

Rivers, Michelle L. (2023). "Test Experience, Direct Instruction, and Their Combination   Promote Accurate Beliefs about the Testing Effect".  Journal of Intelligence, 11(7),147.          https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence11070147

[dannysciencefix]

Cognitive Theory and Primary Science Teaching

Cognitive science is gaining increasing influence in education and many existing and developing educational approaches are described as ‘inspired by cognitive science’. Many of these approaches have been long practiced or described as effective pedagogy without any reference to cognitive science – for example, quizzing pupils on topics has been common even without this being thought of as a form…

[fastlane-freedom]

Cognitive Psychology in Daily Life – Fastlane Freedom

Cognitive psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on the study of mental processes, including how people perceive, think, remember, and solve problems. It explores the cognitive aspects of human behaviour, such as attention, memory, language, perception, decision-making, and problem-solving. The key objective of cognitive psychology is to understand the internal mental processes that…

[spacebubblehomebase]

So I asked my friends what Murder Drones was all about before watching it and they said, "It's about drones murdering each other." Wooow. Thanks, guys. Could NEVER have guessed that based on the title, but after watching the show, there really was no better way to describe what I witnessed other than "drones being murdered left and right" so I got what I came for, honestly. XD no false advertising whatsoever! (More Nuzi doodles below!) -Bubbly💙

[dreamersdigimon]

Shelter

[abirddogmoment]

On seek backs and impulse control

One of my favourite obedience exercises (that conveniently fosters impulse control and ties into send outs!) is the seek back, where you (the handler) drop an item while heeling and then send your dog back to retrieve it after a certain distance.

(The video is just to illustrate, I don't usually play this game indoors because I need more space.)

In competition obedience, the item you drop will be a leather or cotton glove. In gundog training, you would usually use a dead bird, a bumper, or sometimes a tennis ball depending on the dog. I'm using a holee-roller stuffed with rabbit hide strips because I was working outside earlier and that's my current outdoor toy.

(As always, if you're working on this and its a new game for your dog, be willing to accept sloppy heeling or retrieves at first. You can tighten those things up after your dog understands the idea of the game. You can see Rory doesn't actually retrieve the ball in this clip - this is fine!! I'll fix that later!!)

To start, your dog needs an understanding of heel position and heel movement. You need an item or snack that's valuable enough to be interesting but not so valuable that your dog won't be successful.

Get your dog in heel position and calmly drop a kibble or toy behind you. If your dog is in heel on your left, use your right hand. Do this as boring as possible but make sure your dog knows it's happening. Immediately reward your dog for staying in heel, reward position should be wherever you usually reward for heel (so I reward near my knee). Use a tab leash if you need more clarity or control. Take one step in the direction you're facing. Send your dog to get the snack or toy.

If your dog doesn't know how to bring items back, just use snacks! If your dog usually retrieves really well but stops bringing the item back, they're probably done with this game for now! It's a tricky one so take a break and come back to it later.

Once you can drop your item from a stationary heel and your dog is steady, you can start taking two or three steps in the direction you're already facing. Make sure your dog is in heel position before you send them back to the item. At this stage, send them back to the item while they're moving forward with you - don't ask for a sit or stand yet!

Once that's pretty easy and you incrementally make your way to 10 or 15 steps, you can start adding pauses (sit or stand) or direction changes. Make sure to increase your difficulty slowly so it isn't too frustrating. This is a hard game for your dog!

Once you've got all those pieces, you can start doing this in bigger spaces and sending your dog from incrementally further away! Start on flat ground with items that stand out so your dog can visually find them easily, and then add in difficulty by using terrain or smaller items.

(This is where you could tie in to gundog send-outs - use a bumper or bird, drop it surreptitiously while heeling in a straight line, and then send your dog in a straight line. Slowly reduce the visibility of your item but keep the straight line so your dog trusts your directions.)

I used to play this game with Mav and I would sneaky-drop my keys and send him back to find them while we were walking in the park. I'm using it to work on Rory's heeling, but I love how it fosters such good skills for real life (like say the ones you would need to walk away from a porcupine). As a bonus, it's legit exhausting once you get to bigger distances because you combine the brain work with running very very fast to get the item!

[luckmandude]

Russell, your roomates also need to sleep (bonus sausage)

[headfullof-ideas]

Another incorrect quote, but it’s only one, and it’s to introduce another OC

Meet Nate, the guy Fontaine eventually ends up with. Like Kari, he also started out as a ‘these submarine dwelling kids need more friends’. And while Fontaine has been shown and mentioned to have plenty of ‘land friends’ that she likes to hang out with, unlike Ant who has Jeffrey and Griffin for exactly one episode, i decided to actually design those land friends, and Nate was one of them. And like Kari, he eventually wound up filling a romantic role as well. But like Kari I made sure he was a developed character before any of that happened, so he didn’t get stuck in the ‘protagonists romantic interest’ role, with nothing beyond that pertaining to his character. Nate is the mom friend to end all mom friends, he knows how to cook, he carries sunblock and snacks everywhere, owns five fanny packs, and thinks noodle-head is a devastating insult. I talk a bit more about him in one of my Ao3 fics, which at this point is entirely Incorrect Quotes and headcanons, and exactly one Oneshot I’m genuinely considering reposting as it’s own story because I don’t see any other oneshots making their way into that story with how long it takes me to write them

[femmeleatherface]

everything about this passage is golden

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

The Power of Core Concepts in Microlearning: Confidence-Based Assessments, Spaced Repetition, and Retrieval Practice

In the rapidly evolving landscape of corporate training and education, microlearning has emerged as a transformative approach. It leverages short, focused learning sessions to deliver content in manageable chunks, making it easier for learners to absorb and retain information. However, to fully harness the potential of microlearning, three core concepts must be integrated into your strategy: confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice. An understanding of these concepts is essential to maximize the effectiveness of your microlearning initiatives.

Confidence-Based Assessments

Confidence-based assessments are a sophisticated tool designed to measure not just what learners know, but how confident they are in their knowledge. This dual focus on knowledge and confidence helps to create a more comprehensive understanding of learner competency.

Key Benefits of Confidence-Based Assessments:

Identifying Knowledge Gaps: By asking learners to rate their confidence in their answers, these assessments reveal areas where learners may think they understand the material but actually do not. This helps in pinpointing specific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.

Enhancing Self-Awareness: Learners become more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness is crucial for effective learning, as it encourages learners to focus on areas that need improvement.

Promoting Better Learning Strategies: When learners recognize discrepancies between their confidence and their actual knowledge, they are more likely to adopt effective study strategies and seek additional resources to bridge these gaps.

Implementing Confidence-Based Assessments:

Rating Scales: Incorporate rating scales into quizzes and tests, asking learners to indicate how confident they are in their answers. This can be a simple scale from 1 (not confident) to 5 (very confident).

Feedback Loops: Provide immediate feedback on both the accuracy of the answers and the confidence ratings. This helps learners understand where their confidence aligns with actual knowledge and where it does not.

Adaptive Learning Paths: Use the data from confidence-based assessments to create adaptive learning paths that focus on areas needing improvement. This ensures that learners spend time on the content that matters most to their development.

Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. This method is grounded in the psychological principle known as the spacing effect, which suggests that learning is more effective when spread out over time, rather than crammed into a single session.

Benefits of Spaced Repetition:

Improved Long-Term Retention: By revisiting information at spaced intervals, learners reinforce their memory, making it easier to recall information in the long term.

Combating the Forgetting Curve: Spaced repetition helps combat the natural decline in memory retention that occurs over time, known as the forgetting curve. Regular reviews at strategic intervals help maintain high levels of retention.

Efficient Learning: This method allows learners to focus on information that they are most likely to forget, optimizing study time and effort.

Implementing Spaced Repetition:

Scheduling Reviews: Use algorithms or spaced repetition software to schedule reviews of content at optimal intervals. This can be days, weeks, or months apart, depending on the complexity of the material and the learner's familiarity with it.

Progressive Difficulty: Start with simpler concepts and gradually increase the difficulty of review questions as the learner demonstrates improved retention.

Consistent Practice: Encourage learners to engage in spaced repetition consistently to build strong, long-lasting memories.

Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice involves actively recalling information rather than passively reviewing it. This method has been shown to significantly enhance learning and retention, as it strengthens the neural connections associated with the recalled information.

Benefits of Retrieval Practice:

Strengthened Memory: Each time a learner recalls information, it strengthens the neural pathways associated with that knowledge, making it easier to retrieve in the future.

Enhanced Understanding: Retrieval practice encourages deeper processing of information, leading to better understanding and application.

Immediate Feedback: It provides opportunities for learners to receive immediate feedback on their recall efforts, helping to identify and correct misunderstandings promptly.

Implementing Retrieval Practice:

Frequent Quizzing: Incorporate frequent, low-stakes quizzes into the learning process. These quizzes should focus on recalling information rather than recognizing it.

Varied Question Types: Use a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions, to promote active recall and deeper understanding.

Cumulative Reviews: Design cumulative reviews that require learners to recall information from previous lessons, not just the most recent content. This helps to reinforce long-term retention.

Integrating the Core Concepts

To get the most out of your microlearning initiatives, it is crucial to integrate confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice seamlessly. Here’s how to create a cohesive learning strategy that leverages these concepts:

Design Adaptive Learning Paths: Use data from confidence-based assessments to create adaptive learning paths that guide learners through content based on their knowledge gaps and confidence levels. Integrate spaced repetition and retrieval practice into these paths to ensure that learning is both effective and efficient.

Develop Engaging Content: Create microlearning modules that incorporate elements of all three concepts. For example, a module might start with a brief review (spaced repetition), followed by a quiz that includes confidence ratings (confidence-based assessment) and active recall questions (retrieval practice).

Use Technology: Leverage learning management systems (LMS) and microlearning platforms that support these techniques. Many modern LMS platforms have built-in features for spaced repetition, confidence-based assessments, and retrieval practice.

Provide Continuous Feedback: Offer continuous, detailed feedback to learners based on their performance in retrieval practice and confidence-based assessments. This feedback should help them understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor learner progress through analytics and adjust the training programs as needed. This ensures that the learning strategy remains effective and aligned with the evolving needs of the learners.

Case Study: Effective Integration of Core Concepts

Consider a healthcare organization that needs to train its staff on new medical procedures and protocols. The organization faces challenges in ensuring that the training is retained over time and applied correctly in high-stress environments.

Implementation:

Microlearning Modules: The organization develops short, focused modules covering each new procedure and protocol.

Confidence-Based Assessments: Each module includes assessments where staff rate their confidence in their knowledge and skills.

Spaced Repetition: The learning management system schedules reviews of the procedures at increasing intervals, ensuring that the staff revisits and reinforces their knowledge over time.

Retrieval Practice: The modules include frequent quizzes and scenario-based questions requiring staff to recall and apply the procedures in simulated environments.

Results:

Improved Retention: Staff demonstrate significantly improved retention of procedures and protocols.

Increased Confidence: Confidence-based assessments help identify areas where additional training is needed, boosting overall confidence in applying new skills.

Enhanced Application: Retrieval practice ensures that staff can effectively apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios, leading to better patient outcomes.

Conclusion

Incorporating confidence-based assessments, spaced repetition, and retrieval practice into your microlearning strategy can transform employee training. These core concepts enhance knowledge retention, ensure continuous learning, and promote a deeper understanding of material. By leveraging these techniques, organizations can create highly effective and adaptive microlearning programs that meet the needs of today’s dynamic workforce. Embrace these strategies to unlock the full potential of microlearning and drive lasting improvements in your training outcomes.

[puzzled-pegasus]

If youre sad here's some extremely lazy sketches of Golden Retriever Jason giving hugs to his friends :)

in order, the pictures are Golden Retriever Jason hugging Black Cat Nico, Golden Retriever Jason hugging Black Labradoodle Percy, Golden Retriever Jason hugging Australian Shepherd Piper, and Golden Retriever Jason hugging Chihuahua Leo.

I would've done one with Reyna too but it's too late at night 😑

[shamandrummer]

The Shamanic Practice of Soul Retrieval

Soul Retrieval is an ancient shamanic practice aimed at recovering fragmented parts of a person's soul that may have been lost due to trauma, emotional pain, or significant life events. The concept is rooted in the belief that when a person experiences trauma, parts of their soul can dissociate as a survival mechanism. This soul loss can result in feelings of emptiness, disconnection, or a lack of vitality. This post will delve into the history, process, and benefits of soul retrieval, offering a comprehensive understanding of this profound healing technique.

The Concept of Soul Loss

In shamanic belief systems, the soul is not seen as a single entity but rather a collection of spiritual energies that make up our essence. When we experience trauma, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, parts of our soul may flee as a protective mechanism. This fragmentation is often subconscious, but it can manifest in various ways, such as feelings of emptiness, dissociation, chronic depression, or a general sense of being incomplete.

Soul loss can occur due to various reasons, including:

Traumatic Experiences: Accidents, abuse, sudden loss of loved ones, or severe illness.

Emotional Pain: Heartbreak, betrayal, or significant disappointment.

Life Transitions: Major changes such as divorce, job loss, or moving to a new place.

Spiritual Intrusion: Negative energies or entities invading the soul's space.

The History and Origins of Soul Retrieval

Soul retrieval practices can be traced back thousands of years to indigenous cultures around the world. These practices are particularly prominent in Siberian, Mongolian, and South American shamanic traditions. Shamans, or shamanic practitioners, are considered intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds. They perform soul retrieval to recover the lost fragments and restore the individual's spiritual harmony.

Practitioners utilize various techniques to enter altered states of consciousness and journey into the spiritual realm. These techniques often include drumming, chanting, dancing, or the use of plant medicines. The goal is to locate and retrieve the lost soul fragments and reintegrate them into the person's being.

The Process of Soul Retrieval

The soul retrieval process typically begins with a thorough preparation phase. This involves:

Consultation: The practitioner meets with the person to understand their history, experiences, and symptoms of soul loss.

Setting Intention: The individual sets a clear intention for the retrieval, focusing on the specific aspects of their life they wish to heal.

The Journey

During the soul retrieval session, the practitioner enters a trance state, often facilitated by rhythmic drumming or other methods. In this altered state, the practitioner journeys to the spiritual realms to locate the lost soul fragments. This journey may involve:

Encountering Spirit Guides: Practitioners often work with spirit guides or animal totems who assist in the retrieval process.

Navigating Spiritual Landscapes: The journey can take the practitioner through various spiritual landscapes, such as forests, caves, or celestial realms.

Retrieval and Reintegration

Once the lost soul fragments are located, the practitioner gently retrieves them and brings them back to the physical world. The reintegration process involves:

Blowing the Fragments: The practitioner may blow the retrieved fragments into the person's body, typically into the heart or the crown of the head.

Energy Balancing: The practitioner works to balance the person's energy field, ensuring the reintegrated fragments harmonize with the existing soul parts.

Benefits of Soul Retrieval

Soul retrieval can facilitate profound emotional healing. By reintegrating lost soul fragments, individuals often experience a sense of completeness and inner peace. This can lead to the resolution of long-standing emotional issues, such as depression, anxiety, or grief.

Reconnecting with the lost parts of the soul can ignite a journey of spiritual growth and self-discovery. It can open pathways to deeper understanding, intuition, and connection with the divine or higher self.

Many people report significant improvements in their mental health following a soul retrieval. Symptoms of dissociation, PTSD, and other trauma-related conditions often diminish as the person becomes more grounded and present in their body and life.

Healing the fragmented soul can also have positive effects on personal relationships. As individuals become more whole and balanced, they are better able to connect with others in healthy and meaningful ways.

Integrating Soul Retrieval into Modern Healing Practices

Soul retrieval can be integrated with modern therapeutic practices, such as psychotherapy or counseling. Many holistic practitioners recognize the value of addressing the spiritual aspects of healing in conjunction with psychological and emotional therapies.

Individuals can also explore personal practices to support their soul's healing journey. Meditation, mindfulness, and other spiritual practices can help maintain the balance and integration achieved through soul retrieval.

For those interested in undergoing a soul retrieval, it is essential to seek a qualified and experienced practitioner. Recommendations from trusted sources, thorough research, and an initial consultation can help ensure a safe and effective healing experience.

Conclusion

Soul retrieval is a powerful and ancient healing practice that addresses the spiritual dimensions of trauma and emotional pain. By understanding and embracing this practice, individuals can embark on a transformative journey towards wholeness and inner harmony. Whether integrated into modern therapeutic approaches or pursued as a standalone practice, soul retrieval offers profound benefits for emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

As we continue to explore and integrate ancient wisdom into contemporary healing, soul retrieval stands as a testament to the enduring power of spiritual practices in nurturing the human soul. By reclaiming our lost fragments, we can move forward with greater resilience, purpose, and connection to our true selves.

[bluejay-flies]

Decided to do some realism practice and I’m VERY happy with the result!!

[ohmyblues]

So... I've watched Wednesday and now I'm obsessed with these two.

[the-grey-necromancer]

Soul Shard Bag

This magic item is exceedingly useful to an advanced necromantic practitioner. It allows them to collect and store soul shards for later use. When a human being suffers a traumatic event in their life, a small part of their soul fissions off and is left behind. This is part of the process known as soul loss a magical illness known to some shamanistic religions. A person who experiences enough trauma gradually becomes more apathetic and listless, eventually becoming what is called a Hollow Man/Woman. Shamans treat this by undergoing a spirit journey to retrieve the soul shard and then reunite it with the owner.

However an advanced necromantic practitioner can learn how to use these soul shards to their advantage. One way is to graft a number of soul shards into a complete chimeric soul. This can then be used for crafting, energy, spirit bargaining, etc. Another way is to graft the soul shard to a spirit being which does not normally possess a soul, thus allowing it to experience mortality. Yet another is to graft the soul shard to oneself which if compatible can accelerate spiritual ascension and growth. There are still more uses but this is not the point of this post.

To make the soul shard bag simply take a black drawstring bag and place within a magically charged piece of onyx. Then the bag should be taken into a burial site and exposed to the energies at such a location. To use it carry it with you and simply open it at accident sites, crime scenes, locations where violent sports are played, or at hospitals. The soul shards left behind at such sites will be drawn into the stone within and will remain there until utilised.

One important thing to note is that actually being able to use the souls within is something that unfortunately many practitioners will never be able to do. This is do to the fact that many spiritual entities including certain deific beings do not allow just anyone to mess around with souls. It usually requires patronage and permission from such beings and usually comes with stringent rulesets.