Chapter 6, page 99
NOVICE CONCEPTIONSNovice conceptions are immature conceptions that learners have when they do not yet know much
about a topic. Novice conceptions contrast with expert conceptions, the conceptions of people who know
a great deal about a topic. Many studies in education and psychology have compared the conceptions of
novices with those of experts (K. Anders Ericsson, 2005, 2006; Schunn, in press). According to this
research, there are two important differences between novice conceptions and expert conceptions. First,
novice conceptions are much less extensive and interconnected than the conceptions of experts. Second,
novice conceptions are organized differently than expert conceptions.
Few Concepts that are Poorly Interconnected
In comparison to experts, novices have conceptions that are both less extensive and less
interconnected. This means both that novices have fewer concepts in long-term memory, and the concepts
that they have are more isolated and less linked together. Experts know many more concepts, and they
know many different ways in which these concepts are interrelated.
Figure 6.6:
Novice and expert conceptions of poetry
6.6a A novice student’s conceptions of poetry
Kinds of
poemshaikus Poems that
rhymeFunny
poemsrhyming wordshaverhythm