THE CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE: WHY EXPERTISE SOMETIMES BECOMES A BARRIER TO LEARNING
A seasoned traveller can navigate familiar streets without consciously noticing the landmarks. The turns are instinctive, the routes effortless, and the destination almost inevitable. Yet if that same traveller is asked to guide a newcomer through the maze, an interesting problem emerges. What has become second nature to the expert remains a bewildering landscape for the novice. The traveller may skip crucial directions, overlook important landmarks, and become genuinely puzzled when the newcomer gets lost. I have often wondered whether something similar happens in education. In one of my previous articles, I discussed the various interventions that influence student learning and examined their relative effect sizes. The analysis revolved around three principal stakeholders in the learning process—students, teachers, and parents—each capable of exerting a profound influence on educational outcomes. Among the findings, one result generated considerable surprise. When examining fac...