PBL-Learning Transfer Tools and Best Practices

 

The primary learning transfer tools and best practices that support PBL that I utilized in my fully asynchronous online nutrition training session are the use of schema (prior knowledge), the scaffolding of new knowledge, multiple means of representation, and engagement( Universal Design for Learning UDL), and purposeful reflection. Many child nutrition professionals will already be somewhat familiar with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans through their work exposure.  They may have heard of some of the recommendations or simply from their own experiences have an existing schema related to the new knowledge.  Existing nutrition knowledge (schema) is connected to new nutrition knowledge by scaffolding.  For example, many learners may already be familiar with the five food groups (schema). Still, they might not know that the vegetable group consists of 5 subgroups and cannot identify common choices within each subgroup. Multiple means of representation and engagement (UDL) are incorporated by using the subtitles/closed captions video features, the use of several learning activities (incorporated in training), and the identification of a personal nutrition problem by each student. To further encourage transfer, a purposeful reflection activity is included at the end. Learners are provided guided questions to answer to encourage higher levels of critical thinking. Each student develops an action plan, which will help them draw relevance between the content covered and how to apply the new knowledge in their daily lives. There is a pre/post assessment tool that helps learners to evaluate their level of understanding before and after the training.  Finally, I included additional opportunities for learning transfer as follow-up learning activities. 

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References:

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Kaiser, L. K. (2013). Learning transfer in adult                      education.  New Directions for Adult and Continuing        Education. 137 (Spring 2013).

Sousa, D. A. (2017). How the brain learns (5th ed.).                Corwin