Jason is a bright, energetic second grader. When asked how he would explain
history to a student living in a faraway place, Jason says it is a book that he has
in his classroom. When he is asked to show the adult interviewer how to do his-
tory, he takes a toy clock from among the props in the room and shows the inter-
viewer how to tell time. He is not able to explain what telling time has to do with
history, however. When asked if he likes history, Jason simply shrugs his shoul-
ders, as if to say, “I don’t know.”
Evie describes herself as a “history buff.” It was probably inevitable that she
would become a high-school history teacher. As long as she can remember, his-
torical writings, fiction, and documentaries have been among her favorite enter-
tainments. No matter how busy life gets, she enjoys volunteering as a docent at
the city museum. She recently decided to pursue her master’s degree in history
education. As she explains it, she wants to be a better teacher for her students.
She also wants the chance to improve her knowledge of African and Asian his-
tory, which she feels are neglected areas in the school curriculum and in her own
understanding.
Bruce has devoted most of his adult life to the study of American history. In
fact, he is considered one of the leading authorities on the early Colonial Period.
According to Bruce, there is much to understand about this formative period in
American society and the intricate relations that existed between the social, po-
litical, religious, and economic systems of the time. Bruce says that he could
easily spend another 20 years immersed in this research. As he puts it: “People
think they know so much about this time and place. But, there are so many mis-

10

A Model of Domain Learning:

Reinterpreting Expertise as a

Multidimensional, Multistage Process

Patricia A. Alexander
University of Maryland

273