Expertise and Motivation in Education

There are a few things I wanted to highlight after reading How People Learn (1999) and how I rationalize it into my own perspective and context. When they wrote, “Though experts know their disciplines thoroughly, they may not be able to teach others effectively.” I was reminded of my April 2018 visit to a neuropsychologist. I sought an explanation from Dr. Alan Lewandowski for why I seemed to be miscommunicating with one client in particular. I had always felt like my ability to empathize with others was insufficient, or lacking in major ways that I struggled to define.

When my evaluation was complete and I came back to go over my results with Dr. Lewandowski, he gave me an explanation that provided both relief and amusement. He said that my cognitive processing was in the top 5% for my demographic/education level. I enjoyed the metaphor he used, to paraphrase, “Your brain is a Porsche, and your work is driving back and forth to the grocery store. That’s not what a Porsche is built for.”  He went on to say that I have a hard time empathizing with others likely because when I encounter something that I understand (e.g. math, programming, French, etc.) detaching myself from that understanding to see it from the perspective of someone who doesn’t understand is extremely difficult. Tying this back to the quote I highlighted earlier, this was a great “Ah-ha!” moment for me, to realize that taking ideas and running with them might leave others behind when I don’t mean to. It also encouraged me to be more mindful and to stop and take stock of my interactions with others; to check-in with them often during conversations so that we both know what our progress is looking like, for me as a mentor/colleague/teacher/support staff and them as a learner/student/user.

“A metacognitive approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them.” (Bransford, Brown, Cocking, p.18).

This quote from the book showcases how metacognitive approaches can empower learners to engage deeper with their studies, and find things that truly interest them. The focus on goal-setting, planning, and execution gives learners the freedom to choose subjects or projects where their own motivations or interests can guide them. Without drawing connections between things to be learned, and how to incorporate these things into learner-applicable contexts, educators may neglect fostering a learning environment where motivation is foundational instead of optional.

Bransford, J., Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R., & National Research Council (U.S.) (Eds.). (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academy Press.