Seeing the point: conceptions of learning and teaching for transfer and influences on teaching practice

Abstract

This research explored the relationship between lecturers’ conceptions of transferability of learning and the influence of this on their teaching practice. The central proposition was that if transferability of learning lies at the heart of teaching, then lecturers should have specific conceptions of transfer which underpin and feature in their teaching.
The research was a qualitative study comparing the teaching of two different courses in similar subject areas at one university. One course had a professional vocational orientation and the other was a more generic degree programme. The main methods of investigation were semi – structured interviews, observations and focus groups. Data were analysed using a variety of processes but focusing particularly on exploring variations and internal relationships common to phenomenographical techniques. A matrix framework was produced, locating lecturers’ conceptions of teaching for transfer with observations of their practice.
One of the main findings was that lecturers did hold conceptions of teaching for transfer and there was a marked difference between those held by psychology lecturers and those by social work lecturers. Secondly there was some evidence that these conceptions did influence teaching practice and that transfer techniques occurred most frequently when teachers drew on experience whether their own or those of students.
These findings build upon and extend previous research associated with conceptions of learning and teaching by adding the dimension of ‘focus on transfer’. The greater the focus on transfer and this was particularly so with the social work lecturers who used more of the teaching for transfer techniques than the psychology lecturers, the more able students were to ‘see the point’ and apply their learning. Being explicit with students about why any aspect of the curriculum was relevant and how it could be applied, facilitated the learning transfer process.

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