Moving beyond the metaphor

This paper in the further reading action helped to put some perspective on the idea of different metaphors. The paper discusses what it means to look through the ‘lens’ of different metaphors of learning and contextualises what this means about the transfer of learning in a vocational context.

Once again we are told that a lot of educational policy makes assumptions about learning that research contradicts.

“Transfer of learning” - an interesting topic in itself, but it looks at the dependency of human conduct, performance or learning on prior experience – so in the paper’s terms “when we apply what we know to situations, similar and new.”

The lens

Propositional	Skill	Participation	Transformation
What is learnt is a product, thing or substance: independent of learner (the mind is a container)	What is learnt is a thing or substance independent of learner: but skills lodge in learners body rather than mind	What is learnt is complex social construction and subsides in individual learner. (complex entity that extends beyond learner; set of more or less complex practices; social construct undergoing continuous change)	Learner is an integral part of learning. Each learner constructs their own understanding.
Learning involves moving thing from one place to another – an accumulation of products	Learning involves movement form place to place	Learning of newcomers move from being insignificant to greater prominence. Learner moves not what is learnt	Learning is an evolving process that includes individual learning
Learner is independent and separate from context in which it is learnt.	Learning is separate from and independent of the context in which it was learnt.	What is learnt is shaped by the context in which learnt And Learning and learner change as context change	Learning involves emergence of novelty as new understanding/context is formed
Examples: memorisation, quiz show success Linked to acquisition metaphors	Examples: Generic skills, employability skills, key skills	Examples: Learning in workplace, initiation or inductions Linked to metaphors of learning as an activity	Examples: Englestroms activity theory.  Supports scaffolding metaphors.
Doesn’t tell us how teacher retains knowledge after transfer.	Much of skills is implicit or tacit, so doesn’t conceptualise this	Hard to understand about individual learner – how have they changed?	Does not across individual change and changing context

Transfer of learning? The paper tells us that successful movement is not about knowledge transfer or general knowledge; but involves the different dispositions that people develop – cultural, social, economic, symbolic. Learning is a changing relational web in which the learner plays a part. This relational web is in a process of constant change. Learning is part of and inherently shaped by it’s context.

Learning is Becoming.

“…when a learner constructs or reconstructs knowledge or skills, they are also reconstructing themselves.”

“ ..people become through learning and learn through becoming whether they wish to do so or not, and whether they are aware of the process or not. ”

  

Hager, P. and Hodkinson, P. (2009) ‘Moving beyond the metaphor of transfer of learning’, British Educational Research Journal, vol.35, no.4, pp.619–38; also available online at http://learn.open.ac.uk/ local/ libezproxylink.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1080%2F01411920802642371 (last accessed 21st February 2012).