PDFE #8 Stages of Learning

In this Lab I learned the verbal and motor stages of learning a simple skill. There are various stages that a learner will progress through and they are verbal-cognitive, motor stage, and autonomous stage. At first Robert didn't know how to do make a bowline knot because he had only seen it done once. The first four trials Robert tried to make the knot by himself and he wasn't quite understanding the whole process. For these trials he was at the verbal cognitive stage because he understood the general idea, and he was trying to make the knot step by step with the direction and visual aid on the hand-out. As he continued to do the trials he was deciding what was and wasn't working. The way he did this is he had to remember the last technique he used and what part he had to change to reach his goal. As the observer at first he look rushed and frustrated because he had never tied a knot like this before. So he relied heavily on the instructions and talked to himself for guidance. On trails 5 and 6 Robert was trying to organize more effective ways to make the knot and he did this by receiving feedback to whether if the knot came out properly and the knot wasn't sliding; so he used closed-loop movements. He also used closed skills because he was just focusing on what he was doing and if he was making the right movements. His movements looked less rushed but became quicker and he wasn't talking to himself anymore for guidance. But he still was not correcting errors without feedback. After the sixth trial I tried to give him directions on how to complete the steps, but it was more clear to Robert when you helped him because you had the skill of tying a bowline knot. After Robert was instructed correctly trials 7-10 his skill was at the autonomous stage. His movements looked effortless and he could carry on a conversation at the same time. I wasn't seeing anymore improvements he just kept trying to make the knot loop larger or smaller. What I learned about the participant is that he probably learns best by being visual taught and being able to complete the task side by side, with someone who knows how to complete the task then it becomes muscle and imagery memory in the brain.