Transferring Learning: Active Reviewing Tips 2.7

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ISSN 1465-8046
~ ~ A C T I V E . R E V I E W I N G . T I P S
~ ~ FOR DYNAMIC EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
~ ~ the free monthly newsletter associated with the
~ ~ 'GUIDE TO ACTIVE REVIEWING' http://reviewing.co.uk
~ ~ Editor: Roger Greenaway roger@reviewing.co.uk
~ ~ Vol. 2.7 July 1999
~ ~ TRANSFERRING LEARNING (1)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WELCOME to new readers - especially those who attended my
reviewing skills training workshop at XCL - and showed a special
interest in the Transfer of Learning - the subject of this issue.
I have collected and created a lot of material on the topic of
'learning transfer' so I will be spreading it out over future
issues. There are too many 'tips' to squash into one ezine!

OBSERVANT readers will notice that this July issue has crept into
August - something to do with holidays. The August issue of
Active Reviewing Tips will appear later this month. It is
tempting to follow the practice of printed magazines and call
this the 'October' issue, but I will not confuse you further. Nor
will I rob northern hemisphere readers of your summer!

Most readers of this publication would lose their jobs if
transfer of learning was not taking place. Transfer is a vital
issue. Do you give it sufficient attention? What do you actually
do to encourage it?

In this issue I describe methods that are closely based on the
metaphor of 'transfer'. This metaphor can be a source of good
ideas, but it is also a very limiting one - as I explain later.

If you happen to work with adults, your first challenge is to
'transfer' the methods below from a 'youth' context into an adult
one. The easiest way to do this is to mentally delete all
references to 'young'!

If you would rather go straight to transfer methods used with
adults, you will find 'warm seat' described at
http://reviewing.co.uk/feedback.htm
and you will find several much more active methods described
in my 'Active Reviewing' article at
http://reviewing.co.uk/actrev.htm

The ideas below are based on books that I have already published
- described at http://reviewing.co.uk/_books.htm

Future issues of Active Reviewing Tips will include new
unpublished material about how to transfer learning.

Imagine a group of people trying to cross a river. The near bank
represents the course they have just attended. The far bank
represents what they are going back to.

    Memories? Metaphors? Energy? Ideas? Diaries? Resolutions?
    Plans? Reports? Stronger relationships? More confidence?
    More optimism? More understanding? Different attitudes?
    Changed behaviour? New choices?

Offering a variety of methods increases the chances of each
person getting across the 'river' with something worth carrying
and something that will last.

Reviewing throughout a course develops people's abilities to
learn and 'connect' at many different levels.

If participants take home an improved ability to make
connections, then they will be better able to connect back to
their course experience whenever they need to.

Young people may find it difficult to believe that an activity
such as making an animal out of newspaper has anything to do with
helping them to get on better with their parents. They may find
it equally difficult to believe that abseiling down a waterfall
can help them to get a job. If there are any connections to be
made between activity-based learning and situations outside the
course, then 'soundtrack' is an effective method for bringing out
these potential connections.

The most important feature of 'soundtrack' is that is designed to
find the most specific level at which transfer can happen.
Using the paper animal (just mentioned) as an example, it could
be said (at a very general level) that the activity increased a
young person's confidence with the result that they now have the
confidence to talk more openly with their parents.

A more specific level of transfer would result from (for example)
finding out that (a) there were similarities between the group
conflict during the activity and the kind of conflict experienced
at home, and that (b) the young person played a key part in
resolving the conflict during the activity.

'Soundtrack' helps the young person to produce a 'script'
summarising their achievement (in this example their achievement
in resolving the conflict), and then helps them to identify
parallels with another situation in which their successful
strategy can be applied.

The ideal starting point for 'soundtrack' is immediately
following a significant individual or group achievement. (The
'individual' examples provided can be readily adapted for
groups.) The experience may have already been partly reviewed.
The satisfied participants may already be thinking about
repeating the experience in some way. But the chances are that
they are thinking about repeating the *activity* rather than
about repeating the *experience*.

Tell (for about 2 minutes) or write the outline story of your
expedition and divide the story into about six stages.
(Alternatively base this on one significant event from the
expedition.)

Make a strip CARTOON (one picture for each stage) with the story
below each picture and with speech or thought bubbles above each
picture. The bubbles should capture the essence of what you were
saying or thinking at the time.

Now try to draw a new strip cartoon above the expedition story,
using as many of the bubbles as possible, and changing as few
words as possible. (The new strip cartoon might be about
fundraising, campaigning, organising a youth or sports club,
setting up a business).

2) We've achieved the impossible already - just getting
everything set up and ready to go. Let's hope it all works out.

3) I'd never have made it if it wasn't for the others - that's
what we all said. It was a brilliant team effort.

4) There's not many people who thought we'd go through with it
all. They said we didn't have the experience - but now we have!

2) Overlay transparent plastic and add bubbles to show what you
were saying and thinking at different points of the climb.

4) Lift off the plastic film, and talk with a partner about other
situations (in your own experience) which this pattern of words
could fit. If none come to mind, then wipe off some words
(starting with those specific to climbing) until you can think of
one.

5) Describe or sketch the similar situation. See how the words
fit and discuss any similarities and differences.

6) Choose a future occasion in which there are likely to be
challenges or difficulties (next activity or "back home") and
produce a sketch or strip cartoon (including speech and thought
bubbles) to show how you would like things to work out.

'Copy and paste' is how we 'transfer' text from one electronic
document to another. The text may look a bit different in its new
location. So we might choose to alter the content or layout of
the text so that it 'fits' or 'works' better in its new
surroundings.

How closely do these metaphors about transfer represent what
actually happens when we try to take what we have learned into
the future?

'Copy', 'paste' and 'transfer' are all metaphors that help us to
communicate in a useful but *inaccurate* way about the complex
processes that are going on underneath. Because they are
metaphors they don't describe what is really happening.
Fortunately, we don't need to know anything about binary code and
computer electronics in order to 'copy and paste' in word
processing. And we don't need to know anything about the
biochemistry of the brain in order to transfer learning (or help
others do so).

For example, there were many successful experiential learners
around before 'Right Brain - Left Brain' theory came on the
scene. And many people were using their multiple intelligences
before the theory of 'Multiple Intelligences' was developed.

But I hope I have said enough to remind you that 'transfer' is a
simple label for a complex phenomenon. We should not allow the
images conjured up by the word 'transfer' to limit what we
actually do to make 'transfer' happen. The practical ideas and
tips in later issues on this topic will come from both within and
beyond the 'transfer' metaphor.

Thanks for the positive feedback received about issue 2.6 on
''reviewing with large groups''. If you missed it, you can find a
copy of this and other back issues in the ARCHIVES

If you just want the 'large groups' section without the rest of
the ezine, you will now find a better presented version at:
http://reviewing.co.uk/toolkit/large_groups.htm

Please write in with your own experiences of trying out ideas
from Active Reviewing Tips - however things worked out.
If you would like to write in on any ''reviewing'' topic please
send your message to roger@reviewing.co.uk (for private
messages) or to roger@reviewing.co.uk (for publication).
If there is any doubt, I will always contact you to ask your
permission before publishing anything you write.

It doesn't exist yet, but I might set one up if there is
sufficient interest from readers of this ezine. If so, I will
start one up some time in the year 2000 - in addition to this
newsletter. As a fan of interactive reviewing methods, a more
interactive list could be a good route to follow. What do you
think? If you would like to take part in a discussion list on
active reviewing please send a blank email to ONE of the three
addresses below:

PLEASE NOTE: This is just a survey. Sending an email to one of
the above addresses is simply an expression of interest and does
not commit you (or me) to anything. Except that I will publish
the numbers of votes in the next issue. (For a 'no' vote just do
nothing!)

Action, Activity, Expressive, Photo, Horticulture, Occupational,
Psychodrama and Drama, Writing/Narrative, Animal Assisted, Art,
Dance/Movement, Recreational, Experiential, Music, Massage,
Mind-Body, Meditation, Play, Bibliotherapy, Poetry, Adventure ...

Christian Itin's page 'Experiential Practice in Social Work' is
probably the most extensive list of therapy links on the web -
even though it is apparently still 'under construction'.

In case you have not followed this 'thread' in previous issues, I
am including therapy links in Active Reviewing Tips because many
of these therapies (perhaps even horticulture!) can be a great
source of ideas for active reviewing - where the emphasis is
learning rather than healing.

Let us know if you use or convert any ideas from therapy into
active reviewing methods. Perhaps you have already done so?
Write to: roger@reviewing.co.uk

Not a lot to report during this holiday season. But you will now
find that the home page is much improved - both in looks and
content. When I look back at my home page of six months ago I am
very pleased with the changes. When I look at other home pages I
feel there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Regular readers will notice a familiar theme creeping in here!
Measuring progress against the past can often be of greater
benefit than measuring progress towards a goal. Looking back
helps you to appreciate how much you are learning. The trick for
every learner is to find the right balance between looking
backwards and looking forwards.

If you do find your way to my new home page
(http://reviewing.co.uk), tell me what you think of it. This
opening page is intended to be more friendly and informative. So
it should be less confusing for people new to the web. If it
works, repeat visitors should now discover interesting and
relevant pages they missed on earlier visits.

This is really a tip for readers of my other ezine SiteFinder,
but it's so good I must tell you in case you don't receive both.

searchiq.com
[used to] give 'IQ' ratings and snappy reviews of the best performing
multi-search engines. You can also check the IQ score of your
current favourite engine or directory. If it's much below 150
you'll want to switch to the top-rated search engine which is
currently: http://infind.com [since disappeared]

Don't ask me how they do it. And don't bother trying to tell me!
Just enjoy the speed and efficiency and be amazed at how
quick and easy web searching has become just lately.

You'll find more hints and links on my recently updated training
and education search pages at: http://reviewing.co.uk/search.htm

Thank you to readers who have been forwarding their copies of
Active Reviewing Tips - or promoting it in other ways.
Circulation has now reached 421 people - without any
bribery! If you like what you read, please forward this issue to
a friend who will appreciate receiving it. Thanks! :-)

~~~ 3 WAYS TO SAY THANKS FOR THIS FREE EZINE
1. Send comments, questions or tips to: roger@reviewing.co.uk
2. Ask a friend to view: http://reviewing.co.uk/_ezines.htm
3. Buy ANY book online from Amazon.co.uk via my coded link:
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect-home/reviewingskillst
I receive a commission if you buy a book via this link :-)

ACTIVE REVIEWING TIPS for Dynamic Experiential Learning

ACTIVE REVIEWING TIPS
for Dynamic Experiential Learning