Transfer Strategies (Application of Learning)

BENEFITS

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Learning transfer and application are beneficial because they turn “knowing” into “being able to use,” which is what actually improves performance, problem-solving, and long-term growth. link

• Students connect new ideas to prior knowledge and use them flexibly, which strengthens conceptual understanding and makes forgetting less likely. link

 

• Improves the ability to perform complex tasks in authentic settings.

 

• Transfer supports higher-order skills such as analyzing novel problems, drawing analogies, and making informed decisions.link

 

• Successful application reinforces self‑efficacy: students and professionals begin to see themselves as capable problem-solvers in real contexts, not just good test‑takers.

 

 

4 Types of Learning Transfer:

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• Positive Transfer – previous learning helps present learning.

 

• Negative Transfer – previous learning hinders present learning.

 

• Near Transfer – transfer of knowledge between similar contexts.

 

• Far Transfer – transfer of knowledge between dissimilar contexts. link

 

 

 

HOW TO

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• Be Explicit about Transfer –  When engaging students in activities to promote the application of knowledge in new contexts, make learning goals and expectations clear. Doing so will allow students to recognize why they are doing what they are doing, as well as what it is they are to do. They are more likely to willingly engage if you explain the benefits of transfer for future learning and even career aspirations.

 

• Focus on Core Concepts –  Students will more effectively apply knowledge when they comprehend the critical principles behind the content and skills that they need to use. Develop activities that help students foster a deeper understanding of relationships, shared functions, or similar organizing principles prior to asking them to apply course material in new contexts.

 

• Provide Students with Practice – Students develop the ability to transfer learning through practice. One way to provide such practice is to present two different cases, problems, readings, etc., and ask students to find a single approach for analyzing or solving each. Alternatively, you can ask students to construct a different case or problem that requires the same skills and knowledge as an assignment they completed previously.

 

• Make it Social and Collaborative –Application of knowledge can be particularly effective when it is done in a cooperative social context that allows peers to develop explanations, provide each other with feedback, and share responsibility for learning.

 

• Involve Students in the Process –Students will be more invested in transferring what they have learned if they are called upon to mindfully and explicitly search for ways to make connections, to classify, sort, and so on. Likewise, they will be more invested if called upon to self-monitor their progress and success in applying information in new ways. Self-reflection and self-assessment are great tools for accomplishing this goal. link

 

 

 

CHALLENGES

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Transfer learning and application are hard because they demand deep understanding, good cues for “when to use what,” and supportive contexts for practice, not just exposure to content. link

• Learners often do not spontaneously think about future use; knowledge stays “encapsulated” in the original task or course.

 

• When the transfer context looks very different (new wording, setting, tools, or stakes), learners may not notice that a familiar concept or strategy is relevant. link

 

• Tasks in real settings are messier and less structured than classroom or training problems. link

 

• Many courses and trainings are not explicitly designed for transfer; they emphasize coverage and recall.

 

• Learners may get few chances to practice applying skills in non‑repetitive, unpredictable situations. link

 

• Low motivation, fear of making mistakes, or discomfort with change.

 

• Limited resources, rigid assessment systems, or overpacked curricula can crowd out the iterative, practice-rich experiences that transfer requires. link

 

 

 

WHAT NOT TO DO

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• Do not save application for a single end‑of‑unit project or test; students need repeated chances to apply ideas in new situations throughout the unit.

 

• Do not park instruction at recall and routine procedures; without explicit attention to underlying structures and “big ideas,” transfer is unlikely.

 

• Do not equate more information with more learning; content‑heavy, example‑light lessons increase cognitive load and reduce later application.

 

• Do not rely on a straight “teach then test” sequence that only measures short‑term recall rather than performance in transfer‑rich tasks.

 

• Do not assume that practicing a decontextualized strategy (like summarizing or “showing work”) guarantees students will spontaneously use it elsewhere.

 

• Do not leave transfer expectations implicit; if students never discuss when, where, and why a tool or idea is useful, they rarely carry it forward.

 

• Do not skip reflection on how a strategy or concept worked across varied examples; without abstraction of the principle, learning stays tied to particular tasks.  link