Finding the Expert Knowledge that Everyone Can Use: Year 2 and 3 DSA Progress Report

As part of the nationwide effort to increase the numbers of American students completing college, measuring student learning is considered key. Yet policy makers have barely begun to define the forms of knowledge that are most informative and important to measure. Researchers at SRI International are studying how to enhance outcomes measurement with a greater understanding of expert knowledge and reasoning in a field. In theory, such understanding can support accountability goals, help instructors prioritize lessons, and reveal the links between coursework and real world skills. To ground this work, SRI researchers applied theory and basic research in educational psychology that defines and measures the forms of knowledge and reasoning that contribute to expertise.