The transfer of learning - Sarah Leberman

The book addresses a crucial issue for all involved in education and training: the transfer of learning to new and different contexts. Educators, employers and learners face the problem of ensuring that what is learnt in the classroom is able to be adapted and used in the workplace. It focuses on adult learners in professional and vocational contexts. The authors provide an accessible book on the transfer of learning which draws on multi-disciplinary perspectives from education, psychology and management.
The Transfer of Learning will be useful both for postgraduate students and for practitioners wanting to deepen their understanding of transfer and for those interested in practical applications. It combines theory and practice from international research and the authors' own case studies of transfer involving learners engaged in professional development and study towards qualifications. Theories of adult learning, change and lifelong learning are discussed in relation to the transfer of learning.
The purpose of this book is to emphasise to tertiary educators and trainers the importance of transfer and in doing so highlight the participants' voices as central foci in coming to an understanding of the process. By doing this it balances the literature which has to date emphasized transfer from a trainer's and/or organization's perspective. There has been little if any substantive material on tertiary transfer issues and yet demands are increasing for tertiary education providers to be more accountable and more focused on developing students' ability to use their learning in everyday work situations. The book is unique in that it adopts a phenomenological perspective and underscores the significance of the participants' voices in understanding issues.

Sarah Leberman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management at Massey University, New Zealand. She is also Programme Manager for the Sport Management and Coaching group. Lex McDonald is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and Director of Psychlex Consultancy which specialises in workforce training programmes. Stephanie Doyle is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

'The three authors have modelled the processes and the conclusions of their book by bringing experiences and theories together, synthesising and transforming them.
They provide solid, well-referenced details for educators and researchers to reflect and build on. '
Dr Alan Barker, Education Consultant
'I find that I have been drawn into all aspects of the book - the theoretical developments, the case studies and the analysis and interpretation and have read right through. Talk about transfer of learning - as I read I kept saying to myself "Oh yes, I recognize that" or "Oh now I understand why...". The whole text is a wonderful exposition of the ideas and leaves the reader with an enthusiasm for exploring many of the numerous references provided. The authors suggest it is a "dip into" book and I agree and is therefore really useful for practitioners, but it also provides a coherent introduction to the ideas of "transfer of learning" and it has a strength in the analysis of the theories, real examples of exploration of the theories through the case studies and their subsequent analysis which would allow a practitioner/trainer to review his or her training activities in a comprehensive way.' Alison Holmes, Director, University Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand