Re: Expert and novice: Tales for 5th Dim

Katherine Goff (Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu)
Sun, 30 May 1999 22:25:24 -0600

ematusov who-is-at udel.edu writes:
> I think that wisdom of expert (which I see as an experienced
>novice) is to understand that statements make sense only in an appropriate
>context which often has a dynamic character. When some novices seek for a
>stable universal rule, many seasoned participants look for priorities that
>guide them in specific circumstances and themselves are dynamic, shared,
>negotiable, and interpretative.
i have been observing the expert and novice dichotomy in a fifth grade
classroom and this is such an interesting dynamic.
i like the idea of viewing the expert as an experienced novice because so
many "experts" who struggle to achieve that status marker so often cling
to it as the sole determinant of their value, of their identity. they try
to ignore the dynamic qualities of knowing, of what makes an expert.
and i think this ties into eugene's observation about those students who
think that since they suffered through the process of learning (to become
an expert) that others should suffer a similar fate.
once that level of power, of status, is reached, most of those who enjoy
that priviledge seem to want to make others pay heavily to earn that same
privilege. as if it would lose its value if everyone could attain it. ???

kathie

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
start all over.
start all over.
we need to make new symbols,
make new signs,
make a new language,
with these we'll redefine the world
and start all over.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^tracy chapman:new beginning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine_Goff who-is-at ceo.cudenver.edu
http://ceo.cudenver.edu/~katherine_goff/index.html