Education paper by Papp, Klára
The Nature and Implications of Expertise and Expert Learners (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Critical thinking is defined as “the ability to apply higher-order cognitive skills and the disposition to be deliberate about thinking that leads to action that is logical and appropriate.” Knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors are foundational to critical thinking and are required to assess, diagnose, and solve problems in any discipline. It encompasses the entire range of actions and decisions that are not automatic and innate but rather require thought and mental processing. The absence of critical thinking can result in delayed or missed diagnoses, errors, and mismanagement. More specifically, critical thinking includes all conscious thought that goes into establishing a diagnosis and deciding on a plan of action specific to a problem or circumstances. It is a skill that is assumed to develop and grow as a consequence of education and experience. It is also assumed that everyone sooner or later becomes an expert in his/her field. But this is not necessarily so; studies distinguish between routine experts and adaptive experts. Using examples from the medical field, this talk will present three divergent lines of research in the critical thinking literature, 1) case studies illustrating diagnostic acumen, 2) representational theories of the mind, and 3) studies of decisions gone awry. We will consider research findings on the relationship between critical thinking and language instruction. These studies may inform Hungarian language instruction to help students more effectively learn the language. Using this framework, teachers can guide learners to improve their expertise, cognitive growth and development.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Klara Papp, PhD is the Graber Term Professor Emerita of Health Learning. She served as Associate Dean of Student Assessment and CQI in the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. Her areas of expertise include program evaluation, learner assessment, and educational research and scholarship. She served as deputy guest editor for the Journal of General Internal Medicine and is also on the editorial board for the International Journal of Medical Education. She chaired the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) Research Committee and is recipient of the CDIM’s Charles H. Griffith III Educational Research Award.