Transfer of Learning by

What is transfer of learning?

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 20:54:58 UTC

Transfer of learning is seen as the use of knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that you’ve learned in one situation in a different situation. This new situation can be either a similar situation (near transfer) or a dissimilar situation (far transfer)

Far transfer examples

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 20:57:06 UTC

Chess to Strategic Business Decision-Making

Original Learning Context: Playing chess (strategy, anticipation, planning).
Transfer Context: Making strategic business decisions (e.g., anticipating competitors’ moves, planning for contingencies).
Military Leadership Training → Leading a Civilian Team

Original Learning Context: Military leadership, discipline, chain of command.
Transfer Context: Managing a civilian project team in a corporate setting.
Why It’s Far: Different environments, norms, and language, but transferable leadership and decision-making skills.

Near transfer of learning examples

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 20:58:25 UTC

Solving Math Problems in Class → Solving Similar Problems on Homework

Original Learning Context: Learning how to solve quadratic equations in class.
Transfer Context: Doing a worksheet at home with similar quadratic equations.
Why It’s Near: Same subject, nearly identical problems,

Driving a Car in One City → Driving in Another City

Original Learning Context: Learning to drive in your hometown.
Transfer Context: Driving in a different city with similar traffic rules.
Why It’s Near: Same task and procedures, just a new location.

Is Chess the Key to Success at School and in Life?

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 20:59:21 UTC

In 2011, chess became a compulsory subject in Armenian schools. Armenian authorities were convinced that chess is the key to success at school and in life. By making chess mandatory, they hoped to teach children how to think creatively and strategically. As a result, they will become more intelligent and be better able to solve problems. What’s more, this does not just mean chess problems, but all problems in all other school subjects, as well as in later life. If true, this is extremely far transfer. There are indeed research studies that demonstrate a link between chess mastery and improved cognitive skills and work performance.

General Character Traits and Creativity

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 21:03:01 UTC

Creativity isn't a skill that can be taught, it's a trait, a relatively stable characteristic a person possesses, not a temporary state. Traits are enduring, while states fluctuate with learning experiences. Because of this, creativity is hard to influence directly. What teachers can do is create a psychologically safe environment where students feel confident to take risks and make mistakes without fear of judgment.

Similarly, memory is also a trait. While it can be trained and improved, doing so requires intense focus and time, it’s not something that happens casually, like picking it up through activities such as playing chess.

The Effect of Learning to Play Chess on Other Skills

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 21:04:02 UTC

Whether chess can positively influence other areas of learning is still debated. While some studies suggest benefits, others do not, and the overall research is mixed. Reviews highlight that skills learned in one area, like chess, rarely transfer easily to others, a conclusion consistent with Thorndike’s theory of identical elements. A recent review found limited evidence of transfer, noting only modest benefits in math and arithmetic for school-aged students.

Does Learning Latin Help You to Learn Other Languages Better?

jodonnel0025 — 2025-10-06 21:05:45 UTC

J.K. Rowling and Mark Zuckerberg both studied Latin, a language once seen as key to education and success. Though Latin is still taught in countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, its original role as the language of academia has faded. Today, it's often justified as a tool for improving thinking or easing the learning of other languages.

However, research doesn’t strongly support these claims. One review found that Latin may slightly help students understand their own language better, but it doesn't make learning other languages easier. In fact, one study showed students who learned French before Spanish performed better than those who learned Latin first. Similarly, there's little evidence that Latin improves thinking skills, largely because “thinking” is hard to define and measure.

If Latin doesn’t offer strong cognitive benefits, should it still be taught? Possibly for its cultural value, ability to build confidence, or to access classical literature, as Mary Beard suggests. Still, such benefits aren’t unique to Latin.

Ultimately, research on far transfer like claims made for Latin, music, or chess often fails to provide strong support. Thorndike’s century-old theory still holds that transfer is most likely when tasks share many identical elements. Far transfer, despite its appeal, remains rare and difficult to prove.