Surpassing Ourselves: An Inquiry Into the Nature and Implications of Expertise, by by Carl Bereiter and Marlene Scardamalia, provides a very accessible, but scholarly look at the nature of expertise - and why we need to fundamentally rethink how we understand and nurture "adaptive expertise." This is critical as we prepare students to face a future where memorizing what we already know (and spitting it back on standardized tests) isn't the kind of 'expertise' we need (if indeed, it even qualifies as authentic expertise.)
As Bereiter and Scardamalia explain, we need to move beyond the idea that expertise is a commodity one "gets" with a degree and then is able to rest on that expert label for one's career. Real expertise moves beyond what is known - into the dark area of the unknown - where one grasps in darkness at completely new insights, innovation, invention.
Until we create an educational system that gives students permission to play in this field of the unknown - where failure is an acceptable and organic part of the landscape, they will never know the liberating power of unfettered romps in the realm of messy, inventive expertise. This is a must-read for any school reformer - or life-long learner needing encouragement to push themselves to discover their full potential.