The Transfer of Learning: Participants' Perspectives of Adult Education And Training

147 Pages·2006·0.75 MB·English

by  Sarah Leberman

The Transfer of Learning
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The Transfer
of Learning
Participants’ Perspectives of Adult
Education and Training
SARAH LEBERMAN, LEX MCDONALD
AND STEPHANIE DOYLE
© Sarah Leberman, Lex McDonald and Stephanie Doyle 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Published by
Gower Publishing Limited
Gower House
Croft Road
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 3HR
England
Gower Publishing Company
Suite 420
101 Cherry Street
Burlington
VT 05401-4405
USA
Sarah Leberman, Lex McDonald and Stephanie Doyle have asserted their moral right under the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as the authors of this work.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Leberman, Sarah
The transfer of learning : participants’ perspectives of
adult education and training
1. Transfer of training 2. Adult learning 3. Employees -
Training of
I. Title II. McDonald, Lex III. Doyle, Stephanie, 1953-
370.1'523
ISBN-10: 0 566 08734 0
ISBN-13: 978-0-566-08734-9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Leberman, Sarah.
The transfer of learning : participants’ perspectives of adult education and training / by Sarah
Leberman, Lex McDonald and Stephanie Doyle.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-566-08734-9 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-566-08734-0 (alk. paper)
1. Transfer of training. 2. Adult learning. 3. Transfer of training--Case studies. 4. Adult learning--
Case studies. I.
McDonald, Lex. II. Doyle, Stephanie, 1953- III. Title.
LB1059.L335 2006
374--dc22
2006020640
Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall.
Contents
List of Figures vii
List of Tables ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
What is Transfer of Learning? 1
Why is Transfer of Learning Important? 2
Overview of Different Levels and Types of Transfer 4
The Transfer Context 5
Summary 6
Chapter 2 Transfer of Learning: Concepts, Theories
and Approaches 9
Formal Disciplines Approach 9
Behavioural Approach 11
Generalisation Approach and Gestalt Theory 12
Cognitive Approaches to Transfer 13
Information Processing Models of Learning And Transfer 14
Schema Theory and Transfer 15
Cognitive Apprenticeships 16
Selected Approaches to Transfer 17
Work-based Approaches to Transfer 17
Preparation for Future Learning 28
A General Theory of Transfer 29
Other Ways of Looking at Transfer 31
Summary 32
Chapter 3 The Role of Learning in Transfer 37
Adult Learners 37
Professional Development 40
Change Theories 42
Approaches to Adult Learning 45
Summary 55
vi The Transfer of Learning
Chapter 4 Transfer of Learning from the Classroom to the
Workplace: A Longitudinal Case Study with Case
Managers 61
Context and Overview 61
Findings 63
Implications for Management 67
Implications for Professional Practice 69
Implications for Educational Providers 70
Summary 71
Chapter 5 Transfer of Training in a Cultural Context:
A Cook Islands Teachers’ Professional
Development Case Study 73
Context and Overview 73
Findings 75
A Transfer of Training Model 84
Summary 87
Chapter 6 Transfer of Learning: A Case Study of Preparing for
Future Learning 89
Context and Overview 89
Findings 92
Implications for Course Design and Delivery 96
Summary 97
Chapter 7 Facilitating Transfer 99
Learner Characteristics 99
Course Design 102
Workplace Characteristics 106
Summary 107
Chapter 8 Modelling Transfer: Refl ection on Action 109
Personal and Professional Development 109
Support 112
Preparation for Future Transfer 116
Conclusions 119
Summary 120
Epilogue 121
Appendix Further Research 123
Index 127
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Model for promoting learning from experience 6
Figure 2.1 Cognitive apprenticeship model 16
Figure 2.2 The Transfer Matrix; nine possible role/time combinations 18
Figure 2.3 A taxonomy of the socio-technical model of transfer and types of
training situations 20
Figure 3.1 Adult learning, change, approaches and transfer of learning 38
Figure 4.1 Recommended transfer of learning model 67
Figure 5.1 A socio-cultural model of the transfer process 85
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List of Tables
Table 2.1 Transfer of learning – concepts, theories and approaches 10
Table 2.2 Typology of transfer levels (adapted from Haskell, 2001) 31
Table 3.1 Knowles’s view on the differences between the learning of
children and adults (adapted from Knowles, 1975) 38
Table 3.2 The roles, course components and instructor challenges in
transformative learning (adapted from Cooper, 2001) 56
Table 5.1 Examples of some highly ranked facilitative strategies and the priority
of cell categories 77
Table 5.2 Ranked barrier scores including priority of cell categories as determined by
mean rank score 78
Table 5.3 Themes, sub-themes and examples of participants’ voices 80