Chapter 6: Dynamic Transfer: A Perspective from Physics Education Research

We contrast previous views of transfer of learning with emerging perspectives in the field. Based on the latter, we have adapted our previously developed analytical framework to characterize transfer as it occurs dynamically in an interview. Our adapted framework is also consistent with a theoretical framework proposed by Redish (in press) that addresses several cognitive and epistemological issues. In light of Redish’s framework and contemporary transfer models, we have demonstrated how our analytical framework can help identify and characterize transfer as it occurs in an interview. We describe instances in which students transfer their learning spontaneously in an interview as well as those in which transfer is promoted by scaffolding provided by the interviewer. In connection with the latter, we describe yet another research methodology—the teaching interviews that can allow us to investigate dynamic scaffolded transfer.