| I had a teacher when I was in high school who | | | | intelligences. |
| maintained that we had really learned something | | | | Many participants would wonder how learning |
| only when we could transfer that learning to | | | | about these very interesting topics is useful in |
| other parts of the school curriculum and to other | | | | their daily lives. In these cases the transfer is |
| situations beyond the formal school setting. As a | | | | more complex. The transfer here is remote or |
| training professional, I feel there is some real | | | | obscure. Participants need explicit instruction in |
| merit in her assertion. In fact, I often evaluate the | | | | making connections to their jobs and to their lives |
| success of a training I'm conducting based on how | | | | beyond the workplace. In these situations you |
| much transfer happens. Any mentoring, coaching, | | | | need to help them make relevant transfer by |
| or training we provide we need to listen very | | | | employing a variety of "bridging strategies". |
| carefully to observe participants making or trying | | | | The model which follows (based on the research |
| to make applications of what we are teaching. | | | | of Dr. Robin Fogarty presented in her book |
| This will help us more accurately access their | | | | Teaching for Thinking, Teaching for Transfer) |
| grasp of the concepts or information we have | | | | provides you with a set of "getting started" |
| been sharing. | | | | bridging strategies for five different levels of |
| Helping participants transfer what they are | | | | transfer. Your goal as a mentor, coach, or trainer |
| learning to life beyond the training to life beyond | | | | should be to help people increase their transfer of |
| the training room involves several tasks: | | | | learning by just one level. |
| 1. Making connections among the concepts and | | | | THE SLEEPER: Misses the point of what is being |
| ideas within a give training situation. | | | | presented. Sees no connections or possible uses |
| Example: If you're doing a training on the | | | | of the information. |
| accounting process, you'd help participants see | | | | Transfer Strategies: |
| how the definition of terms which you taught in | | | | * Make connections for them by telling them |
| an earlier part of the training now fits in with | | | | ways the information can help. |
| learning how to do double entry bookkeeping. | | | | * Help them see ways they can use the |
| 2. Making connections between one training and its | | | | information beyond the training. |
| information and other training they have that has | | | | * Have them discuss the importance of what is |
| been part of their professional development in | | | | being taught with peers. |
| their business | | | | THE DUPLICATOR: Wants to tell others about |
| Example: Continuing with our hypothetical | | | | what they learned in exactly the same way that |
| accounting training example, here you might help | | | | it was originally presented. |
| them see how the accounting process is related | | | | Transfer Strategies: |
| to the marketing and sales training they received | | | | * Question their understanding of the training and |
| a couple of weeks ago. | | | | have them explain it in their own words |
| 3. Connecting current learning with other classes, | | | | * Role-play sharing the information with people |
| workshops, and seminars of which they have | | | | who were not in the training. |
| been a part beyond the their specific business. | | | | THE REPLICATOR: Understands how to apply |
| Example: Here you would help participants | | | | what was taught as long as the context is the |
| understand how the accounting process you're | | | | same as the original learning. |
| teaching is the same process they learned about | | | | Transfer Strategies: |
| in a class on managing their finances and their | | | | * Help them discover appropriate applications |
| bank account. | | | | beyond the content and context of the initial |
| 4. Making connections with their personal life, | | | | learning. |
| family, and various community involvements. | | | | * Work to help them make creative or |
| Example: Help participants understand how they | | | | "tangential" applications of something learned in a |
| can use what you've been teaching to enhance | | | | training session or presentation. |
| the financial operations of a community project in | | | | THE STRATEGIST: Uses information learned in a |
| which they're involved or to help their kids learn | | | | training session in a variety of different settings |
| about money. | | | | and situations. |
| In some instances, the transfer of what you've | | | | Transfer Strategies: |
| been teaching in a mentoring, coaching, or training | | | | * Expand their lists of new application ideas. |
| session is obvious because it is close to the actual | | | | * Help them discover more connections. |
| situation in which the information is used, for | | | | * Help them evaluate appropriate applications of |
| example, teaching people involved in marketing | | | | the information learned. |
| the difference between promoting the features | | | | THE CREATOR: Uses information as a springboard |
| and benefits of a product. The transfer here is | | | | to creative & original thinking; sees unusual |
| fairly simple because the learning "hugs' the real | | | | connections. |
| situation in which they work on a daily basis. The | | | | Transfer Strategies: |
| transfer is clear. | | | | * Encourage them to find unusual connections |
| In other instances, however, what you are | | | | between their learning and other things. |
| teaching may seem far removed or remote to | | | | * Encourage them to look for subtle patterns in |
| the participants' work situation and their life | | | | their thinking. |
| beyond the workplace, for example, teaching | | | | * Ask them to experiment with communicating |
| people about creativity, brain enhancement | | | | their learning to other people. |
| techniques, or even training them in using multiple | | | | |