Sameness and difference in transfer

Abstract

Discussions about transfer have mainly dealt with how people manage to do something in a situation thanks to having done something similar in a previous situation. From an educational point of view, however, it appears more fruitful to consider the case when the learner, having learned to do something in 1 situation, might be able to do something different in other situations, thanks to perceived differences (and similarities) between situations. The case is made for widening the focus of attention to how situations are related through differences (and similarities). Copyright © 2006, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.