Using learning beyond the example you practiced

Learning is often meant to be useful somewhere beyond the original lesson. You might study a method so you can solve a new problem, or practice a procedure so you can use it under different conditions.

Transfer of learning occurs when learning in one situation influences performance in another. The influence can help, have little effect, or sometimes interfere when an old response is applied where it no longer fits.

Transfer is therefore something to investigate. Improvement on the practiced activity does not automatically establish improvement everywhere that seems related to it.