{"id":1646,"date":"2016-09-07T20:12:53","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T20:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-collegesuccess\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1646"},"modified":"2024-05-01T18:28:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T18:28:00","slug":"text-stages-of-the-learning-process","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/chapter\/text-stages-of-the-learning-process\/","title":{"raw":"Stages of the Learning Process","rendered":"Stages of the Learning Process"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe theories about the stages and dimensions of learning<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignright wp-image-5142\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/25230219\/kirk-morales-ZAKbA5CZx4w-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"people skating at a skate park\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/h3>\r\nConsider experiences you've had with learning something new, such as how to skateboard or cook a favorite dish. You probably began by showing interest in the process, and after struggling a bit, it became second nature. What is important to remember is that something you consider easy now was most likely really difficult at first. Your college classes may be the same way. At first, you may struggle, and then eventually you'll become competent. If you think about learning in stages, or in steps, you'll see that these experiences were all part of the learning process, which can be described in four stages.\r\n<h2><strong>Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThis stage will likely be the easiest learning stage\u2014you don't know, or you are not conscious or aware of, what you do not know yet. During this stage, you mainly show interest in something or prepare for learning. Stage 1 may not last that long because you don't know what you don't know. You might ask yourself, what do I need to learn?\r\n<h2><strong>Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThis stage can be the most difficult for students because you begin to register how much you need to learn. You start to learn how much you do not know. At this stage, you now know what you need to learn. Successful completion of this stage relies on practice. You might ask yourself, how much more do I need to learn?\r\n<h2><strong>Stage 3: Conscious Competence<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nDuring this stage, you are beginning to truly understand some parts of your learning goal and you gain some confidence about what you do know. In other words, you are aware of what you know, and you're ready to improve. Stage 3 requires skill repetition. You might ask yourself, what skills do I need to practice in order to feel more confident?\r\n<h2><strong>Stage 4: Unconscious Competence<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThis is the final stage in which you have successfully practiced and repeated the process so many times\u00a0the action can be performed without thinking. Think about something you used to not know how to do and now can do it without thinking, maybe riding a bike or perhaps cooking pasta or noodles. As a learner, you may still need to practice constantly and reevaluate which stage you are in so you can keep learning. You might ask yourself, which skills do you already have that will help you progress? [footnote]Mansaray, David. \"The Four Stages of Learning: The Path to Becoming an Expert.\" <em>The Wayback Machine<\/em>. web.archive.org\/web\/20170327195133\/http:\/\/www.davidmansaray.com\/becoming-an-expert#disqus_thread.[\/footnote]\r\n<h2>Beyond Learning Stages<\/h2>\r\nPatricia Alexander, a leading education theorist, has advanced a comprehensive framework to address the topic of the learning process that goes beyond understanding the learning process as discrete steps. Instead, her theory suggests that the learning process is more like the reciprocal relationship of a river and its surrounding landscape; the learner both changes and is changed by the learning object. Alexander's theory especially makes sense given that each learner is different: student 1 and student 2 can attend the exact same class and have the same course materials, but will learn differently.[footnote]Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. \"What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.\" <em>Educational Psychologist<\/em>, 2009, vol. 44(3).[\/footnote]. Why is that?\r\n<h3>The River Metaphor\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/29171401\/river-3388188_1920.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-5559\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/29171401\/river-3388188_1920.jpg\" alt=\"white water rapids in a river\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\r\nThink of the stages of learning as a river. There is a \u201cdynamic and reciprocal relationship between the ever-moving and transformational river and its surrounding environs.\u201d[footnote]Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. \"What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.\" <em>Educational Psychologist<\/em>, 2009, vol. 44(3), pp. 176\u2013192.[\/footnote] For example, a river\u2019s flow is changed when moving into an uplift of land or a set of rocks. Conversely, when the river overflows its banks, it can scour the curves of the land to create canyons and pools. The river affects its environment and is affected by its environment.\r\n\r\nThe river is another good way to think about the stages of learning. In the same way the river brings together the dynamic of the flowing water and the river bank, and the transformational nature of both in an on-going way, the learning process too sees the complex interactions and transformations among the learner, the object, and the resulting \u201cproduct\u201d of learning. When we look at learning as a process, we see a change taking place.\r\n<h2>Four Dimensions of Learning<\/h2>\r\nFurther, in this transformational perspective of the stages of learning, we can think of four components or dimensions of this interactive system:\r\n<h3>The What of Learning<\/h3>\r\nThere is always a <em>what<\/em>\u00a0that is being learned or that is in the process of change.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">For example, Momiji is learning how to skateboard (the <em>what<\/em>). She has some experience riding snowboards, but wants to be able to ride a skateboard to work two blocks away.<\/div>\r\n<h3>The Where of Learning<\/h3>\r\nBy the <em>where<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions, we are talking about the physical, social, and cultural environment that influence learning.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">Momiji\u00a0decides to hang out at a nearby skateboard park to watch the experienced riders and maybe get some tips from them (the <em>where<\/em>). She quickly finds herself being immersed in a new world of athletic tricks, new language to describe the moves, and a new lifestyle of skateboarding.<\/div>\r\n<h3>The Who of Learning<\/h3>\r\nThe <em>who<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions involves the characteristics of the learner as it relates to biological, cognitive, and experiential (experience) factors. We know that not all learners will learn as well or as quickly as others, and this learning dimension would be a key factor.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">After several weeks of daily workouts at the skateboard park, Momiji begins to notice a change in herself. She has become a bit stronger physically due to the training and finds she no longer has to focus on just staying on the board. She has become proficient in skateboarding\u00a0 basics and is starting to attempt more difficult tricks. She realizes that her confidence level has increased in order for her to attempt things she never would have tried only a few weeks ago (the <em>who<\/em>).<\/div>\r\n<h3>The When of Learning<\/h3>\r\nThe <em>when<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions refers to the temporal nature of life. The frame for learning changes not only because the time of learning changes, but the learner herself has changed.\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">Now two months later, Momiji has a new set of friends and feels a comradeship with them that is nothing like she has felt before. She looks back and smiles when she thinks that all of this started because she wanted to learn to skateboard so she could ride to work (the <em>when<\/em>).<\/div>\r\nAs these four constructs are intertwined and interactional, we can appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of the stages of learning and the learning process.\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/3560884d-193e-4138-9fdf-4a115658a09b\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>glossary<\/h3>\r\n<strong>conscious competence:<\/strong> the more advanced learning stage where we understand and confidently repeat the skills we need to practice\r\n\r\n<strong>conscious incompetence:<\/strong> the more focused learning stage where we understand what we do not know and will need to learn\r\n\r\n<strong>unconscious competence:<\/strong> the final learning stage where we can execute a task without thinking because we have successfully done so many times\r\n\r\n<strong>unconscious incompetence:<\/strong> the initial learning stage where we do not know what we do not know and are perhaps merely curious\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe theories about the stages and dimensions of learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5142\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/25230219\/kirk-morales-ZAKbA5CZx4w-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"people skating at a skate park\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>Consider experiences you&#8217;ve had with learning something new, such as how to skateboard or cook a favorite dish. You probably began by showing interest in the process, and after struggling a bit, it became second nature. What is important to remember is that something you consider easy now was most likely really difficult at first. Your college classes may be the same way. At first, you may struggle, and then eventually you&#8217;ll become competent. If you think about learning in stages, or in steps, you&#8217;ll see that these experiences were all part of the learning process, which can be described in four stages.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stage 1: Unconscious Incompetence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This stage will likely be the easiest learning stage\u2014you don&#8217;t know, or you are not conscious or aware of, what you do not know yet. During this stage, you mainly show interest in something or prepare for learning. Stage 1 may not last that long because you don&#8217;t know what you don&#8217;t know. You might ask yourself, what do I need to learn?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stage 2: Conscious Incompetence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This stage can be the most difficult for students because you begin to register how much you need to learn. You start to learn how much you do not know. At this stage, you now know what you need to learn. Successful completion of this stage relies on practice. You might ask yourself, how much more do I need to learn?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stage 3: Conscious Competence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>During this stage, you are beginning to truly understand some parts of your learning goal and you gain some confidence about what you do know. In other words, you are aware of what you know, and you&#8217;re ready to improve. Stage 3 requires skill repetition. You might ask yourself, what skills do I need to practice in order to feel more confident?<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stage 4: Unconscious Competence<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>This is the final stage in which you have successfully practiced and repeated the process so many times\u00a0the action can be performed without thinking. Think about something you used to not know how to do and now can do it without thinking, maybe riding a bike or perhaps cooking pasta or noodles. As a learner, you may still need to practice constantly and reevaluate which stage you are in so you can keep learning. You might ask yourself, which skills do you already have that will help you progress? <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Mansaray, David. &quot;The Four Stages of Learning: The Path to Becoming an Expert.&quot; The Wayback Machine. web.archive.org\/web\/20170327195133\/http:\/\/www.davidmansaray.com\/becoming-an-expert#disqus_thread.\" id=\"return-footnote-1646-1\" href=\"#footnote-1646-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Beyond Learning Stages<\/h2>\n<p>Patricia Alexander, a leading education theorist, has advanced a comprehensive framework to address the topic of the learning process that goes beyond understanding the learning process as discrete steps. Instead, her theory suggests that the learning process is more like the reciprocal relationship of a river and its surrounding landscape; the learner both changes and is changed by the learning object. Alexander&#8217;s theory especially makes sense given that each learner is different: student 1 and student 2 can attend the exact same class and have the same course materials, but will learn differently.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. &quot;What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.&quot; Educational Psychologist, 2009, vol. 44(3).\" id=\"return-footnote-1646-2\" href=\"#footnote-1646-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a>. Why is that?<\/p>\n<h3>The River Metaphor\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/29171401\/river-3388188_1920.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5559\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5571\/2016\/09\/29171401\/river-3388188_1920.jpg\" alt=\"white water rapids in a river\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Think of the stages of learning as a river. There is a \u201cdynamic and reciprocal relationship between the ever-moving and transformational river and its surrounding environs.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. &quot;What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.&quot; Educational Psychologist, 2009, vol. 44(3), pp. 176\u2013192.\" id=\"return-footnote-1646-3\" href=\"#footnote-1646-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a> For example, a river\u2019s flow is changed when moving into an uplift of land or a set of rocks. Conversely, when the river overflows its banks, it can scour the curves of the land to create canyons and pools. The river affects its environment and is affected by its environment.<\/p>\n<p>The river is another good way to think about the stages of learning. In the same way the river brings together the dynamic of the flowing water and the river bank, and the transformational nature of both in an on-going way, the learning process too sees the complex interactions and transformations among the learner, the object, and the resulting \u201cproduct\u201d of learning. When we look at learning as a process, we see a change taking place.<\/p>\n<h2>Four Dimensions of Learning<\/h2>\n<p>Further, in this transformational perspective of the stages of learning, we can think of four components or dimensions of this interactive system:<\/p>\n<h3>The What of Learning<\/h3>\n<p>There is always a <em>what<\/em>\u00a0that is being learned or that is in the process of change.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">For example, Momiji is learning how to skateboard (the <em>what<\/em>). She has some experience riding snowboards, but wants to be able to ride a skateboard to work two blocks away.<\/div>\n<h3>The Where of Learning<\/h3>\n<p>By the <em>where<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions, we are talking about the physical, social, and cultural environment that influence learning.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">Momiji\u00a0decides to hang out at a nearby skateboard park to watch the experienced riders and maybe get some tips from them (the <em>where<\/em>). She quickly finds herself being immersed in a new world of athletic tricks, new language to describe the moves, and a new lifestyle of skateboarding.<\/div>\n<h3>The Who of Learning<\/h3>\n<p>The <em>who<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions involves the characteristics of the learner as it relates to biological, cognitive, and experiential (experience) factors. We know that not all learners will learn as well or as quickly as others, and this learning dimension would be a key factor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">After several weeks of daily workouts at the skateboard park, Momiji begins to notice a change in herself. She has become a bit stronger physically due to the training and finds she no longer has to focus on just staying on the board. She has become proficient in skateboarding\u00a0 basics and is starting to attempt more difficult tricks. She realizes that her confidence level has increased in order for her to attempt things she never would have tried only a few weeks ago (the <em>who<\/em>).<\/div>\n<h3>The When of Learning<\/h3>\n<p>The <em>when<\/em>\u00a0of the learning dimensions refers to the temporal nature of life. The frame for learning changes not only because the time of learning changes, but the learner herself has changed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">Now two months later, Momiji has a new set of friends and feels a comradeship with them that is nothing like she has felt before. She looks back and smiles when she thinks that all of this started because she wanted to learn to skateboard so she could ride to work (the <em>when<\/em>).<\/div>\n<p>As these four constructs are intertwined and interactional, we can appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of the stages of learning and the learning process.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_3560884d-193e-4138-9fdf-4a115658a09b\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/3560884d-193e-4138-9fdf-4a115658a09b?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_3560884d-193e-4138-9fdf-4a115658a09b\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>glossary<\/h3>\n<p><strong>conscious competence:<\/strong> the more advanced learning stage where we understand and confidently repeat the skills we need to practice<\/p>\n<p><strong>conscious incompetence:<\/strong> the more focused learning stage where we understand what we do not know and will need to learn<\/p>\n<p><strong>unconscious competence:<\/strong> the final learning stage where we can execute a task without thinking because we have successfully done so many times<\/p>\n<p><strong>unconscious incompetence:<\/strong> the initial learning stage where we do not know what we do not know and are perhaps merely curious<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1646\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>College Success. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Robert Danielson. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Skateboard trick in park. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Kirk Morales . <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ZAKbA5CZx4w?utm_source=unsplash&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_content=creditShareLink\">https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ZAKbA5CZx4w?utm_source=unsplash&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_content=creditShareLink<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-1646-1\">Mansaray, David. \"The Four Stages of Learning: The Path to Becoming an Expert.\" <em>The Wayback Machine<\/em>. web.archive.org\/web\/20170327195133\/http:\/\/www.davidmansaray.com\/becoming-an-expert#disqus_thread. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1646-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1646-2\">Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. \"What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.\" <em>Educational Psychologist<\/em>, 2009, vol. 44(3). <a href=\"#return-footnote-1646-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1646-3\">Alexander, P.A., D. L. Schallert, and R. E. Reynolds. \"What Is Learning Anyway? A Topographical Perspective Considered.\" <em>Educational Psychologist<\/em>, 2009, vol. 44(3), pp. 176\u2013192. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1646-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":19,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"College Success\",\"author\":\"Robert Danielson\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Skateboard trick in park\",\"author\":\"Kirk Morales \",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\" https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ZAKbA5CZx4w?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"351f5a36-d56d-4051-83eb-34f056bf5fa5, 4735e9a5-d94e-42a2-86ba-344dd42dbde9","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1646","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":132,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7589,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1646\/revisions\/7589"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/132"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1646\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1646"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1646"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-collegesuccess-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}