Chapter 12: Cognitive Views of Learning: Learning for Transfer

Introduction to Durable Learning and Transfer

We are teaching for some time in the future when the knowledge and skills that are learned in our classes are tested in contexts that we cannot know and with assessments that we cannot design. We need to provide an education that lasts a lifetime…” ^[1].

In the Science of Learning (SOL) literature, we often talk about three areas that greatly influence learning. Three interrelated areas: motivation, emotion, and cognition ^[2]. All are critical. In this course, we focus primarily on the cognitive aspects of learning—especially the concept of durable learning. Our goal is not only to help students succeed academically, but also to ensure they can apply what they’ve learned in meaningful ways beyond the classroom. This ability to use learning in new and real-world contexts is known as knowledge transfer. This requires that they remember what they’ve learned beyond the tests they take. Unfortunately, many students forget much of what they’ve learned despite performing well on tests ^[3].

Striving for “learning that lasts a lifetime” involves teaching for long-term retention and transfer.

What is Transfer?

Transfer is the ability to apply knowledge or skills learned in one context to a new or different situation. If knowledge doesn’t transfer, it doesn’t serve students beyond the classroom. Teaching for transfer is a hallmark of effective instruction because it reflects deep understanding and long-term usefulness of learning. Teachers aim not only for students to perform well on a test but also for them to use what they’ve learned beyond the classroom—in other subjects, grade levels, and life experiences.

Types of Transfer

There are several different types of transfer, and recognizing the differences can help teachers better plan for meaningful learning. For purposes of this chapter, we focus only on the following four types:

• Positive Transfer- Learning a skill or concept in one context aides learning another concept (E.g. A student learns to sound out words in reading class and then uses that skill to figure out a new word while reading a storybook.)
• Negative Transfer– learning in one context that hinders learning in another context. (E.g. A student learns that adding an “s” makes a word plural (cat → cats) and then incorrectly says “mouses” instead of “mice.”
• Near Transfer– learning that occurs when knowledge is applied in similar contexts. (E.g. A student who learns to manipulate equations in algebra may use that same skill to rearrange a speed formula in science class.)
• Far transfer involves applying learning in a context that is significantly different from the original one—such as using skills developed in a school project to solve a real-world problem outside of school. (E.g. Learning to identify evidence of learning during observations and then drawing on that knowledge as a teacher and asking students to explain their thinking on exit tickets)

Different kinds of learning experiences can look equivalent when tests of learning focus solely on remembering (e.g., on the ability to repeat previously taught facts or procedures), but they can look quite different when tests of transfer are used. Each type of transfer helps us understand not just whether learning occurred, but how deeply and meaningfully it can be used.

How Transfer Works

Transfer doesn’t just happen by chance. It depends on several key factors:

• Depth of understanding: Students are more likely to transfer what they learn when they grasp core concepts—not just facts or steps.
• Prior knowledge and schema: When students have well-developed mental frameworks (schemas), they can connect and apply new information more easily.
• Spaced and varied practice: Distributing learning over time and exposing students to concepts in multiple contexts strengthens memory and adaptability.
• Metacognition: Students who are aware of their own learning can better recognize when and how to apply what they know.
• Motivation and relevance: Transfer is more likely when students see learning as useful and connected to their goals or real life.

Classroom Strategies That Promote Transfer

As we’ve explored, true learning extends beyond temporary performance and into lasting, transferable knowledge—knowledge students can flexibly apply in unfamiliar or meaningful contexts. But such durable learning doesn’t happen by accident. It is shaped by how we teach. This is where evidence-based teaching practices become essential. These practices—grounded in research about how the brain learns—are designed to maximize long-term retention and improve students’ ability to apply learning in diverse settings.

To help students move from rote learning to transfer, teachers can:

• Use real-world examples and scenarios that mirror how knowledge is used outside of school.
• Prompt students to reflect on their thinking and how they might apply it elsewhere (metacognitive prompts).
• Revisit key concepts over time (spiral review or spaced learning).
• Design tasks that require students to apply knowledge in new formats or subjects.
• Scaffold learning so students practice adapting what they’ve learned.

Ultimately, transfer is a sign of learning with understanding. When we teach with this in mind, we prepare students not just for tests—but for life.