Cassidy Garcia

Week 4: Portfolio
When reading module 12, Transfer of Skills and Knowledge, I learned that there are
different types of transfer and not just one. I also learned the meaning of transfer as well
because I did not know about this until this class. Transfer is “prior knowledge, skills, strategies,
or principles on new learning” and comes in different forms such as: Specific transfer, general
transfer, low road transfer, high road transfer, problem solving transfer, analogical transfer,
forward reaching transfer, and finally backwards reaching transfer. Finally, a third thing that I
learned about transfer is low-road transfer is connected with automaticity. Automaticity is when
a task can be completed by an individual without even thinking about it, and basically do it
automatically. My new knowledge about transfer, will change my approach to learning because I
will now be more on the lookout when I can connect old knowledge to new knowledge and
realize when transfer comes into action more in my life and my learning.
General view of transfer is the study of subjects and could improve individuals’ general
cognitive abilities, and their improved cognitive functioning then would transfer to other
disciplines. General view of transfer would mostly relate to high road transfer because both
styles of transfer take prior knowledge and connects it with a different activity than the prior
knowledge dealt with. Now, with low-road transfer is when an individual is able to do a task with
ease because of well practiced and comfortable with a task. This revolves best with specific
transfer because a task can only be done if similar to the task about to be done, and this is just
like low-road because it shows comfort and familiarity.
High road transfer is more effective than low road transfer because it is realized by the
individual that the transfer is actually occuring unlike low road that happens automatically. While
automaticity is the key characteristic of low road transfer the one for high road is mindful
abstraction. Abstraction is the process of retrieving meaningful information and applying it to a
new learning contexts. This means that mindful refers to metacognition allowing the learner to
recognize transfer situations and apply abstract knowledge across contexts. Therefore, high
road is more effective than low road because it involves metacognition, and the learner realizes
that high road transfer is occurring and analyzes the situation and learns from it while low road
is automatic and unnoticed.
The first teaching principle that supports transfer is, automaticity skills must develop
them because this will lead to low road transfer. Secondly, teachers must promote meaningful
learning because having deep knowledge will increase the chance and ability of transferring this
level of knowledge to many different situations. Thirdly, teachers must teach metacognitive skills
to ensure that students will be able to recognize high road transfer. Finally, teachers must
always motivate their students because it will hopefully motivate students to use transfer
because they feel confident to.