Nicola Avery · @NicolaAvery
1st Oct 2010 from Twitlonger
@suifaijohnmak
re #PLENK2010 Experts in online, social and personal learning: http://wp.me/pkZnI-1HP
Very interesting post, Have also been thinking about experts in the last 24 hours.
"I would consider the best experts are those who could create the problem, challenging me to think about the problem rather than those who solve the problem for me. Such experts show me the direction towards what problems that I might have missed out in my big picture problems identification (the vision and mission), and so I could think “out of the square” in tackling problems that may require a strategic solution, not just a solution to solve the immediate problem."
I agree with the above - someone you consider to be an expert whether its learning, technology, social or whatever - has faced a problem or situation that you would like to improve.
How would you know this? As an online learner - from following their work, seen demonstrations and examples of situations and advice they have provided, people they have connected with and their work too - that resonate with your understanding of the problem/situation you are facing. Or if you are more fortunate - by having conversations with them as well.
By the language used, the tone, confidence in what they are saying and doing are also factors - these provide confidence to you as a learner - that they could grasp the details of a situation for which you are seeking expertise, provide insights (as you have mentioned). The level of expertise depends on complexity and the timescales required to improve situation / solve problem.
This might lead you to different people as well - someone you consider to have expertise in one area may not mean that it is someone you want to work specifically with - especially if you have not interacted with them before - although this is hard.. and I think relates to your EI maybe? I'm sure all of us have been in situations where we feel that we are just a source of information rather than because people want to interact with us too.
E.g in projects where specific expertise is needed at specific times - maybe more so in the beginning - you might need assistance in working through what it is you are hoping to achieve - or what are possible solutions / directions to investigate further.
Or maybe in the middle if your project is not going as well as hoped - you might seek expertise in order to find a better way of doing things or decision making for deciding if you need to stop the project completely.