The stages of learning model is a psychological framework that elucidates the process of skill acquisition and how individuals enhance their proficiency. Based on this model, individuals progress through different levels of competence as they acquire a new skill. These levels include not being aware of their incompetence, becoming aware of their incompetence, being aware of their competence, and eventually reaching a state of unconscious competence.
Every stage of learning requires a unique combination of behaviors and skills. As an illustration, the stage of ‘unconscious incompetence’ often entails making numerous simple errors without realizing it, whereas the stage of ‘conscious incompetence’ involves making similar mistakes as before, but this time with the awareness of making them, enabling better adjustment.
Having a solid grasp of the stages-of-learning model can provide numerous advantages for various purposes. For instance, gaining a deeper understanding of this model can provide valuable insights into why the initial stages of the learning process can be challenging. It can also assist in identifying your current position in the learning journey, making it easier to anticipate future progress and determine the most important areas to focus on in your learning right now.
In the following article, you will discover more about the stages of the learning model, explore the different levels of competence within this model, and gain insights on how to apply this knowledge in real-world scenarios.
The stages of learning and levels of competence
Studies on the subject of human learning have identified four primary stages of learning that individuals go through when acquiring new skills. These stages represent different levels of competence within a hierarchical framework.
- Lacking awareness of one’s own incompetence. Unawareness of one’s lack of skill is the initial stage of learning, which occurs when one begins to practice a new skill they wish to acquire. A lack of knowledge about particular aspects characterizes this stage. Therefore, there may be some gaps in your understanding of the new skill and uncertainty about your objectives, resulting in unintentional errors that go unnoticed.
- Awareness of one’s lack of skill. Conscious incompetence is a crucial stage in the learning process, occurring once you have gained some familiarity with the new skill you are acquiring. At this stage, there’s still a lot that remains unknown, but you have developed the ability to identify your knowledge gaps and understand what you must learn to enhance your skills. It seems that you are becoming more conscious of the errors you make, which is a positive step forward.
- Awareness of one’s skills and abilities. Conscious competence is the stage of learning where you become highly skilled in the particular skill you are acquiring. By now, you have developed a solid understanding of the skill and its intricacies, resulting in minimal errors during practice. However, achieving optimal performance still requires a substantial and deliberate effort on your part, and many aspects of the skill may still be unfamiliar to you.
- Mastering a skill without even realizing it. Reaching the stage of unconscious competence is the pinnacle of learning, achieved when one attains an exceptional level of skill and expertise. At this stage, your level of expertise is highly advanced, and you possess a comprehensive understanding of the skill and its intricacies. The most notable contrast between this stage and the previous one is that excelling at this level has become much more instinctive, eliminating the need for excessive conscious effort on your part.
These stages are frequently discussed in various conversations about learning theory as they pertain to a wide range of topics, including sports, music, language learning, and more.
Considering the stages of learning
Having a grasp of the stages of learning can greatly enhance your understanding of how your learning process functions when you’re acquiring a new skill. This information is highly beneficial as it enables you to assess your current position, pinpoint your major areas of weakness, and identify areas for improvement, all while maintaining a positive mindset.
In the sections below, you will find information about several specific areas where you can apply your understanding of this learning theory, along with some additional tips to help you implement this knowledge effectively.
Grasp the challenges of getting started
As mentioned earlier, the initial phase of acquiring a new skill is the unconscious incompetence stage, where one lacks awareness of their lack of knowledge or understanding of the subject matter. Although this stage can be quite frustrating, it is a normal and expected part of the learning process.
It’s crucial to grasp this concept, as many individuals mistakenly believe that initial struggles indicate a lack of potential for successfully acquiring the new skill they wish to improve. Understanding that facing initial challenges is a normal part of the process can help you maintain your motivation and continue working towards enhancing your skills.
Gain insight into the reasons behind occasional feelings of decline
At times, when honing a skill you wish to enhance, it may seem as though your progress is regressing rather than improving. One possible explanation for this occurrence is that you have progressed from the initial phase of learning, where you were unaware of your lack of knowledge, to the subsequent phase, where you are now aware of your incompetence.
This implies that you may begin to experience a sudden increase in errors. Actually, it’s highly probable that you were already making those same mistakes before. Now, you have developed the ability to recognize your mistakes, which indicates your improved proficiency compared to before.
It’s important to be aware that as your skills improve, you may experience a sense of decline, which can be attributed to the increased complexity of factors to consider.
For instance, if you engage in a sport where initially you only focus on your offensive skills, progressing to a point where you also need to consider defense will probably decrease your overall performance in the short term. This is because you are now dividing your attention among multiple aspects simultaneously.
Although it may seem like your performance is declining, the truth is that this change indicates your increasing expertise and your enhanced understanding of the skill.
Various subskills may vary in terms of their level of competence.
As you develop a skill, it’s completely normal for the various subskills within it to progress at different rates in terms of proficiency.
As an illustration, when acquiring a new language, it is conceivable that your reading skills may surpass your writing abilities or that you may excel in comprehending spoken language compared to expressing yourself verbally.
It is common to encounter variability during the learning process. If you come across this situation, don’t let it discourage you. Just focus on improving your weaker subskills until they reach the desired level.
Provide individuals with constructive feedback tailored to their level of progress
Having a grasp of the different stages of learning enables you to provide more impactful feedback to others as they acquire new skills. This way, you can customize your feedback to match their level of proficiency.
It is important to note that individuals with varying levels of proficiency will derive greater advantages from various forms of feedback.
During the earlier stages of acquisition, individuals may struggle to handle extensive or complex feedback due to limited abilities in dealing with such input. On the other hand, individuals with advanced proficiency often seek precise technical information to enhance their existing skills.
In general, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to providing feedback. Instead, it is crucial to evaluate individuals’ skill levels and consider this when providing feedback, ensuring they receive the most beneficial guidance.
Concluding thoughts on the stages of learning
The psychological model of learning that you encountered here aims to provide a general understanding of the stages individuals typically experience when acquiring a new skill. There are multiple advantages to gaining a thorough understanding of this model. It allows you to assess your progress and identify areas for improvement.
It is completely normal to feel uncertain and inexperienced when starting out with this model. When you finally begin to recognize that you’re making numerous errors, that can actually be a positive thing. On the contrary, these stages are completely normal and essential in the process of skill development, which you experience as you gradually enhance your abilities.
Relevant ideas
How to improve your competence
You can enhance your proficiency in your desired skill by consistently practicing and actively engaging with relevant resources. For instance, this may entail studying the technique, honing it through practice, or sharing knowledge of it with others.
It may be necessary to employ various strategies or adapt existing strategies to enhance different abilities. For instance, when it comes to mastering a sport, familiarizing yourself with the appropriate movements can be advantageous. However, this approach may not yield the same level of effectiveness when applied to acquiring a skill like programming.
However, the fundamental principle remains consistent regardless of your chosen skill: to improve, one must dedicate time to practice and acquire knowledge. Whether your focus is on a sport like basketball or dancing, an art form like drawing or playing the guitar, or any other pursuit like writing or sewing, the path to proficiency remains the same.
It’s important to consider that various factors can influence the extent to which the learning process enhances your skills. These factors encompass your inherent talents, the level of dedication and commitment you invest in acquiring knowledge, and the fine-tuning of your learning approach.
If you want to improve your skills, it’s important to dedicate enough time and effort while also finding ways to enhance your learning process. This optimization can involve, for example, utilizing learning techniques like interleaving or knowledge-building, which enhance the effectiveness of learning and practicing skills.
The potential fifth level of expertise
Some researchers have put forward the idea of a fifth level of competence, known as unconscious supercompetence. This stage is comparable to the fourth level of expertise (unconscious competence), but represents a higher and more seamless level of proficiency, where the practitioner is conscious of their ability to effortlessly perform the skill.
Typically, this phase of learning is not as well defined as the other phases and is not frequently mentioned in the research literature on the subject.
Nevertheless, the potential difference between this stage and the fourth one is not essential for the majority of individuals who are acquiring a skill. This stage represents the pinnacle of proficiency and therefore only pertains to a select few who are already well-versed in the skill they are mastering.
The evolution of the stages of learning
Various sources attribute this theory of learning to different individuals. There are different studies that attribute the development of the hierarchy of needs to Abraham Maslow, while others credit it to various individuals. One notable person is William S. Howell, whose 1982 book is frequently cited as a resource in many research papers on the subject.
There could be a reason why the origin of this theory is uncertain. It is possible that multiple individuals independently developed similar conceptualizations of this model around the same period. However, the issue of determining the original creator of this model is not significant for the majority of individuals, as it does not impact the current application of the theory.
Summary and conclusions
- When you dedicate yourself to enhancing a specific skill, you will experience various stages of learning, each representing a distinct level of proficiency.
- At the initial stage, there is a lack of awareness regarding certain aspects and uncertainty about the extent of knowledge. The next stage is conscious incompetence, where you may still face challenges, but you can begin to recognize the necessary steps for improvement. After reaching a certain level of expertise, you enter the stage of conscious competence. At this point, you have developed a good level of proficiency in the skill, but achieving a high level of performance still demands a considerable amount of effort. The final stage is reaching a state of unconscious competence, where you have honed your skills to a high level and can perform effortlessly, relying on your intuition.
- It’s important to grasp that it’s completely normal to feel uncertain when you initially begin acquiring a new skill, considering these stages. This indicates that you are currently in the stage of unconscious incompetence, which can be overcome through dedication and effort.
- Furthermore, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s normal to occasionally experience a decline rather than an improvement. This is often the outcome of your progress and, most frequently, of the transition from unawareness of your shortcomings to being aware of them. It signifies that you now possess the required expertise to recognize the errors that you have consistently been making.
- It’s important to remember that various subskills may vary in proficiency. For instance, when learning a new language, you might discover that your speaking ability is more advanced than your writing skills. It is normal to have room for improvement, and you can narrow this gap by enhancing your overall proficiency in the skill.
