Learning: Experts and Novices

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,3, Bielefeld University, course: Literature, Culture, and the Learning Paradigm, language: English, abstract: How can teachers generate particular classroom settings to motivate students to most effective learning? How can they use diverse methods to bring students to deep understanding of a discipline? The report How People Learn - Brain, Mind, Experience and School (1999) by John D. Bransford et al. is the basic foundation for my paper, because the authors seek for answers to these questions. I will first make a distinction between experts and novices to come to know to what extent effectiveness is possible and how the most effective mastery can be achieved. I will analyze expertise within the teaching profession and find out, how teachers are supported. Moreover it helps to deduce practicality in class from scientific assumptions. It also shows that a special teacher training is indispensable. Ongoing it is necessary to have a look at the teacher's sensitivity concerning his students and his self-reflection towards his lessons. An analysis of the characteristics of the subject matter will facilitate a well-conceived choice of topics. I will have a look at difficulties with the design of tasks and problems with the concept of expert teachers.