Nurturing the seeds of transfer: A domain-specific perspective

Transfer, the process of using knowledge or skills acquired in one context in a new or varied context, has long been the topic of spirited debate in the research community. In this chapter, fundamental dimensions that appear to underlie effective transfer are described. These fundamentals -subject-matter knowledge, general cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and motivation, particularly interest - are referred to as the seeds of transfer. As a means of presenting these fundamentals, five generalizations about transfer, drawn from the extensive literatures in transfer, domain learning, and analogical reasoning, are summarized. In addition, potential instructional barriers to transfer are highlighted, along with critical steps deemed necessary to enhance transfer within academic settings.