Transfer of learning: WACE Physical Education Studies Unit 3
“Explain the types of transfer of learning and how practice can be structured to promote positive transfer and limit negative transfer”
Transfer of learning is the way learning or performing one skill affects another. Positive transfer is when one skill helps another, negative transfer is when one interferes with another, and zero transfer is when there is no effect. Coaches structure practice to maximise positive transfer to the game, especially by making practice resemble the real performance situation, and to limit negative transfer.
What this dot point is asking
WACE expects you to define the types of transfer, give sporting examples, and explain how a coach uses practice design to promote positive transfer and reduce negative transfer. The application to coaching is where the marks are.
Positive transfer
Positive transfer occurs when the learning or performance of one skill assists another, usually because the skills share similar movement patterns or perceptual demands. The overarm throw transfers positively to the tennis serve and the cricket bowl, because the underlying action is similar. Coaches deliberately use positive transfer by teaching a foundation skill that supports several sports.
Negative transfer
Negative transfer occurs when one skill interferes with the learning or performance of another, often because two skills look similar but require a different response. A squash player may struggle with tennis because the wrist action differs, even though both use a racquet. Negative transfer is usually temporary and can be overcome with practice, but coaches manage it by being aware of which similar skills may interfere.
The most important use of transfer is positive transfer from practice to competition. For this to happen, practice must resemble the conditions of the real performance: the same speed, pressure, opponents and decisions. A closed drill that looks nothing like the game transfers poorly. Designing practice that mirrors the game is the single most powerful way a coach promotes positive transfer.
Zero transfer
Zero transfer occurs when learning one skill has no effect, positive or negative, on another, because the skills are unrelated. Learning to swim has no real effect on learning to play chess. Recognising zero transfer matters because it warns against assuming that practising any activity will help an unrelated skill.
Proactive and retroactive transfer
Transfer also has a direction in time. Proactive transfer is when a previously learned skill affects a skill learned later, such as an established throwing action helping a new sport. Retroactive transfer is when a newly learned skill affects a previously learned one, which can be positive or negative. Coaches consider the order in which skills are taught to maximise helpful proactive transfer.
Bilateral transfer
Bilateral transfer is the transfer of learning from one side of the body to the other, such as a player who can already kick well with the right foot learning to kick with the left more quickly than from scratch. Coaches use this to develop two sided players efficiently.
Promoting positive and managing negative transfer
A marker wants both types addressed. Model answer: Tennis players learning badminton will gain positive transfer from the shared overarm striking pattern of the serve and overhead, so the coach builds on the familiar action. However, there is a risk of negative transfer because tennis uses a firm wrist and badminton relies on a flexible wrist snap, so the tennis habit may interfere at first. The coach manages this by explaining the difference, providing plenty of game like practice so the new wrist action becomes automatic, and being patient as the temporary interference is overcome.
How this maps to the exam
A question gives two related skills or a coaching scenario and asks about transfer. Identify whether the transfer is positive, negative or zero, explain why based on the similarity of the skills, then describe how the coach designs practice to promote positive transfer (game like conditions) and limit negative transfer.
Students often claim that because two skills look alike, learning one must help the other. Similarity can also cause negative transfer when the required response differs, as with the wrist action in squash and tennis. Check whether the similar skills demand the same response or a different one, and only claim positive transfer when the underlying action genuinely matches.
Exam-style questions
Questions in the style of SCSA exam questions on this dot point, each with a worked answer. They are written by ExamExplained unless tagged "Past paper"; the year shows the paper a question is modelled on.
WACE 2021-style6 marksExplain positive, negative and zero transfer of learning, giving a sporting example of each, and describe two ways a coach can structure practice to promote positive transfer.Show worked answer →
A 6 mark answer needs the three types with examples and two strategies to promote positive transfer.
- Positive transfer
- Learning one skill helps the learning or performance of another, because they share similar elements (a tennis forehand aiding a squash forehand, or an overarm throw aiding a tennis serve).
- Negative transfer
- Learning or performing one skill hinders another, because a habit interferes (the squash wrist action hindering a tennis stroke, or a badminton flick interfering with a tennis serve).
- Zero transfer
- One skill has no effect on another because they share no relevant elements (swimming and archery).
- Promoting positive transfer
- (1) Make practice conditions resemble the game/target situation so learned skills carry over. (2) Highlight the similarities between skills and ensure the first skill is well learned, so the common elements transfer reliably.
Markers reward the three types correctly defined with examples and two valid strategies to promote positive transfer.
WACE 2023-style4 marksExplain how negative transfer can occur when a multi-sport athlete learns a new skill, and suggest one way a coach can minimise it.Show worked answer →
A 4 mark answer needs the cause of negative transfer plus a minimising strategy.
- How it occurs
- Negative transfer happens when an established movement habit from one sport conflicts with the technique required in a new skill, so the old pattern interferes (for example a baseball swing interfering with a cricket shot, which use different mechanics).
- Minimising it
- The coach can make the differences between the skills explicit and allow plenty of correctly structured practice of the new technique so the new motor pattern is established, reducing interference. Introducing the conflicting skills at different times also helps.
- Why it works
- Clarifying differences and grooving the correct pattern prevents the old habit from being applied automatically in the new context.
Markers reward an established habit interfering with the new skill and a valid coaching strategy with reasoning.