Article Review: A New Clue to Transfer of Training

Article Review

A New Clue to Transfer of Training

From unlv.edu

From : Hendrix G.(1947). A New Clue to Transfer of Training. The Elementary School Journal, 48 (4): pp.197-208

The article written by Gertrude Hendrix deals educational psychology and the problem of using acquired knowledge in practice. In order to make research of the mentioned problem, the author illustrates experiments carried out in a psychology-of-learning course at the universities of Chicago and Illinois. 

The results of the experiments are presented in the form of hypotheses. For the purpose of clear understanding of the experiments carried out at universities and hypothesis stated by the author, Hendrix describes three methods which have been the base of her research. Moreover, the hypotheses stated in the article are studied carefully for revealing contradictions.

Along with the described experiment, Gertrude Hendrix makes a review of the works of different psychologies who were dealing with verbalizing of generalization and transfer power. Such theories as Gestaltist and conditionist are to be modified in author’s opinion if the hypothesis is verified. 

Moreover, she gives examples of different training programmes used in the schools and criticizes them. Two postulates from Dewey’s Experience and Education are considered inconsistent by Hendrix as well. Thus she outlines that teaching method should have maximum dynamic power for the learner in order to verbalize presented generalizations.

The article also concerns the pattern of the experiment and the most difficult aspects of its designing. Besides, Hendrix presents one more problem faced in the course of carrying out the experiment which is evaluation of test results. However, the author managed to justify mentioned difficulties by means of repeated experiment. In addition, the author presents the table with the data helping the readers to understand clearly her experiment and research in whole.

It should be admitted that Gertrude Hendrix has an intention to proceed with the research since she presents interpretation and direction of the future inquiry. Thus she suggests discovery by deduction or learning generalization through arithmetic formulas. At the same time, there is a concern expressed by the author that teaching must not be authoritative. It is evident that Hendrix supports nondirective theory of instruction. However, she mentions that modern extremes lack implications of the theory of instruction.

All in all, the article of Gertrude Hendrix is quite critical one since it included a lot of denials and objections. Moreover, the hypotheses stated by Hendrix are to deny the assumption that verbalization is the representative example of general behavior. Along with such denial, the author explains that such critical examination of the problem is required and invited from anyone who is concerned.