Transferring knowledge from one context to another

Abstract

This current case study examines the knowledge expressed by students in grade 9 (14-15 years old) when they have been taught about a specific technical system, the wastwater system, and are then asked to describe another optional technical system. They have been taught about the wastwater system through activities such as drawing their own system model and receiving specific guiding questions. In the case study, three students were interviewed after being taught about the wastwater system, and during the interview, they were asked to describe another optional technical system. They drew a system model and described the chosen system. The students' descriptions and their drawn models constitute the data in the case study. The data has been analyzed with transfer theory, and the results are discussed in relation to previous research on certain interpretations of transfer. The results show that the students describe structure and flow. A linear thinking is transferred to the students' descriptions of the new technical system, which may indicate that the relatively linear structure of the wastwater system is transferred to the new system, which, however, has a more circular structure. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of equipping students with effective learning strategies for comprehending and describing various technical systems. The findings emphasize the need for additional guidance to facilitate the generalization of system knowledge, particularly when transferring knowledge between systems with different structural characteristics.