This week's readings were (links require U of M log in):
The readings for today concerned learning transfer and what teachers can do to assure that students understand material deeply enough to allow for it. Again, I think this is a discussion that fits more neatly into areas of librarianship with a captive audience, such as school and academic libraries. In these environments, students are (in theory) entirely oriented toward learning, so in-depth instruction is expected. In a public library, even if you take the long view of helping patrons to educate themselves, those patrons would need an exceptional level of interest and motivation to engage in learning the way our readings specified.
How much learning is required in order to facilitate transfer? As much as can happen at a one-shot workshop? A screencast? A workshop series? And how much time would patrons have to take out of their lives to engage in that much learning time? I also wonder what level of immersion is necessary. School children and college students are constantly involved with their class work; would a working mother taking one class a week on digital literacy be able to accomplish the same level of understanding, given all the other demands on her attention?
I guess my question really is: how do you teach deep intellectual understanding to someone who only wants a skill or working knowledge?
I agree with your two main points: that learning transfer doesn’t work well for patrons in public libraries, and that much can’t transfer unless there are multiple workshops or series. But I wonder, could you use the concepts even shallowly? Could you try to create learning transfer within the time you’re given just on a certain aspect? For example, if the class was on how to use an iPad to read E-books, could you make sure that learning transfer happened in the part of the lesson where commands are taught? Just a thought.
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