Acquisition of conceptual knowledge and metacognitive belief in the course of expertise

人类长期学习的过程可以被概念化为某一领域的专业知识。当一个人获得专业知识时，他/她在该领域有效解决问题所需的技能变得越来越熟练和自动化。此外，他/她可能获得概念性知识，使他/她能够正确灵活地使用这些技能，以及关于如何解决问题的元认知信念。本研究旨在探讨这些过程在算盘操作，饲养动物和钢琴演奏领域。与我们的预测相反，这些领域的专业知识很少产生概念性知识。珠算专家已经获得了一种可视化空间表示数字的模块化系统，可以自发地应用于数字记忆，并且可以快速解决各种计算问题，而无需关注现有的更简单的启发式程序。专业钢琴家可以毫无困难地演奏相当复杂的曲子，因为他们的自动音乐阅读技能和指法技能。通过饲养金鱼的经验，幼儿获得了一些程序性知识，但通常无法实现对动物生命的生物学理解，这种理解可以转移到其他动物身上。

Processes of human long-term learning can be conceptualized as those of expertise in a domain. As one gains expertise, his/her skills necessary for effective problem solving in the domain become more and more proficient and automatized. In addition, he/she may acquire conceptual knowledge, enabling him/her to use those skills properly and flexibly, and also metacognitive belief about how to solve problems. The present study was aimed at investigating these processes in the domains of abacus operation, rearing animals and piano playing. Contrary to our prediction, expertise in those domains seldom produced conceptual knowledge. Abacus experts had acquired a modular system of visuo-spatially representing a number, which could be applied to digit memory spontaneously, and could promptly solve a variety of calculation problems without paying any attention to simpler, heuristic procedures available. Expert pianists could perform sight playing of a fairly complex piece without difficulty because of their automated musical reading skills as well as fingering skills. Through their experience of rearing goldfish, young children acquired some procedural knowledge, but generally failed to achieve biological understanding of the animal's life tranferable to other animals.