Transfer Sousa Chapter 4 Leah Muccio. What is transfer? “…the ability to learn in one situation and then use that learning…in other situations.” Sousa.

TransferTransfer

Sousa Chapter 4Sousa Chapter 4

Leah MuccioLeah Muccio

What is transfer? What is transfer?

“…“…the ability to learn in one situation and then the ability to learn in one situation and then use that learning…in other situations.” Sousa p. use that learning…in other situations.” Sousa p. 135135

““Transfer is a child’s ability to use knowledge Transfer is a child’s ability to use knowledge gained in one context or domain and apply it to gained in one context or domain and apply it to other or novel contexts and domains.” Serpell et other or novel contexts and domains.” Serpell et al., p. 423al., p. 423

“…“…important for learning because it can optimize important for learning because it can optimize the acquisition of knowledge and skills.” Brand, the acquisition of knowledge and skills.” Brand, Reimer, & Opwis, p 1 Reimer, & Opwis, p 1

What is transfer?What is transfer?

The Hokey Pokey of teaching:The Hokey Pokey of teaching:

That’s what it’s all about!!!That’s what it’s all about!!!

Cooperative Learning TaskCooperative Learning Task

Create your own written definition of Create your own written definition of transfertransfer Transfer is…Transfer is… Focus on the critical attributes Focus on the critical attributes

Create a metaphor, simile, or analogy to Create a metaphor, simile, or analogy to explain transferexplain transfer Act it outAct it out Explain in a visual form by drawingExplain in a visual form by drawing

Two parts to the process Two parts to the process

Transfer during Transfer during learninglearning The effect of past The effect of past

learning has on new learning has on new learning learning

Transfer Transfer of of learning learning How new learning is How new learning is

applied in future applied in future situationssituations

Transfer During LearningTransfer During Learning

New learning workingNew learning workingmemorymemory

Store by similarityStore by similarity

At the same time…. At the same time…. long termlong termmemory memory

Retrieve by differenceRetrieve by difference

Types of TransferTypes of Transfer

Positive TransferPositive Transfer

Past learning is helpful Past learning is helpful to the learnerto the learner

Can lead to greater Can lead to greater achievementachievement

Personal examplePersonal example• Hailing a cabHailing a cab

Negative TransferNegative Transfer

Past learning Past learning interferes with new interferes with new learning learning

Affective aspects can Affective aspects can be very influentialbe very influential

Personal examplePersonal example• Child afraid of the Child afraid of the

vacuum cleaner vacuum cleaner

Transfer of LearningTransfer of Learning

Ultimate goal of educationUltimate goal of education To prepare children for the worldTo prepare children for the world Key to higher mental processes Key to higher mental processes

Has been illusive for teachersHas been illusive for teachers Students rarely transfer skills from one Students rarely transfer skills from one

discipline to anotherdiscipline to another Students also have challenges applying Students also have challenges applying

knowledge to new situations knowledge to new situations

Factors Affecting Transfer and how Factors Affecting Transfer and how Teachers Can Address ThemTeachers Can Address Them

Context and Degree of Original LearningContext and Degree of Original Learning Teach fewer concepts in greater depth to create Teach fewer concepts in greater depth to create

meaningmeaning SimilaritySimilarity

Balance need for similarity to help students remember Balance need for similarity to help students remember and need for difference to help students to recalland need for difference to help students to recall

Critical Attributes Critical Attributes Identify in curriculum and highlight for studentsIdentify in curriculum and highlight for students

AssociationAssociation Feature links to previous learning and provide positive Feature links to previous learning and provide positive

emotional associations emotional associations

Current ResearchCurrent Research

Brand, S., Reimer, T., and Opwis, K. Brand, S., Reimer, T., and Opwis, K. (2007). (2007). How do we learn in a negative mood? Effects of How do we learn in a negative mood? Effects of negative mood on transfer and learning. negative mood on transfer and learning. Learning and InstructionLearning and Instruction, 17, 1-16., 17, 1-16.

Study focused on the role of mood on Study focused on the role of mood on performance of a transfer task for adult students.performance of a transfer task for adult students.

Negative mood shown to reduce transfer effects Negative mood shown to reduce transfer effects in both experiments.in both experiments.

Findings seem to contract previous research that Findings seem to contract previous research that negative mood could lead to more analytical negative mood could lead to more analytical problem solving approaches.problem solving approaches.

Current research Current research

Gromko, J.E. (2005). The effect of music Gromko, J.E. (2005). The effect of music instruction on phonemic awareness in instruction on phonemic awareness in

beginning readers. beginning readers. Journal of Music Journal of Music EducationEducation, 53, 199-209., 53, 199-209.

Study tested near-transfer theory that music Study tested near-transfer theory that music instruction would lead to Kindergarten children’s instruction would lead to Kindergarten children’s increased skill with phonemic awareness.increased skill with phonemic awareness.

Children did show greater gains in development Children did show greater gains in development of phoneme segmentation.of phoneme segmentation.

Music intervention effective due to the fact that Music intervention effective due to the fact that both are aural skills. both are aural skills.

Current Research Current Research

Serpell, Z.N, Boykin, A.W., Madhere, S., and Nasim, A. Serpell, Z.N, Boykin, A.W., Madhere, S., and Nasim, A. (2006). The significance of contextual factors in African (2006). The significance of contextual factors in African American students’ transfer of learning. American students’ transfer of learning. Journal of Black Journal of Black PsychologyPsychology, 32, 418-441., 32, 418-441.

Focused on how communal learning contexts and the Focused on how communal learning contexts and the influence of using physical materials versus computer influence of using physical materials versus computer simulations would influence the performance of African simulations would influence the performance of African American students on a transfer task.American students on a transfer task.

African American children working together scored better African American children working together scored better on the transfer task than White children.on the transfer task than White children.

Students using the physical apparatus performed better Students using the physical apparatus performed better on the transfer task. on the transfer task.

Other ResourcesOther Resources

Seminal WorksSeminal Works Thorndike, E.L. (1903). Thorndike, E.L. (1903). Educational Educational

psychologypsychology. New York: Lemcke & Buechner.. New York: Lemcke & Buechner.• The granddaddy of transfer theoryThe granddaddy of transfer theory

Hunter, M. (2004). Hunter, M. (2004). Mastery teachingMastery teaching. . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

• Thorough discussion of ways to promote transferThorough discussion of ways to promote transfer

Brain ConnectionBrain Connection http://www.brainconnection.com/http://www.brainconnection.com/

• A teacher friendly website about how the brain works and A teacher friendly website about how the brain works and people learnpeople learn

Questions and ReflectionQuestions and Reflection

Any questions?Any questions? Take a moment to reflect…Take a moment to reflect…

What’s an example where you’ve fostered What’s an example where you’ve fostered transfer of learning in your classroom?transfer of learning in your classroom?

What techniques can you use in the What techniques can you use in the classroom to further foster both transfer in classroom to further foster both transfer in learning and transfer of learning?learning and transfer of learning?

What are the most salient points about What are the most salient points about transfer you’d like to remember?transfer you’d like to remember?