C126 (Application): Lessons from The Expert Effect

​Hidee Ho Neighbor, my name is Lu Gerlach and I’m from thinkchat.  Welcome to confession #126!  In this episode, we'll be exploring some of the big ideas presented in the inspiring book, 'The Expert Effect' by Zach Rondot and Grayson McKinney. Get ready to join me on a journey of reflection and growth as we uncover the transformative power of allowing our learners to become the experts. So, grab your favorite cup of tea, find a cozy corner, and let's reflect back on how to allow your learners to become an expert in their learning. 

​This episode, we will only have one application challenge, because I have been quite intense the past two episodes.  I can’t help it, I get excited about this stuff and have to share it with you!  

Why does it matter?

​Empowering our learners to make choices about their own learning is like planting the seeds of expertise. When we grant them the autonomy to select the topics that genuinely captivate their curiosity, we ignite the fires of intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm. It's about tailoring the educational experience to suit their unique needs and styles, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility that propels them forward. With each decision they make, they're not only deepening their understanding of their chosen subjects but also honing essential skills in problem-solving and critical thinking. 

​More importantly, they are realizing that innovators make mistakes continuously, but they continue to try again until they get the right outcome.    So, as educators, let's nurture this process and watch our students evolve into true experts in their own right.

How might I begin?

​Think of the educational journey as tending to a garden, and in this episode, we're helping our learners cultivate it by exploring the variety of gardening tools available to them. It's akin to standing in a lush garden, where each tool represents a unique choice for nurturing our expertise in learning. Just as a gardener selects the right tool for a specific gardening task, our learners have the opportunity to choose where and how they'll kick start their journey toward becoming experts in a field. As they assess this garden of choices, our learners will need to consider which gardening tool best suits their current needs and goals to help their knowledge and skills flourish.

We will be using the Circle of Viewpoints routine, a Project Zero Visible Thinking Routine that can help learners consider diverse perspectives and explore local and global issues from multiple angles.  This routine scaffolds the process of taking more ownership of your learning. 

Step 1: Introduction
Begin the lesson by introducing the concept of the Circle of Viewpoints. Explain that we will explore a local and global issue and examine it from various perspectives to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Step 2: Select a Topic or Issue
Choose our topic or issue. It's a complex issue with environmental, economic, political, and social aspects that allow for multiple viewpoints.

Step 3: Identify Key Perspectives
List key perspectives from scientists, policymakers, activists, business leaders, and the general public.

Step 4: Share Information
Provide learners with articles, interviews, and documentaries representing each perspective. For scientists, share peer-reviewed research articles. For policymakers, provide government reports and speeches.

Step 5: Assign Roles
Assign learners to groups, with each group taking on the role of one of the key perspectives. Group 1 becomes the "scientists," Group 2 the "policymakers," and so on.

Step 6: Individual Reflection
Ask learners to individually read and reflect on materials from their assigned perspective. They should consider the main arguments, evidence, and viewpoints presented.

Step 7: Group Discussion
Have each group discuss their assigned perspective and share their reflections. Learners within each group can elaborate on their understanding.

Step 8: Rotate Perspectives
After the initial group discussions, reshuffle learners so that each group now represents a different perspective. For example, the "scientists" group becomes the "activists."

Step 9: Synthesize and Compare
In their new groups learners synthesize insights from their original perspective and compare them with the insights they gained from the other perspectives. They discuss commonalities, differences, and areas of contention.

Step 10: Reflect on the Process
Lead a class discussion where learners reflect on how considering different viewpoints influenced their understanding of the topic or issue. Encourage them to share specific insights or changes in perspective.

Application

Take the steps from the Circle of Viewpoints visible thinking routine and expand them to be more agentic.  

Your task
​

• Break down the Circle of Viewpoints steps.
• Assess the agentic nature of each step.  If it is too teacher-driven, how might you rewrite them so they are open-ended?
• Identify other skills learners will need in order to be experts.
• Compare to your current unit and examine how you might change your existing engagements and processes to become more agentic. 

For instance, in step 4, it asks the teacher to provide resources for their learners.  To create experts, the Lessons from the Expert Effect Learners need to find their own resources, instead of the teacher providing them.  For this to occur, we will need to model the process of finding accurate and reliable sources of information. 

Have fun with this application exercise!  I know you will unravel some new ideas that you had not previously considered.