THREE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT TRANSFER....
ROTE MEMORIZATION
Rote memorization is the term for memorizing something without understanding it. Rote memorization is a common thing among young students. When I learned about this I realized that that term was a big part of my life. When I was in elementary school that is all that would happen; memorizing facts, but I really did not understand what I was memorizing. Testing was hard for me because it wasn't all matching the term with the definition. Unfortunately the information that I was memorizing would only be remembered in fragments and some of that information could have been valuable to transfer to other materials. After learning this I have realized how important it is to really understand a definition, theory, or idea. The way that I learn and study a topic will be approached a more effective way, whichever strategy will better help with my understanding.
MINDFUL ABSTRACTION
Mindful abstraction is a key part of high-road transfer. Having this new knowledge about mindful abstraction, I will look at everything differently. To be successful I will need to practice making more connections and finding "clues" about what I am learning.
KWL
KWL is used in schools to not only help with meaningful learning but transfer as well. KWL is an activity for students to write down what they know already, what they want to learn, and finally what they have learned. I did not realize the importance of this activity. It really engages the students to critically think and dig into their minds about what they are learning. All throughout my schooling I know realize that I have been doing KWL all along. For younger students its great exercise for their minds in transferring ideas, its also great for older students to organize thoughts and help for studying. I have already used KWL for studying in other classes. It is effective because I am aware of what I need to learn, what I have already accomplished, as well as what I knew before. After using this strategy of transfer it has become something that I do automatically during a lecture.
Q&A:
1. Contrast the specific versus general view of transfer with the high-road versus low-road view.
Specific view of transfer is when two learning skills that have similar components result in successful transfer of information. General view of transfer is when basic skills of logical thinking are used will over all improve other areas of study. Specific view of transfer would be used for high-road transfer because it is a specific strategy being used to consciously improve a certain skill. General view of transfer would be used for low-road transfer because the general strategy being used for a skill is automatic, and very little thinking about it like knowing how to add 2+2.
2. Explain why high-road transfer is more difficult to achieve than low-road transfer.
High-road transfer is more difficult to achieve than low-road transfer because it requires critical evaluation of skills and strategies that work for new subjects/skills. The person has to be consciously aware of what information will help the new task.
3. Identify four teaching principles that support transfer, and explain how each facilitates transfer.
1. Develop automaticity of skills helps improve reading comprehension, problem solving, and reasoning.
2. Promote meaningful learning will improve connections to prior knowledge, similar concepts being learned and connections to real life situations.
3. Teach metacognitive strategies will help students recognize their own learning strategies and where their weakness are that they need to work on.
4. Motivate students to value learning will help overall transferring of information using metacognitive skills.
Specific view of transfer is when two learning skills that have similar components result in successful transfer of information. General view of transfer is when basic skills of logical thinking are used will over all improve other areas of study. Specific view of transfer would be used for high-road transfer because it is a specific strategy being used to consciously improve a certain skill. General view of transfer would be used for low-road transfer because the general strategy being used for a skill is automatic, and very little thinking about it like knowing how to add 2+2.
2. Explain why high-road transfer is more difficult to achieve than low-road transfer.
High-road transfer is more difficult to achieve than low-road transfer because it requires critical evaluation of skills and strategies that work for new subjects/skills. The person has to be consciously aware of what information will help the new task.
3. Identify four teaching principles that support transfer, and explain how each facilitates transfer.
1. Develop automaticity of skills helps improve reading comprehension, problem solving, and reasoning.
2. Promote meaningful learning will improve connections to prior knowledge, similar concepts being learned and connections to real life situations.
3. Teach metacognitive strategies will help students recognize their own learning strategies and where their weakness are that they need to work on.
4. Motivate students to value learning will help overall transferring of information using metacognitive skills.