Reading Response 5

"Reflect on what 'writing knowledge transfer' means after reading all of the material from the first 6 weeks of the course"

In the beginning of the semester, if you would have asked me what writing knowledge transfer was, I would have mentioned something about how good writers know how to write in different situations and understand how to write to an audience in any context. Now, after reading so many scholarly articles and texts on this subject, I can say that writing knowledge transfer is the study of how prior knowledge is repurposed for use in a new context. I now have just a slightly better understanding of the complexity that is involved in trying to understand the cognitive processes involved in writing, teaching writing, and studying how writing knowledge is used by students in various contexts. 

These texts have also introduced new vocabulary and language about writing transfer: low-road transfer vs. high-road transfer, near transfer vs. far transfer, and other terms such as dynamic, frustrated, and successful transfer. I also recognize that there is still much for me to learn about this field and a few weeks of reading can't provide all the information on this topic. 

Many studies we've read also looked at other factors that contribute to (or take away from) writing transfer, including prior knowledge, metacognition, novice/expert dynamic, and even AP classes. Altogether, these readings have shown that there is much that is yet to be discovered.