THE CURSE OF
KNOWLEDGE Adam Boxer explains why our novice students don’t always understand our explanations as much as we think they should. It’s because we’ve forgotten how expert we’ve become. By By Adam Adam Boxer Boxer
II want want you you to to try try something something out out for for me: me:
1. Think Think of of aa tune tune in in your your head. head. 2. Find Find aa friend. friend. 3. You You are are the the “tapper” “tapper” and and your your friend friend isis the the “listener”. “listener”.
4. On On aa table, table, tap tap out out your your tune tune without without humming humming or or singing singing or or anything. anything.
5.
Before Before you you ask ask your your friend friend to to guess guess what what the the tune tune is, is, try try and and predict predict the the likelihood likelihood of of them them getting getting itit right. right.
6. Ask Ask them them what what the the tune tune is. is. In In 1990, 1990, Dr Dr Elizabeth Elizabeth Newton Newton tried tried this this out out for for real. real. Using Using tappers tappers and and listeners, listeners, she she found found that that only only 22 in in 150 150 tunes tunes were were correctly correctly guessed guessed by by listeners, listeners, but but tappers tappers predicted predicted that that listeners listeners would would get get itit right right around around 50% 50% of of the the time. time. As As such, such, ifif your your listener listener got got itit right, right, I’ll I’ll donate donate aa tenner tenner to to aa charity charity of of your your choice. choice. This, This, and and other other experiments, experiments, teach teach us us something something about about the the relationship relationship between between our our knowledge knowledge and and others’ others’ knowledge. knowledge. When When we we have have something something in in our our head head that that isis clear clear and and obvious obvious itit isis aa biological biological impossibility impossibility for for us us to to imagine imagine what what itit
0 066 // // H HW WR RK KM MAG AGA AZZIIN NEE // // SSpprriinngg 220 02211
must must be be like like to to not not have have that that knowledge. knowledge. ItIt just just can’t can’t be be done. done. We We repeatedly repeatedly fail fail to to truly truly appreciate appreciate what what “not “not having having that that knowledge” knowledge” isis like. like. The The failure failure to to appreciate appreciate the the gap gap between between our our knowledge knowledge and and their their knowledge knowledge isis called called “the “the curse curse of of knowledge” knowledge” or or “expert “expert blindness.” blindness.” As As teachers, teachers, we we specialise specialise in in this this area area –– it’s it’s literally literally our our job job to to take take knowledge knowledge that that we we have have and and others others don’t don’t and and pass pass itit on on to to them. them. Most Most of of the the time, time, II think think we we get get this this right. right. We We know know that that when when itit comes comes to to really really tricky tricky concepts concepts we we have have to to work work as as hard hard as as we we can can to to cut cut the the ideas ideas up, up, simplify simplify them them and and make make them them readily readily intelligible. intelligible. II do, do, however, however, think think there there are are two two common common areas areas that that we we don’t don’t get get right. right. First, First, isis in in the the obviously obviously interesting interesting way way we we think think and and talk talk about about our our subjects. subjects. To To us, us, they they are are aa huge huge part part not not just just of of what what we we do, do, but but they they are are aa part part of of what what we we are. are. We We love love our our subjects subjects and and obsess obsess over over them them in in all all of of their their nerdy nerdy gloriousness. gloriousness. Our Our students, students, however, however, do do not. not. And And whilst whilst sometimes sometimes your your tangents tangents and and meanders meanders might might be be endearing, endearing, they they aren’t aren’t always always what what your your students students want want to to hear. hear. Don’t Don’t get get me me wrong: wrong: they they are are important important and and valuable valuable and and aa part part of of what what makes makes teaching teaching brilliant, brilliant, but but don’t don’t forget forget that that most most of of your your students students aren’t aren’t as as desperately desperately in in love love with with the the subject subject as as you you are are –– it’s it’s why why only only 1.2% 1.2% of of the the UK UK working working population population are are teachers. teachers. So So yes, yes, show show your your passion passion and and your your interest, interest, but but don’t don’t get get carried carried away. away.
@hwrk_magazine @hwrk_magazine
