GK12 Montana State University

Learning transfer is the ability to use an idea or principle learned in one situation in a different situation. Learning can be transferred between situations within a classroom, from one year to another in school, or to a situation outside of the classroom. Transfer can involve something as simple as understanding that one can use the mathematical concept of addition to add apples and also to add cars. All learning involves some kind of transfer, even if it only comes from preconceptions. It is an active process in which a student learns to understand when, how, and why to use certain knowledge. Transfer is closely related to and can be improved by learning with understanding and metacognition.