Post blog entry #2 in reaction to "How Experts Differ From Novices"

At Lehigh, we are constantly testing and researching new technologies to implement. Faculty, staff, and students rely on us as the "experts" to provide them with the tools and information they need to teach, work and learn. It is very easy to find yourself providing consultation that, as the expert, you feel should be adequate or essential, rather than what the end user actually needs. It is important in these instances to re-evaluate your goals as the expert, and provide the users with the information, tool or technology they need in a way that allows them to think critically about what they want to do to accomplish their own goals.

"How Experts Differ From Novices" was a very thought provoking chapter for me. When identifying the best methods for teaching, it is important to also identify the learner. Is there a room full of novices, experts or a combination of both? There are drastically different teaching methods applied to any of these scenarios as shown in the example of teaching Hamlet (Bransford, J., 2000, p.46). The way in which content is taught is dependent on the amount of knowledge the learner brings with them into the classroom. The two ways in which Hamlet was being taught were completely different from each other. Each method reached out to a different type of learner, the first method, a didactic approach of deep analysis, would have been better suited perhaps for a college level Shakespeare class, rather than a group of ninth graders that may not be interested in becoming an expert in Hamlet. Conversely, the second method, a constructivist approach, worked well to engage the learners and foster thinking. By having the students envision their thoughts and feelings about the themes, the bigger picture was given to the students. This allowed the next learning tasks to build on this idea like a scaffold. Students could work up to the complicated concepts and language differences, leaving the opportunity for analyzing and critical thinking as the learning process progressed.

The chapter also expressed importance of students learning to teach themselves. Before students take on this task, shouldn't the students to learn how to learn first? Teachers can assist in this process by using technology as a tool to provoke students to think critically. "Tasks that require intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning processes will result in more meaningful learning." (Jonassen, Howland, Marra and Crismond, 2008, p.3) It is important to differentiate the responsibilities of the teacher and the tools or technologies used in the classroom. Teachers should be using technology to assist in the learning process, and not use the tool as the teacher. Once the ground work has been laid for meaningful learning, then the ability to teach oneself can begin to be developed.



Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R. M., Crismond, D. (2008). Meaningful Learning With Technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.