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| Photo by: Taruna Goel |
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) defines "expert learners" as learners who are resourceful and knowledgeable, strategic and goal-directed, and purposeful and motivated. The UDL framework is about guiding learners to become better learners. So, the expertise that we seek here is not in the subject area being taught. Instead, it is the expertise associated with #learninghowtolearn and doing it strategically and purposely. As some would say, it is the "mastery of learning" rather than the "mastery of knowledge".
As described in the video by CAST (See References), among
other things, expert learners:
- Set goals
- Make choices about learning
- Reflect on their learning
In the book, Universal design for learning: Theory and
practice, Meyer, Rose, and Gordon (2014) note that expert learners are not
created in a vacuum. They argue that expert learners require expert
teachers who need to be expert learners themselves. They go a step further and
highlight that learning environments need to support, encourage and nurture the
goal of learning expertise for all.
As L&D professionals, teachers, instructors, facilitators, we need to approach our learnability and learning expertise as a continuum. And a big part of becoming an expert learner is to view learning as a process, not a product.
References:
UDL & Expert Learning (Video)
UDL Practices of Expert Learning by CAST (Document)
What is an expert learner? (Blogpost)
Meyer, A., Rose, D. H., & Gordon, D. (2014). Universal design for learning: Theory and practice. Wakefield, MA: CAST Professional Publishing. (Book)