I never think of myself as an expert. Gaining expertise is an ongoing journey of continuous learning where there is no end in sight.
Our field is particularly broad and deep. It encompasses aspects of cognitive science, learning theory, user experience, design thinking, human communication, user interface design, visual design, writing and scripting, marketing, business, information technology and probably many other domains.
No one person can retain all of this information and no one person can be competent in all of the related skills. One of the most important areas we can develop as professionals, therefore, is competence in accessing and sharing knowledge. We can achieve this through networking, social media and collaboration.
If you think of all the people in this domain as one giant mind, you can see how we gain expertise together. When we share what we’ve learned in a meaningful way, then we all become smarter.
To become a “pro” in this career then, involves getting involved with people in our field and outside of it. Participate in relevant online discussion groups. Look for ones related to eLearning and instructional design but also look for other groups. There is a lot to learn from outside of our field. For starters, you can find excellent groups through LinkedIn.
Becoming a pro also means staying up-to-date and this is easily done through social media platforms. Build a personal learning network by engaging on Twitter, joining relevant Facebook groups and reading blog and magazine articles that interest you.
Becoming a pro also involves helping others learn by sharing your excellent finds and documenting your experiences in the public sphere. But don’t fully rely on the virtual world. Get out there and meet people in person. Network at local meetups, get involved with a professional association, and attend a conference if you have the funds. Perhaps you can volunteer in exchange for the cost of attendance.
Even if you work alone, there’s no excuse for remaining isolated. Today there is an endless stream of knowledge broadcast every moment. Jump in!