Transfer of learning, or the use of learning gained in one situation to help in another, is a fundamental goal of education and primary aim of teaching. Unfortunately, transfer of learning is also one of the least solved, most challenging problems in educational research, with much more empirical evidence supporting failure to transfer among students. However, by designing your instructional practices to meet the conditions for transfer, your students will be more likely to achieve it. The purpose of “Teaching for Transfer of Learning” is to introduce the phenomenon of transfer, from research to practice, to better foster it in your classroom via next-day strategies for practical, immediate action.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to
- outline how our understanding of transfer as a phenomenon has evolved over time
- explain why transfer of learning is so difficult for their students
- develop strategies to better foster transfer of learning in their classrooms.