Facilitate Transfer Of Learning Research Articles

Integrating Curricula with Replays: Its Effects on Continual Learning

Humans engage in learning and reviewing processes with curricula when acquiring new skills or knowledge. This human learning behavior has inspired the integration of curricula with replay methods in continual learning agents. The goal is to emulate the human learning process, thereby improving knowledge retention and facilitating learning transfer. Existing replay methods in continual learning agents involve the random selection and ordering of data from previous tasks, which has shown to be effective. However, limited research has explored the integration of different curricula with replay methods to enhance continual learning. Our study takes initial steps in examining the impact of integrating curricula with replay methods on continual learning in three specific aspects: the interleaved frequency of replayed exemplars with training data, the sequence in which exemplars are replayed, and the strategy for selecting exemplars into the replay buffer. These aspects of curricula design align with cognitive psychology principles and leverage the benefits of interleaved practice during replays, easy-to-hard rehearsal, and exemplar selection strategy involving exemplars from a uniform distribution of difficulties. Based on our results, these three curricula effectively mitigated catastrophic forgetting and enhanced positive knowledge transfer, demonstrating the potential of curricula in advancing continual learning methodologies. Our code and data are available: https://github.com/ZhangLab-DeepNeuroCogLab/Integrating-Curricula-with-Replays

Faculty perspectives of teaching and facilitating learning transfer in Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.

• Gaps exist related to teaching student veterans and maximizing learning transfer. • Prior military experience prepared and increased comfort teaching student veterans. • Knowledge of military culture influenced support and teaching of student veterans. • Creating safe environments and knowing each veteran facilitated learning transfer.

Exogenous attention facilitates perceptual learning in visual acuity to untrained stimulus locations and features.

Visual perceptual learning (VPL) refers to the improvement in performance on a visual task due to practice. A hallmark of VPL is specificity, as improvements are often confined to the trained retinal locations or stimulus features. We have previously found that exogenous (involuntary, stimulus-driven) and endogenous (voluntary, goal-driven) spatial attention can facilitate the transfer of VPL across locations in orientation discrimination tasks mediated by contrast sensitivity. Here, we investigated whether exogenous spatial attention can facilitate such transfer in acuity tasks that have been associated with higher specificity. We trained observers for 3 days (days 2–4) in a Landolt acuity task (Experiment 1) or a Vernier hyperacuity task (Experiment 2), with either exogenous precues (attention group) or neutral precues (neutral group). Importantly, during pre-tests (day 1) and post-tests (day 5), all observers were tested with neutral precues; thus, groups differed only in their attentional allocation during training. For the Landolt acuity task, we found evidence of location transfer in both the neutral and attention groups, suggesting weak location specificity of VPL. For the Vernier hyperacuity task, we found evidence of location and feature specificity in the neutral group, and learning transfer in the attention group—similar improvement at trained and untrained locations and features. Our results reveal that, when there is specificity in a perceptual acuity task, exogenous spatial attention can overcome that specificity and facilitate learning transfer to both untrained locations and features simultaneously with the same training. Thus, in addition to improving performance, exogenous attention generalizes perceptual learning across locations and features.

Learning transfer and transition of certified nursing assistants' to baccalaureate nursing programs.

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) provide vital care to patients in a variety of care settings, yet little is known about their transition and transfer of learning to baccalaureate nursing education. Faculty play a key role in helping them successfully progress through their educational journey. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews of eight CNAs enrolled in U.S. schools in the south-central region of Pennsylvania were conducted. Data were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The influence of prior health care experience afforded participants confidence in their transition to BSN education, as well as accelerated learning. Three themes emerged from participant data related to transfer of learning: jumping in and demonstrating confidence from the beginning, learning from a foundation to transform my thinking from tasks to process, and merging new learning into practice. Results support that even if CNAs face varying challenges entering nursing education, most possess some clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills, as well as experience working with patients and within teams. All of which can influence the learning experience. Findings can help faculty identify CNAs' strengths, which may facilitate learning transfer, foster leadership potential, and engage them in peer teaching and mentoring; ultimately positively influencing the transition to practice.

Remember to breathe: teaching respiratory physiology in a clinical context using simulation.

Evidence shows that biomedical knowledge is more effectively taught within the medical curriculum by teaching in context, to facilitate learning transfer. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of combining high-technology simulation and physiology teaching on medical student learning and experience. First-year medical students received respiratory physiology teaching in the form of lectures, problem-based learning, and practical sessions. These students were then given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and problem solve using respiratory-related clinical case scenarios in simulated patients. Student understanding was assessed using a short quiz performed immediately before and after the session. Results revealed that the session significantly improved the mean score on tests (6.97 ± 0.29 vs. 8.22 ± 0.19, P < 0.001). Student evaluation was collected in focus groups, and recurring concepts were extracted from the data. Students reported that the sessions helped to bridge the gap between theory and practice, which aided their learning. In addition, this teaching methodology (simulation) was reportedly patient centered and added to the realism of the simulated scenario, with students stating that this teaching improved their confidence with managing real patients and clinical uncertainty. Simulation has been used extensively to teach clinical skills; however, research regarding its potential for teaching biomedical science within a clinical context is limited. Our study shows that combining high-technology simulation and physiology teaching contributed to an immediate improvement in medical student knowledge and enhanced their ability to make connections between theoretical knowledge and the world of practice.

Digital Writing, Multimodality, and Learning Transfer: Crafting Connections between Composition and Online Composing

Abstract Most university students have a wealth of prior writing experience from writing in digital spaces before entering their first writing class, and much of this prior experience includes making meaning using multiple modes of communication. However, these students may not perceive their digital and multimodal writing as connected to classroom practice. Because of this, they may have a challenging time using writing knowledge learned in digital spaces to help with their academic writing. This study uses survey and interview data gathered from first-year university students to help better understand what prior digital and multimodal writing experiences students have as well as how students perceive the connections between these experiences and their own classroom practice. The author suggests ways to help students see connections between their varied writing experiences in order to facilitate learning transfer between their prior digital and multimodal experiences, their experiences in the composition classroom, and their experiences in other contexts.

Using reflective writing to enhance student engagement, inquiry, critical thinking, and learning

Student engagement is often touted as a key component of enhancing student’s ability to learn and helping students becomes lifelong learners. But engaging students, helping them invest in the class, making their learning more visible, and helping them see how various course components connect can be challenging, particularly in active learning classes. One approach is to implement more reflection and reflective writing throughout our courses and assignments.This session will explore a range of strategies for integrating student reflection throughout complex writing assignments or long-term projects and throughout the course to enhance engagement and intrinsic motivation, facilitate critical thinking, help students be more aware and in control of their learning and learning processes, and facilitate learning transfer. While focused on practices developed in composition and literature classes, particularly in a Students as Scholars based research-writing class, these strategies can be successfully implemented in any course.

Finding the intersection of the learning organization and learning transfer

Purpose– This article aims to develop a conceptual framework delineating the key dimension of the learning organization which significantly influences learning transfer.Design/methodology/approach– The conceptual framework was developed by analyzing previous studies and synthesizing the results associated with the following four relationships: the learning organization and learning transfer; the learning organization and organizational performance; the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) and learning transfer; and the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) and the LTSI.Findings– This paper developed the learning transfer framework of the learning organization, which emphasizes the significance of leadership for learning on facilitating learning transfer in the learning organization.Research limitations/implications– First, empirical-analytical research needs to be accumulated to verify the conceptual framework developed in the present paper. Second, instruments to measure the learning organization need to incorporate the learning transfer concept. Last, organizations need to focus on leadership for learning to increase learning transfer if the organization does not have enough resources to develop all dimensions of the learning organization.Originality/value– This article contributes to the literature by producing a conceptual framework that isolates leadership for learning as a key dimension of the learning organization that specifically influences learning transfer. The pivotal dimension of leadership for learning was extracted through investigating the numerous empirical-analytical studies.

Facilitate learning transfer and application

Facilitate learning transfer and application

Program leaders' intention to process recreation experiences to achieve targeted outcomes

Researchers have asserted that effectively trained program leaders are a crucial component to facilitate learning transfer and to achieve developmental outcomes in youth programs. Despite the need for thorough training, organizations often have under-trained or untrained personnel leading programs. The purpose of this study is to examine attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intent of program leaders to transfer their training to process recreation experiences to achieve targeted outcomes with participants at a structured youth development day camp. Having strong processing skills means that a program leader has the capacity to foster the transfer of learning from an activity that is fun for youth to other life contexts. Data were collected through pre-test, site observations, and post-test. Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intent were rated on a 16-item scale. Results indicated that program leaders' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test on 5 of 13 relative items. During site visits, the researchers observed extremely low amounts of processing. The lack of processing could be a result of poor recruitment, training and/or on-site management.

Classroom Strategies That Facilitate Transfer of Learning to the Workplace

Organizations have frequently expressed the need for employees who can learn and work effectively in a team environment. This article discusses a process by which an educational program has responded to this challenge. The program used experiential learning, transfer of learning, and team learning theories as the framework for designing a holistic, integrative, and experiential process by which students could transfer their classroom learning to workplace activities. Implications for higher education are discussed.

Using the red‐blue exercise to facilitate learning transfer: theory and practice

Presents findings from the use of the red‐blue exercise over time which demonstrate the existence of discrepant reasoning in the application of learning. Claims this observation raises issues about the learning process and barriers to learning, and leads to the need for trainers to understand these issues in order to devise strategies to ensure that intended learning outcomes are met as effectively as possible. Uses the theoretical work of Argyris and Schon related to theories of action, distancing and disconnectedness, to explain the outcomes observed. Aims to allow trainers and educators to understand better the broader contextual and cultural aspects which affect the learning outcomes they are seeking to achieve. Discusses the implications for the design and delivery of certain types of training or educational events, and the realization of their learning outcomes.