Module 15 - Transfer of Learning

iiTOmrïaM Transfer of Learning

Take the Challenge!
In this Module, challenge yourself to attain the following learning
outcomes:
• explain how transfer of learning occurs.
• identify the factors that affect transfer of learning.
• apply principles of transfer in facilitating transfer of
learning.

Introduction
Teachers want their students to apply the knowledge and skills they learn
in class to other situations. When one recognizes a situation as something
similar in a way to what he has experienced before, his tendency is to use
the knowledge and skills he has learned to this new situation. This is what
transfer of learning is about. t

Transfer of Learning I

Discuss this:
• Will a skilled typist find it difficult to use the computer keyboard
when s/he encodes?
Do this:
• Let your teacher/a classmate, whose cellphone features differ from
yours, use your cellphone. Was s/he able to use your cellphone
without your help. Or did s/he need help?
Reflect on this:
• A thesis writer once remarked: “Buti na lang, we were required to
do action research in the undergraduate. It helped me a lot in my
thesis.”
 162 F a c il it a t in g L e a r n in g

Read this: Types of 1

• A preacher used this analogy of the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee
and life. The Dead See is dead. Only a few living things can thrive Positi
there because o f its high salinity. All that the Dead Sea does is improves
receive and receive water. It does not give away. It is dead. This is Spanish w‫׳‬
likened to a person who is psychologically dead because all he does Nega
is receive. He never gives away. context im
commonly
In contrast, the Sea o f Galilee is full o f life. It receives water
their nativ<
from the River Jordan and readily gives away. It is generous and
Example, 1
teems with life. It is like a person who receives but gives away and
interchang!
shares what he receives with others. however, 1
Near
contexts,
Find out: students a
• why the skilled typist didn’t find any difficulty in using the computer similar to
keyboard. use a nev
• why your teacher/classmate couldn’t use a cellphone different from Far 1
his/her without assistance. on appear
general ti
• why the thesis writer found thesis writing much easier because of the
A esop’s f
action research s/he went through. corporatio
• how your understanding o f a true and happy life was made concrete To be suc<
by the use of the analogy of the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. them.

Condition
Thes
^Transfer of learning happens when learning in one context or with one learning,
set of materials affects performance in another context or with other related transfer”. ]
materials. Simply put, it is applying to another situation what was previously educationa
learned. For example, learning to use roller skates later helps a person to
Condit
learn more quickly to ice skate. Learning to get along with classmates in
tr<
preschool helps the child adjust and relate well with classmates in the “big”
school, or even playing highly competitive on-line computer games might
even make one a better strategic thinker in politics or business. Transfer is Similarity
a very significant concept in education and learning theory because most of situations
those concerned in education aim to achieve transfer.
Frequently, the circumstance o f learning (classrooms, workbooks, tests,
drills) differs significantly from the situations when what is learned is to
be applied (in the home, on the job, within complex tasks). As a result, the
educational goals are not met until transfer occurs. This makes transfer a very Degree c
important aspect of instruction. It may be true that in most cases the goal relevance
of transfer of learning from classroom to real life situations is not achieved.
So it is vital that as a future teacher you have a clear understanding of how
best to teach your learners so that transfer of learning is facilitated. After all,
what good is there in providing your learners with tons of knowledge and a
multitude of skills if they cannot apply them when they need to. Length (

f
 Module 1 5 -T ra n s fe r of Learning 163
Types of Transfer
of Galilee
can thrive Positive transfer. Positive transfer occurs when learning in one context
ea does is improves performance in some other context. For instance, a speaker of
ad. This is Spanish would find it easier to learn Mexican language than Japanese.
all he does Negative transfer. Negative transfer occurs when learning in one
context impacts negatively on performance in another. For example, learners
commonly assimilate a new language’s phonetics to crude approximations in
ives water
their native tongue and use word orders carried over from their native tongue.
îerous and
Example, there may be a tendency for a Visayan-speaking child to frequently
; away and
interchange the /e/ and lil sound when speaking in English. With experience
however, learners correct the effects of negative transfer.
Near transfer. Near transfer refers to transfer between very similar
contexts. This is also referred to as specific transfer; for example, when
students answer types o f algebra word problems in an exam which are
; computer similar to what they had in their seatworks. Or when a student is learning to
use a new cell phone that is somehow similar to the one she had before.
erent from Far transfer. Far transfer refers to transfer between contexts that,
on appearance, seem remote and alien to one another. This is also called
general transfer. For example Stephen Covey applied the lesson o f the
!use of the
A esop’s fable o f “The Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs” to managing
corporations. He said we should take care o f the goose rather than kill it.
le concrete To be successful in business we should take care of our workers not burden
Galilee. them.

Conditions and Principles of Transfer

These principles are based on the factors that affect transfer o f
r with one learning. These factors are similar to what Perkins termed as “conditions of
tier related transfer”. Below you will find the factors with the consequent principles and
previously educational implications.
person to
ssmates in Conditions/Factors affecting
Principle of transfer Implication
i the “big” transfer of learning
les might The more similar the two Involve students in
transfer is Similarity between two learning
situations are, the greater the learning situations and
se most of situations
chances that learning from one tasks that are similar as
situation will be transferred to possible to the situations
‫׳‬oks, tests, the other situation. where they would apply
med is to the tasks.
result, the
sfer a very Degree of meaningfulness/ Meaningful learning leads Remember to provide
s the goal relevance of learning to greater transfer than rote opportunities for learners
achieved, learning to link new material to
ig of how what they learned in the
. After all, past.
dge and a
Length of instructional time The longer the time spent in To ensure transfer, teach a
instruction, the greater the few topics in depth rather
probability of transfer than many topics tackled
in a shallow manner.
164 F a c ilit a t in g L e a rn in g

Name:
Conditions/Factors affecting
. Principle of transfer Implication
transfer of learning

Variety of learning experiences Exposure to many and varied
examples and opportunities for
practice encourages transfer
Illustrate new concepts
and principles with a
variety of examples. Plan 2. Extend
activities that allow your principl
learners to practice their
newly learned skills Topic _

In
Context for learner’s Transfer of learning is most likely Relate a topic in one
experiences to happen when learners dis­ subject to topics in other Involve student
cover that what they learned is subjects or disciplines. situations and
applicable to various contexts Relate it also to real life similar as poss
situations where they wo

Focus on principles rather than Principles transfer easier than Zerojn on principles
tasks facts related to each topic Remember to
together with strategies opportunities fc
based on those new material ti
principles in the past.

Emphasis on metacognition Student reflection improves Encourage students to To ensure tran

transfer of learning take responsibility for topics in depth
their own learning, and topics tackled
to reflect on what they manner.
learned
Illustrate new ‫׳‬
principles with
examples. PI‫־‬
Synapse Strengthened allow your leai
newly learned
1. Read more about “mile-wide-inch-deep” curriculum. What are some
advantages/disadvantages of this? Relate a topic
2 . One multidisciplinary approach is Content-Based Instruction (CBI). to topics in otl
Another is the thematic approach. Read about these and see how disciplines. R
they can help the transfer o f learning more effectively. (You may life situations.
wish to refer to Corpuz, B. and Salandanan, G. (2007) Principles of
Teaching 2). Zero in on pri
each topic toe
based on thos

Encourage stt
responsibility
and to reflect
learned.