The expertise reversal effect describes how the effectiveness of an instructional method changes according to a learner's existing level of knowledge in the subject being taught. Instructional guidance that helps novices build foundational mental structures can become unhelpful, or even harmful, once a learner has gained more expertise in the domain, so the recommendation that follows from the effect is that instructional design should be adjusted as learners grow more knowledgeable rather than held fixed. The effect is a specific case of aptitude-treatment interaction, in which a learning environment that helps one group can be neutral or counterproductive for another, and it is most closely associated with the research of Slava Kalyuga.
Facts
Core ClaimThe expertise reversal effect is the finding that instructional techniques effective for novice learners lose their benefit, or actively harm performance, as learners gain domain expertise, so that reduced guidance becomes more effective than heavy scaffolding for higher-knowledge learners. 1 Sources
1. Expertise reversal effect (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening paragraph, first sentenceQuote, Opening paragraph, first sentence
The expertise reversal effect refers to the reversal of the effectiveness of instructional techniques on learners with differing levels of prior knowledge.
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