Transfer of Learning

Transfer of learning is when a person takes old information and uses it to solve a new problem. For example, Susie already knows how to tie shoe laces, so tying a bow around a present won't be so hard even if she has never done it before. She used the learned skill of tying shoe laces and apply it to the new challenge of tying a bow around a present.

Transfer of learning can occur either through high transfer or low transfer. The difference is how closely related the old information is to the new information. In high transfer there is not a direct connection or easy connection between the old and the new information. Such as trying to apply the skills of tying shoe laces to tying boat knots on a ship. Low transfer is when the transfer of old information is closely related to the new information. Such as using essay writing skills to create a newspaper article. Transfer of learning is a great way to connect information across lessons and have students recall previously learned information.

What is transfer?

The diagram above is a perfect representation of transfer of learning. Transfer of learning is a way to connect (just how the hexagons are connected) old information to new information. Sometimes the connection is easy, such as the red hexagon attached to the green, and sometimes it is hard, such as the purple hexagon and the yellow hexagon. While they may be connected in some ways, like transfer of learning, it may be difficult to do a transfer if the information is not closely related (or too far).

Keywords to Know

Transfer of Learning: Use of knowledge in new contexts that either enhances or undermines the new context. Transfer of learning allows us to use what we know to solve problems, similar to how when it rains, we use an umbrella, and if you see snow for the first time, you might also use an umbrella. You use what you know about rain to tackle the new problem snow.

Metacognition: Thinking about thinking. It motivates students to think about what they already know and how to apply it to new problems or information. Just how metacognition motivates people to call on information they already know to solve new problems, animals know enough to react to the weather surrounding them and make adjustments to protect themselves even as new problem arise during serious weather.

Near Transfer of Learning: Transfer of information that is closely related to new context and not a lot of time has passed between the information. Just how near transfer of learning is the connection between closely related information, when we have endured a tropical storm, we know what to expect when there are warnings for a heavy rainstorm.

Far Transfer of Learning: Transfer of information that is not closely related to new context and an extensive amount of time has passed between the information. Just like far transfer of learning where information is not closely related, people in San Diego may not know how to transfer their reactions and preparations to rain if they were to get snow.

General Transfer: When there is no relation between context (it is nonspecific) but they still influence each other. Old information that can be applied easily to many things. Just how general transfer is very broad in application, we always know to put some type of clothing on regardless of the weather outside.

Specific Transfer: Context are similar in response. Just how specific transfer is only related to certain context and must be similar in order for their to be an adequate transfer, there are only a few organisms that can harvest energy from the sun.

Transfer of Learning Displayed

Just how transfer of learning means to use previous knowledge to handle a new problem, in this example Eep uses her knowledge of light and danger to response to this new stimulus of fire and other human interaction.

Transfer of Learning Activity

What I Learned

Transfer of learning is all about taking what you already know and applying it to something new. To help students understand new information, it is important to build connections between what they already know and what you want to teach them. Discovering what students already know is a great way to help them learn something new. Teachers can do this in many ways. Either taking something students have already learned in class and connecting it to new lessons or taking what students know outside of class and applying that to the new information.