Transfer of Learning

DISCLAIMER: The following post was originally completed as part of my coursework for EDUC 520-Student Learning and Motivation, one of my grad classes. If you are not interested in education, this is going to be wicked boring. Please feel free to check out some of my other posts!

Research

Although transfer of learning is the actual goal of all education, many teachers do not take the time to specifically plan for it. Many teachers even act as if it doesn’t exist, and simply teach the content to the point where students can pass the class and move on in life. Transfer of learning is the term used to describe the process by which information learned in the classroom is then used in other contexts (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 348), whether that be a different class, a job site, or life in general! Transfer of learning is indeed a broad subject, and experts have analyzed and defined several types of transfer and their variants.

One of the first distinctions in transfer of learning that is imperative for educators to understand is that of positive, negative, and zero transfer. The goal of education is positive transfer, in which information or a skill acquired in class is useful in a later situation (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 349). Positive transfer might be taking place when a guitar student uses his knowledge of how to play one scale to learn how to play a second scale. Negative transfer is much less desirable, but can sometimes occur. Negative transfer occurs when previous knowledge actually interferes with later learning (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 349). Negative transfer may happen when a guitar student is hindered in learning the technique of plucking the string toward the instrument because of his previous learning on the bass guitar, which requires the player to pluck the string away from the instrument. Zero transfer refers to a situation where one set of knowledge or skill has no bearing at all on later learning (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 350). Zero transfer occurs when a guitar player learns tae kwon do.

Another distinction that can be helpful to understand is that of specific and general transfer. Specific transfer refers to when previous learning helps with subsequent learning because the tasks themselves are similar (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 350). One example of specific transfer might happen when a guitar student learns to play the banjo, which is highly similar in many of its playing techniques. General transfer refers to when previous learning helps with later learning not because the tasks themselves are similar, but because the learning strategies used are similar (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 350). An example of general transfer could be seen when a guitar player learns how to play the piano. The techniques are completely different, but the music theory knowledge and practicing strategies are nearly identical.

One last important distinction in transfer is the distinction between low-road transfer and high-road transfer. Low-road transfer takes place when a previously mastered skill or information is automatically recalled and used to complete a new task or problem similar to the ones already mastered (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 351). One could see an example of low-road transfer in observing a guitar player effortlessly picking up and playing a ukulele, which has a tuning and techniques so similar to the guitar that only the finger spacing needs to be adjusted. High-road transfer refers to a conscious effort on the part of the learner to draw parallels and similarities between a previously mastered skill or learned information in order to aid in the completion of a new task (Biehler, McCown, & Snowman, 2009, 351). An example of high-road transfer can be seen in a guitar instructor having his pupil who is proficient at chess use the chess strategy of always thinking two moves ahead to master the skill of not only placing his fingers on the correct place for the current note, but also preparing the fingers to move to the next position as well.

Although some transfer of learning will take place on its own, teachers must make a conscious effort to teach for transfer if they want it to come naturally to their students. Because transfer of learning occurs due to the connections between bits of information in the student’s mind, teachers can use several different philosophies and strategies to create opportunities for students to use transfer of learning. One such strategy is to teach using different media (Stenger, 2017). Another is to change up the teaching techniques and types of learning exercises as often as possible (Stenger, 2017). These strategies allow the mental connections to be made in multiple ways so that the connections are stronger and an increased number of different stimuli will trigger the skill or knowledge to be recalled for use. Another useful strategy is to have the students practice generalizing (Stenger, 2017), which helps them see and understand the bigger picture. This can be further improved by having the students practice creating analogies (Stenger, 2017), which helps them draw connections between seemingly unrelated domains to strengthen current transfer and facilitate future transfer. Possibly the best strategy is to find ways to practice what is learned every day (Stenger, 2017), which aids in the rehearsal of skills and knowledge and can help it be applied in a variety of contexts, which is exactly the point!

Personal Application

As a high school English teacher, I feel that literally everything I do in my class is specifically meant for transfer! There are a variety of ways that I prepare my students for transfer and give them opportunities to specifically practice for it. As I give these students opportunities, I often receive (especially from freshmen) the dreaded question: “When are we ever going to use this in life?” I always have an answer ready for them, many of which are outlined in the following paragraphs.

One of the first ways that I teach for transfer is also the most obvious, at least to my students, because I do it every single day! I give the students a passage from Proverbs, and then have them write a paragraph based on a deep thought question related to that passage. This provides opportunities for transfer on a number of levels. In the first place, it gives them the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have learned from grammar and writing lessons earlier that year and in previous years. I even remind them of those previous lessons as they prepare to write: “Remember, every paragraph starts with a topic sentence,” and so forth. It also provides them the opportunity to practice the reading comprehension skills they learn in literature class, as understanding the Bible passage is key to writing the paragraph with the right mindset. It gives them a small-scale exercise in receiving a question and answering quickly in an organized way, as they have to in their occasional short persuasive essay assignments. Most importantly, it helps them think about the Bible in a personal and introspective way, a skill that they hopefully carry throughout their lives.

I very consciously help them prepare for the essay portion of the ACT by having them do a similar essay at least once per quarter. I have them practice writing daily, but I usually spend the day before the essay preparing them for the requirements of the short persuasive essay, such as using paragraphs, how to create a basic outline quickly, and how to avoid logical fallacies. During the essay, I help them practice time management by giving them a countdown every ten minutes or so. These short persuasive essays hopefully transfer not only into their ACT exam, but also into their critical thinking and communication skills in general.

Other various essay types not only provide them opportunities to apply language skills, but also give them specific directions to follow, which hopefully transfers into how to follow directions, templates, and examples in the future, even in domains that are not related to language arts, such as filling out a specific type of receipt or expense report for a future business.

I give them various speaking opportunities throughout the year. These public discourse opportunities will transfer into all of life, particularly in formal settings such as business management, practicing law, or sales. Giving oral presentations also helps them develop skills in diction, posture, pronunciation, and most importantly confidence in order to tackle similar tasks in the future, especially for those who may be interested in professions such as politics, a pastorate, or even education.

One very pointed assignment I give is a poster assignment. They must come up with a word that encapsulates a value they hold dear, such as integrity. Then, they must write one sentence explaining what that means, such as, “Do what is right, even if nobody else is.” Then, they must find or create a picture that illustrates that concept, such as a lone student working at his desk while his classmates play and throw things all around him. Then they put these three elements together on a poster in a way that is attractive. This assignment teaches for transfer to personal reflection, concise explanation, visual representation or analogy of an abstract concept, and even graphic design for those interested in that career path.

I am very conscious about making everything I do in my class have an eventual goal outside of my classroom. It may be as simple as knowing how to engage in a simple yet meaningful and grammatically correct conversation, or it may be as in depth as using research, reflection, organization, and writing skills to write their own theology books in the future! Only God knows where my students will end up; my job is simply to prepare them for anything and everything God may have for them, and that means teaching for transfer!

References

Biehler, R., McCown, R., & Snowman, J. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Stenger, M. (2017, May 11). 10 ways to improve transfer of learning.  informED. https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/10-ways-improve-transfer-learning/