The Interplay of Knowledge, Strategies, and the Interest in the Development of Expertise within Professions

Abstract

What role does knowledge play in expertise development in professional domains, and to what extent does that domain-specific knowledge interact with individuals’ strategic abilities and their deep-seated interest in a profession? These are central questions explored in this chapter that positions expertise and its development within the framework of the Model of Domain Learning or MDL. The MDL is a theoretical model used to capture systematic changes in knowledge, strategic abilities, and interest that individuals undergo as they progress from their first exposure to a professional domain to subsequent stages of competence and, perhaps, expertise. After elucidating the concepts of professions, expertise, and knowledge, the author surveys the MDL’s contributions to understanding expertise development. The chapters then culminate with an exploration of societal changes that may have a significant bearing on the nature of expertise and its future development.