Tweet

Completing the Learning Cycle – and Beyond

Written by: Anne Walsh

Article Overview: One of the most useful models I have found for understanding the learning cycle is the model described by Thomas Gordon as the “conscious competence learning stage model”. What I plan to do in this article is describe some of the “symptoms” of each part of the cycle, what learners need in this stage and give some practical illustrations.

Completing the Learning Cycle – and Beyond

Introduction

One of the most useful models I have found for understanding the learning cycle is the model described by Thomas Gordon as the “conscious competence learning stage model”. What I plan to do in this article is describe some of the “symptoms” of each part of the cycle, what learners need in this stage and give some practical illustrations.

Origins

According to the Business Balls website, “The California-based Gordon Training organization, was founded by Dr Thomas Gordon. He states that their Learning Stages model (called 'The Four Stages for Learning Any New Skill') was developed by former GTI employee, Noel Burch over 30 years ago.”
Stage 1 - Unconscious Incompetence

This stage can be best described as “blissful ignorance”. It’s the stage where learners actually don’t see the need for the particular skill at all. And if they think about it at all, it’s to assume that it’s either way beyond them or too easy to bother with. What’s needed in this part of the cycle in order to move onto the next stage is pain of some sort. Learners need to find themselves in situations where they struggle and realize that they actually do need to learn something. Let’s use the analogy of driving. In this stage, it tends to be assumed that anyone can drive and that it’s really easy to learn. The person may not want to learn until they are faced with a situation where they have to learn how to drive.

Stage 2 - Conscious Incompetence

This is the most painful stage for learners, particularly adult learners who are used to feeling a certain level of competence in other spheres of their life. It’s a sobering experience to realise that you are not very good at this new skill. It can feel humiliating and vulnerable for the learner. Instructions and information will need to be given, repeated and delivered in several different formats: visual, auditory and kinesthetic before even the rudiments of the new skill are acquired. It is very tempting at this stage for learners to want to give up. They need encouragement, support and practical examples of people who have successfully mastered the skill. Feedback on performance needs to be given frequently. They may also need some gentle reminders of their initial motivation. To return to the driving example, in this stage, lessons, support, encouragement and practice are crucial for successful negotiation of this stage.
Stage 3 - Conscious Competence

In this stage of driving, the car has a large L plate and instructions are followed with painful accuracy. Learner drivers in this stage can be seen repeating instructions to themselves, checking manuals. Manuals, tutorials and self-learning resources are a critical support as the learner gradually begins to gain confidence and realize that while the skill feels unnatural and forced, he/she has actually made progress. The skill can be practized but only with a full conscious effort and full attention. Further practice is essential to move onto the next stage. One useful technique for moving onto the next stage is to teach the skill to another.

Stage 4 - Unconscious Competence…

If you have ever driven to work but have absolutely no memory of doing so, you have become an unconsciously competent driver. When people are at this level, the skill looks effortless. The unconsciously competent person can often do other things along with the skill. This can be a dangerous stage for trainers in it’s very easy to forget that what is now effortless for them is still in Stage 1 or 2 for their learners. At this stage, trainers may need to become learners again--perhaps by attending a training course, watching other trainers at work, or going back to acquire a totally new skill.

Stage 5 - Beyond Unconscious Competence

There is some controversy about a “fifth stage” of competency. I personally like the idea of “reflective competence”. This competence means that not only can the person practize the skill with grace and ease, but he/she can also step outside themselves to see what they have done and identify the steps and their underlying thought processes. They become observers of their own skill.

Summary

The steps of this cycle are sequential in that each one must be gone through. The skill of the trainer is in making the transition from one stage to the next only as painful as is required! It is also very useful for trainers to regularly put themselves back into a state of conscious incompetence…perhaps not in their training but just to get in touch with the vulnerability of that Stage 2 place.

Related Articles
  The Cycle For Success
  Franchising: Like a Fun Hike
  When Managing Change - Understand The Grief Cycle
  7 Quick & Easy Ways to Avoid Procrastination
  Learn Together With Your Kids

Article Tags: adult learners, analogy, balls, blissful ignorance, conscious competence, dr thomas gordon, illustrations, models, noel burch, origins, rudiments, spheres, stage 1, stage 2, stage model, training organization, unconscious incompetence



Related Forum Posts
Re: My Favourite 7 Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time - Hi Evan, I have a new suggestion for "Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time" and a suggestion for your Learning from the Masters series: 1. Boldest Entrepreneur Moves of All Time = Christopher Columbus: "... he saw the possibility of treasure and commerce where others saw only danger. He committed so wholeheartedly to that vision that not even dozens of rejections and ongoing penury could dissuade him from pursuing a journey to Asia via the West. He built on his technical strengths as a seaman to plan a viable journey and eventually marshal an expedition." - Christopher Hoenig, 6 Essential Secrets for Thinking on a New Level I bought Hoenig's book about 10 years ago but couldn't make head or tail of it then... reading it now and finding it inspirational... 2. Nomination for Learning from the Masters video: Dee Hock, founder of VISA. (Source = Hoenig.)
Re: 3 Ways I Used Twitter To Grow My Business This Week - Hi Olivia, It seems you are working in the area of leadership area. Is Leadership = Learning? I am looking for some good books on strategy? Which one do you recommend? Thanks, Robert
What is your hit ratio? - Like most entrepreneurs I have more ideas for where I want to take my business than I can handle. I believe in the "fail early, fail often" philosophy and try to find small ways to get started on a project to see if it has any legs. I would estimate that for every 50 things I try, most of them don't have an impact for me, 10 of them have a slightly positive impact, and 1 hits it really big. Some of my big wins over the past few years have been: * Learning the ins and outs of search engine optimization to drive traffic * Putting up and optimizing Google AdSense ads to monetize the website * Deciding to be the leader in profiling famous entrepreneurs online * Recruiting outside authors to help contribute to the website content (now have over 25,000 pages) * Creating the entrepreneur forums * Bringing on staff to help cope with the daily amount of work required to keep things running smoothly What is your hit ratio and some of your big wins?
Re: September Contest Winners, New October Contest! - Hello, everybody: The prizes are great - especially since it costs nothing to participate. But the best benefit of a contest like this (whether you win a prize or not) is that it gets you motivated to do something you should already be doing regularly anyway. And that is forum participation, of course. Immersing yourself in a marketing community helps you get info, ideas, insight, inspiration, insider knowledge, encouragement, confidence, feedback and friends. Learning from others is great. Sharing your own info and insight with others is great. Networking your products and services is great. Building your online image or brand is great. The more you post, the more exposure you get. The more value you offer in your posts, the better your reputation becomes as a knowledgeable and capable service provider. It doesn't matter whether or not you win a prize ... if you are participating regularly all month long, you are already a winner! That makes you a leader and leadership has its rewards. Aim for the prize, but rejoice in the example you are setting as a leader in Evan's entrepreneur community. GT :-]
Re: 5 Skills for work at home people - Have you ever heard the saying, "Do what you do best and let others do the rest!"? I must admit that I tend to want to do it all, but I have learned that others can do a far better job so that I can really put my focus on the areas I most enjoy and tend to be best at. Marketing is one of these areas. When I don't delegate some of these things, my productivity actually goes down. Am I the only one who has realized she can't have a balanced life and still continue to do all the menial tasks?! Therefore, the skill that is missing for work at home people is: Learning to "let go" and delegating some of your tasks! It sounds like the man who built a business by outsourcing most of it had an entrepreneurial idea of what he wanted to create. We're all different and he seems more of an overseer or visionary. How great for him! I think it would be fun to really implement business ideas without having to do the things I don't enjoy so much! It also sounds like he created what they call a "true business", where he could walk away and the business would still run itself. I'm actually trying to create that with the new store I'm setting up. Once it gets going, I plan on delegating most of the work so I can continue to do the other work I love from home.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

What should your free giveaway be?

What Makes an Extraordinary Business Consultant?

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.