Explaining How Expansive Framing Fosters Transfer: The Case of Elaine

• In Event: Framing and Epistemology and Theories of Learning

Abstract

Transfer-of-learning is essential if schooling is to affect students’ lives. Recent studies provide empirical evidence that expansively framing learning environments can foster transfer, but not how it occurs. In this paper we work to explain a case of unexpectedly high transfer by a struggling student from an expansively framed high school biology class. We do so by evaluating five potential explanations for how expansive framing could promote transfer. We find evidence that this student’s unexpectedly high rate of transfer could be explained jointly by four of the explanations: 1) viewing prior content as continuing to be relevant, 2) bringing in prior knowledge during learning, 3) being held accountable for sharing authored content, and 4) adopting authorship as a practice.

Authors

• Diane Lam, University of California - Berkeley

• Xenia S Meyer, University of California - Berkeley

• Randi A. Engle, University of California - Berkeley

• Lloyd Goldwasser, University of California - Berkeley

• Sarah Perez, University of California - Berkeley

• Kathleen Zheng, University of California - Berkeley

• Jim Clark, University of California - Berkeley

• Erica Naves, University of California - Berkeley

• Hernan Rosas, University of California - Berkeley

• Danny Tan, University of California - Berkeley