Abstract
Analogies between old and new concepts are common during classroom instruction. Previous transfer studies focused on how features of initial learning guide later, spontaneous transfer to new problem solving. We argue for a shift in the focus of analogical-transfer research toward understanding how to best support analogical transfer from previous learning when children are engaged in new learning episodes. Such research may have important implications for teaching and learning in mathematics, which relies heavily on analogies between old and new information. Some existing research promotes supporting explicit connections across old and new information within an analogy. Alternatively, we argue that teachers can invite implicit analogical reasoning through warm-up activities designed to activate relevant prior knowledge. Warm-up activities close the transfer space between old and new learning without additional direct instruction.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 619-625 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Current Directions in Psychological Science |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2019 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2019.
Funding
This research was supported in part by a U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences Grant R305A160295 to C. A. Thompson. We thank Karrie Godwin, Charles Fitzsimmons, and Kate Leger for their helpful feedback on an earlier draft of this manuscript. This research was supported in part by a U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences Grant R305A160295 to C. A. Thompson.
Funders | Funder number |
---|---|
Karrie Godwin | |
U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences | R305A160295 |
Keywords
- analogy
- mathematics learning
- transfer
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Psychology