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 FAQs
Does a teaching method that works for beginners keep working as learners gain knowledge?
No. Worked examples help novices, but open-ended problem solving becomes more effective as knowledge grows.
Not necessarily. Worked examples are a standard illustration: low-knowledge learners benefit more from studying structured worked-out examples than from solving problems on their own, but as their knowledge increases, open-ended problem solving becomes the more effective learning activity. This reversal is what gives the expertise reversal effect its name, and it is why instruction is best adjusted as learners acquire more knowledge in a domain.
Sources
1. Expertise reversal effect (Wikipedia)
WikipediaOpening 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.
Lead paragraph, education-level
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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