top of page

Learning Transfer

What Is ‘Transfer of Learning’ and How Does It Help Students?

What Is ‘Transfer of Learning’ and How Does It Help Students?

Play Video

"What is 'Transfer of Learning' and How Does It Help Students?"

Uncertain about what it means to transfer learning? 

Before diving into some of the specific examples of effective means to integrate learning transfer, check out this video by Larry Ferlazzo (2017) to enhance your understanding why learning transfer is necessary to consider when designing classes for adults. 

Scaffolding Learning

Why provide scaffolding? 

  • Scaffolding learning provides "necessary structure and support" for learners to "construct" ways of knowing (Kaiser & Foley, 2013). Scaffolding offers a learner-centered approach towards learning, and because it sufficiently equips learners to perform well, it helps them to develop positive attitudes towards their class.


How to provide scaffolding: 

  • Model/demonstrate the task your students will be learning

  • Incorporate relevant visual aids

  • Provide new vocabulary terms before introducing an assignment or reading

  • Provide prompts or cues, as necessary


Additional Resources:

  • Discover more ways to scaffold learning

    • 15 Teacher-Tested Ways to Scaffold Learning - WeAreTeachers​

Scaffolding Instruction for Students

Scaffolding Instruction for Students

Play Video

"Scaffolding Instruction fo Students"

​

Learn about why scaffolding is important, some different types of scaffolding, and see some examples of what scaffolding may look like in action.

Scaffolding Learning
SCHEMA THEORY, LEARNING, AND COMPREHENSION

SCHEMA THEORY, LEARNING, AND COMPREHENSION

Play Video

"Schema Theory, Learning, and Comprehension"

​

Still a little unsure about how to incorporate schema into your class, or even about what "schema" are? Andy Johnson (2014) provides a good overview of how schema relates to learning in this video.

Integrating Schema

Why provide schema?

  • When learners can connect what they are learning to something they are already familiar with, it reinforces their ability to "comprehend, learn, and remember" (Johnson, 2014). 


How to incorporate schema: 

  • ​When you are teaching, consider how you can relate new material to what the learner already knows.

  • Pre-teach concepts before having learners dive into reading (or video) material. 

  • Before teaching a new concept, consider asking students what they already know about the concept. Afterwards, review the material by asking something they learned.

 

Additional Resources:

  • Goodwin, B. (2017). Helping Students Develop Schemas: Let’s show students the processes experts use to tackle problems. Educational Leadership, 75(2), 81–82. 

    • Use your library card to access this through Academic Search Premier, available here.

  • An example of schema theory (2 minutes)​

    • Schema Theory Example - YouTube​

​​

Intgrating Schema

Activities for Purposeful Reflection

Why practice purposeful reflection?

  • Purposeful reflection provides a way for learners to critically think about how what they have learned is relevant towards their learning, or towards their own past, present, and future experiences. Because it guides learners through purposeful questions targeted towards the learning outcomes, it helps learners connect their learning to their lives in a meaningful way (Kaiser & Foley, 2013).


How to provide purposeful reflection activities: 

  • Encourage different viewpoints to be expressed in the classroom. 

  • Provide plenty of time for your learners to think and/or write out responses. If they feel rushed, the meaning of the reflection experience may lessen.

  • Attempt to connect reflection questions to the both the learning outcome and learners' experiences. Example questions might be:

    • Drawing up previous experience: Have you ever been asked to reflect upon your learning? If so, would you consider the activities you have exprienced "purposeful" reflection? Why or why not?

    • Predicting future experiences: Knowing what you do now about how to use purposeful reflection, how do you anticipate using purposeful reflection with your classes in the future?​
       

Resources:

  • Reflection activites - consider how to make these more "purposeful" when you work with your learners.

    • Learning Through Reflection: 20+ Questions to Inspire Students (positivepsychology.com)

  • A study on why reflection is important to learning:

    • G_1447_Chang (ed.gov)​​​

What is Reflective Learning?

What is Reflective Learning?

Play Video

"What is Reflective Learning?"

​

This video goes into the benefits reflective learning, and why it is important to any learning experience.

Purposeful Reflection
Spaced Repetition: The most powerful study technique

Spaced Repetition: The most powerful study technique

Play Video

"Spaced Repetition: The most powerful study technique"

​

Starting at 1:37, this video provides information about "spaced repetition," which, similar to boosters, helps learners to learn over time. Providing spaced repetition activities for your learners can help them remember what is important throughout your time teaching classes.

Activities for Repetition

Why practice repetition?

  • Repetition is a practice which allows learners to ingrain new information. In using repetition methods in class, what may have been difficult for a learner to once do becomes easier and less foreboding (Focus and Repetition in Learning | APL nextED). 


How to incorporate repetition: 

  • Utilize "boosters," which are "retrieval opportunities" which will allow the "learner's brain to regard information as important." Boosters can be multiple choice questions, short answer questions, or surveys that demonstrate what information is important to retain over time (Kohn, 2015).

  • Use the last 10-15 minutes of class to review what was covered in the lesson. "Quiz" your students on what they remember!

  • Create flashcards of important vocabulary or concepts. At various points during class, review them with your students. Try different tactics with the cards, such as charades or concentration, if applicable (ESL Trail)

​​

Resources: 

  • Find examples of repetition activities:

  • Learn more incorporating "boosters" into your classroom:

    • Kohn, A. (2015, February). Use it or lose it. Talent Development, 69(2), 56-61.

      • Use your library card to access this through Academic Search Premier, available here.​

Repetition

Concept Mapping

Why practice concept mapping? 

  • According to Kaiser and Foley (2013), concept mapping provides a way for learners to "organize, group, move, and reorganize information as they gain mastery over the information" (p.13).


How to incorporate concept mapping:

  • When you have learners build concept maps (see the resources below), consider having the learner start with an overarching theme/main idea, before branching the main idea off into smaller parts.

  • This idea will likely be your learners. Consider providing several examples of how to concept map before asking your learners to participate!
     

Resources (click the links to explore):

Concept Map.jpeg

An example of basic concept mapping from Concept Mapping – Learning Strategies Center (cornell.edu)

Sources:

Access these resources with your library card! Use Academic Search Premier on the MCL website, located
Concept Maps
bottom of page