Have you ever thought about the ability to effectively transfer and apply knowledge to a different environment? Think of a time when you could transfer knowledge effortlessly. What factors made this content transfer easy? Now think of a time when you were unable to transfer information. What factors prevented successful transfer? It's easy to neglect the factors that can affect the transfer of content.
After reading some of Bransford, Brown, & Cocking's (2000) How People Learn, I've spent some time thinking about content transfer and specific factors that can affect the transfer of knowledge in my small animal dentistry course. Factors like student motivation, supplying them with ample amount of time to fully make connections, and understanding cultural differences can all attribute to the students' content transfer (Bransford et. al, 2000). However, I focused most of my thought on the metacognitive strategies I provide for the students as opportunities to gain a complete understanding of the material.
Weekly assessments, hands-on practice with dental models, and performing live animal dental cleanings are a few of the learning modalities students use in the dentistry course. If you're interested in reading more, check out my full essay here. Feel free to leave any comments or reflections!
References:
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L. & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/1 .
I really enjoyed that your post was focused on your animal dentistry course! It was an interesting new perspective as I was just relating the information from the Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000) reading to a primary/secondary educational setting. In my essay, I decided to focus on what occurs for learners when they do not understand a concept, but I strongly considered focusing on metacognition because that is something I model for my students frequently. It was interesting to consider that people of all ages will benefit from practicing metacognition.