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Acquire, Connect, Transfer: A Framework for Deeper Knowledge Building

How can students build deeper social studies knowledge and make meaningful connections across disciplines? inquirED and NCSS explored a framework for deeper learning with Julie Stern, author of Learning That Transfers and Visible Learning for Social Studies. Discover practical shifts in instructional practice that help students connect ideas and build lasting understanding.

[Scroll to the bottom of the post to view the webinar recording.]

Key Takeaways

  • Organize Learning Around Concepts: Rather than teaching isolated facts, encourage learners to file information into “conceptual folders”—big ideas like power, authority, and historical context. As Julie Stern stated, “Learning must be organized in the brain in order to provide any real value.”
  • Make Deeper Connections: Students should frequently connect ideas across contexts—past and present, local and global. “Knowledge possessed,” Stern noted, quoting history educator Sam Wineburg, “is not knowledge deployed.”
  • Choose Connection-Making Strategies: Instructional approaches such as Jigsaw, Conversations, and Hexagonal Mapping help students translate conceptual understanding into real-world application. Everyone plays an active, meaningful role.
  • Prepare Students for Change: Today’s world is shifting at an exponential pace. As Stern explained, “The future belongs to those who connect dots.” By focusing on transferable concepts, you equip learners to navigate new and unpredictable challenges.

Becoming “Pattern Seekers”

One of Julie Stern’s central themes is helping students recognize patterns rather than absorbing discrete facts and information. During the webinar, Stern reflected on her books—including Learning That Transfers—and stressed the importance of turning learners into “pattern seekers.” For example, when students see how conflict, power, or historical context show up in Colonial America as well as in current events, they grasp broader principles that endure well beyond a single unit or test.

“If school focused more on these big concepts and used content as a vehicle, then students would be more easily able to transfer their knowledge.” – Julie Stern

The ACT Model: Acquire, Connect, Transfer

Before diving into specific strategies, Stern emphasized the importance of organizing knowledge so that it actually “sticks.” She cited Jerome Bruner’s statement that “an unconnected set of facts has a pitiably short half-life in memory.” In other words:

  • Concepts act as mental file folders.  They help students categorize, store, and recall information more efficiently.

  • Connections between concepts deepen understanding.  Recognizing relationships among ideas (e.g., how location intersects with power or conflict) develops a broader schema.

  • Breadth of exposure boosts transfer.  Learners benefit from seeing how a single concept—like authority—appears in multiple time periods or real-world contexts.

Stern pointed out that this conceptual organization doesn’t just help kids perform better on tests; it prepares them to make sense of current events and rapidly changing technologies, well beyond their school years.

Engaging Strategies for Deep Learning

During the webinar, Stern and Martin Andrews discussed several classroom strategies for moving students along the Acquire–Connect–Transfer continuum:

1.   Jigsaw

Students become “experts” on a specific concept—like power—in small groups, then return to share what they’ve learned with a different group. Stern emphasized, “If you don’t fulfill your role, you’re going to let your team down.” It’s a concrete way to make every learner accountable for deeper understanding. Find out more about Jigsaw.

2. Conver-Stations Protocol

In a station-based approach, small groups explore texts or resources that highlight a particular concept. Students rotate, explain what they learned, and consider how each new station adds layers to their understanding. “It’s a constant introduction to a novel situation,” Stern noted, “forcing students to apply what they know in new contexts.” Find out more about the Conver-Stations protocol.

3. Hexagonal Mapping

This activity helps students form a “honeycomb” of related ideas. Write each concept (e.g., authority, conflict, governance) on a different hexagon; learners arrange them so that connecting edges reveal meaningful relationships. “Be careful that it doesn’t become a timeline,” Stern cautioned. “Keep it conceptual—how do power and authority interact?” Find out more about Hexagonal thinking and mapping.

Building Lasting Understanding

Whether analyzing historical eras or current headlines, the goal is for students to become adept at spotting recurring concepts and underlying structures. Stern recalled a workshop in which learners studying apartheid in South Africa also examined modern figures like the Brazilian soccer player Vinicius Jr. to see how power, justice, and empathy look across different situations.

“When we bring in a quick contemporary example—two minutes here or there—we’re teaching them how to see deeper structural patterns in their world.” – Julie Stern

By focusing on conceptual themes, educators can help students retain what they learn and transfer it into countless future experiences.

Resources

Watch the Recording

If you missed the live event or would like to revisit any part of the discussion, you can watch the full recording below.