three phases, viz. cognitive , associative and autonomous . Each phase or stage of skill learning involves different types of mental processes. In the cognitive phase of skill learning, the learner has to understand and memorise the instructions, and also understand how the task has to be performed.
In this phase, every outside cue, instructional demand, and one’s response outcome have to be kept alive in consciousness. The second phase is associative. In this phase, different sensory inputs or stimuli are linked with appropriate responses. As the practice increases, errors decrease, performance improves and time taken is also reduced.
With continued practice, errorless performance begins, though, the learner has to be attentive to all the sensory inputs and maintain concentration on the task. Then the third phase, i.e. autonomous phase, begins. In this phase, two important changes take place in performance: the attentional demands of the associative phase decrease, and interference created by external factors reduces.
Finally, skilled performance attains automaticity with minimal demands on conscious effort. S KILL L EARNING Nature of Skills A skill is defined as the ability to perform some complex task smoothly and efficiently. Car driving, airplane piloting, ship navigating, Fig. .
: The four figures on the top are the exemplars of the concept, and rest of the figures are non-exemplars. The exemplars of the concept must be triangle and grey. Other features are irrelevant. Group of Participants Phase Phase Experimental Learns task A Learns task B Control Does not learn but rests Learns task B TTTTTable able .
Experimental Design used in the Study of T Experimental Design used in the Study of T Experimental Design used in the Study of T Experimental Design used in the Study of T Experimental Design used in the Study of Transf ransf ransf ransf ransfer Eff er Eff er Eff er Eff er Effects of Learning ects of Learning ects of Learning ects of Learning ects of Learning Transitions from one phase to the other clearly show that practice is the only means of skill learning. One has to keep on exercising and practicing.