Long-term Transfer Goals

TRANSFER GOALS

Denition

Transfer Goals highlight the effective uses of understanding, knowledge, and skill

that we seek in the long run; i.e., what we want students to be able to do when they

confront new challenges – both in and outside of school. There are a small number of

overarching, long-term transfer goals in each subject area. For example, a long-term

aim in mathematics is for students to be able to solve “real world” problems on their

own. For example, a long-term transfer goal in history is for students to apply the

lessons of history when considering contemporary issues.

In every case, the ability to transfer learning manifests itself in not just one set-

ting but in varied situations. Transfer is about independent performance in context.

You can only be said to have fully understood if you can apply your learning without

someone telling you what to do and when to do it. In the real world, no teacher is there

to direct and remind you about which lesson to plug in here or there. Transfer is about

intelligently and effectively drawing from your repertoire, independently, to handle

new contexts on your own. In the real world, no teacher is there to direct and remind

you about which lesson to plug in here or there: transfer is about intelligently and

effectively drawing from your repertoire, independently, to handle particular contexts

on your own. The goal of transfer thus requires that an instructional plan (in Stage 3)

help the student to become increasingly autonomous, and the assessments (in Stage 2)

need to determine the degree of student autonomy.

Transfer goals have several distinguishing characteristics:

 •Theyarelong-terminnature;i.e.,theydevelopanddeepenovertime.

 •Theyareperformancebased;i.e.,requireapplication(notsimplyrecall).

 •Theapplicationoccursinnewsituations,notonespreviouslytaughtor

encountered; i.e., the task cannot be accomplished as a result of rote learning.

 •Thetransferrequiresathoughtfulassessmentofwhichpriorlearningapplies

here; i.e., some strategic thinking is required (not simply “plugging in”

skill and facts).

 •Thelearnersmustapplytheirlearningautonomouslyontheirown,without 

coaching or excessive hand-holding by a teacher).

 •Transfercallsfortheuseofhabitsofmind;i.e.,goodjudgment,selfregulation,

persistence along with academic understanding, knowledge and skill.

Long-term Transfer Goals

Examples within Subject Areas

Economics

•makeeconomicallysoundandethicalnancialdecisions.

History

•Useknowledgeofpatternsofhistorytobetterunderstandthepresentandprepare

for the future.

•Criticallyappraisehistoricalclaimsandanalyzecontemporaryissues.

•Participateasanactiveandcivilcitizeninademocraticsociety.

Health and Physical Education

•Makehealthfulchoicesanddecisionsregardingdiet,exercise,stressmanagement,alcohol/

drug use throughout one’s life.

•Playachosengameskillfullyandwithgoodsportsmanship.

Mathematics

•Makesenseofnever-before-seen,“messy”problemsandpersevereinsolvingthem.

•Constructviableargumentsinvolvingmathematicsandstatisticsandcritiquethe

reasoning of others.

Performing & Fine Arts

•Findatleastoneartsdisciplineinwhichtheydevelopsufcientcompetenceto

continue active

involvement in creating, performing, and responding to art as an adult.

•Respondbyanalyzingandinterpretingtheartisticcommunicationsofothers.

Reading

•Readandrespondtotextinvariousgenres(literature,non-ction,technical)for

various purposes (entertainment, to be informed, to perform a task).

•Comprehendtextbyinferringandtracingthemainidea,interpreting(“betweenthelines”),

critically appraising, and making personal connections.

•Enjoyreadingasachosenleisuretimepursuit.

Science

•Evaluatescienticclaimsandanalyzecurrentissuesinvolvingscienceortechnology.

•Conductasoundinvestigationtoansweranempiricalquestion.

Long Term Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

Long-term Transfer Goals

Long Term Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

World Language

•Effectivelycommunicatewithvariedaudiencesandforvariedpurposeswhile

displaying appropriate cultural understanding.

Writing

• Write in various genres for various audiences in order to explain (expository), entertain (narra-

tive/poem),argue(persuasive),guide(technical),andchallenge(satirical).

•Carefullydraft,write,edit,andpolishone’sownandothers’writingtomakeit

publishable.

Examples beyond Subject Areas

Critical Thinking

•Thinkcriticallyaboutinformationandclaimsencounteredatschoolandbeyondbyseeking

clarity, accuracy, sound evidence, good reasons, and fairness.

Communication

•Effectivelycommunicatefordifferentpurposesandvariedaudiencesusingappropriatemedia.

Collaboration

•Workeffectivelywith,andlearnfrom,othersinavarietyofsituations,inschoolandbeyond.

Research

•Locatepertinentinformationfromvariedsources(print,on-line;primary,secondary).

•Criticallyevaluatesourcesandinformation(e.g.,foraccuracy,completeness,timeliness,lack

of bias, properly referenced).

Special Education

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Functioninthecommunitywhilerespectingsocial/culturalnorms.

•Advocatefortheirpersonalneeds–academic,behavioral,emotional,andphysical.

Taking Responsible Risks

•Trysomethingnewanddifferentwithoutaparalyzingfearofmakingmistakes.

Long-term Transfer Goals

Transfer Goals

examples from schools and districts

Science Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Applyknowledgeofscienceandengineeringtoengageinpublicdiscussionsonrelevant

issues in a changing world.

•Conductinvestigations,individuallyandcollaboratively,toanswerquestions.

•Evaluatescienticclaimsforvalidity.

•Thinksystemically.

Source: North Slope Borough School District, Barrow, Alaska (July 2012)

Visual Arts Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Createengagingandpurposefulartisticexpressionsinformsthatvaryintermsofmedia

and style.

•Communicateideas,experiences,andstoriesthroughart.

•Respondtotheartisticexpressionofothersthroughglobalunderstanding,criticalstance,

personal connection, and interpretation.

•Respondtotechnicalandconceptualchallengesofhis/herown.

•Developanindependentartisticvision.

Source: SheridanSchool,Washington,DC(June2011)

World Languages Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Communicateeffectivelyinthetargetlanguage(s)inrealisticsituationswhiledisplayinga

sensitivity to culture and context.

•Emulatenativespeakers.

•Willinglytakingriskswithlanguage,bothwithinandoutsideoftheclassroom.

Source: The Dalton School, New York, NY (March 2012)

Special Education

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Functioninthecommunitywhilerespectingsocial/culturalnorms.

•Advocatefortheirpersonalneeds–academic,behavioral,emotional,andphysical.

•Communicateeffectivelybasedonpurpose,task,andaudienceusingappropriate

vocabulary.

•Exploreandpursueviableoptionsbasedonaspirations,interests,andexperience.

Source: ProsperISD,TX(April2013)

Long-term Transfer Goals

Transfer Goals – Massachusetts

English/Language Arts Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Understandthepowerofwordsandimagestotransformlivesandprovideinsightintothe

experiences of others and understanding of cultures and historical periods.

•Readandcomprehendarangeofincreasinglycomplextextsandmediawrittenforvarious

audiences and purposes.

•Generateopenendedquestionsandseekanswersthroughcriticalanalysisoftext,media,

interviews,and/orobservations.

•Communicateideaseffectivelyinwritingtosuitaparticularaudienceandpurpose.

•Communicateideaseffectivelyindiscourseandoralpresentationstosuitvariousaudiences

and purposes.

•ExpandtheirvocabularyandknowledgeofEnglishconventionsinordertolearnand

convey precise understandings of concepts.

•Developthehabitofreadingforenjoyment.

History/Social Science Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

•Understandhowrecurringpatternsinhistorycaninformjudgmentsaboutcurrentevents

and other issues.

•Analyzeandresolveconictsinordertoworkandlivecooperativelywithothers.

•Understandhowphysicalandhumangeographycaninformresponsibleinteractionswith

environment.

•Applyknowledgeofpoliticalandsocialsystemstoparticipateactivelyasan

informedcitizenofademocracy.

•Criticallyappraisehistoricalandcontemporaryclaims/decisions.

•Applyconceptsandsystemsofeconomicstoparticipateproductivelyinaglobaleconomy.

Mathematics Transfer Goals

Students will be able to independently use their learning to:

1. Interpret and persevere in solving complex mathematical problems using strategic thinking

and expressing answers with a degree of precision appropriate for the problem context.

2. Express appropriate mathematical reasoning by constructing viable arguments,

critiquing the reasoning of others, and attending to precision when making mathematical

statements.

3. Applymathematicalknowledgetoanalyzeandmodelmathematicalrelationshipsinthe

context of a situation in order to make decisions, draw conclusions, and solve problems.

Source: Massachusetts Department of Education, March 2012