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chapter four
Learning and skill acquisition
4.1 Learning
4.1.1 Stages of learning
When people attempt to learn a topic or material that is reasonably com-
plex or involved, learning is not expected to be instantaneous. Such learn-
ing generally takes time and requires some degree of study, rehearsal,
practice, or review. This process, whereby the learner acquires knowledge
and skill associated with the topic, has often been characterized as pro-
gressing through a number of stages.
As discussed later in Section 4.2.5, researchers have also characterized
the processes underlying skill acquisition as progressing through stages
that correspond