There are 5 levels of learning:
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Level 1 Basic Knowledge: Awareness of the basic concepts
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Level 2 Understanding: Able to understand and apply the knowledge with some help, able to solve simple problems
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Level 3 Application: Able to apply the knowledge to solve problems without help
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Level 4 Judgment: Able to apply knowledge in various complex situations
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Level 5 Synthesis: Master of the domain. Can identify weakness of the domain and develop "new knowledge"
For successful adoption of software development capability improvements, training is important but not sufficient.
After a training class most people will be at Level 1, few will be at Level 2. Practitioners need to be at Level 3 to
apply the knowledge effectively. Mentoring support is needed to achieve Level 3. A mentor is a Level 4 or Level 5
practitioner in a his/her domain.
Most learners get only basic knowledge from a training class. They have to apply this knowledge to real problems in
order to become truly capable. That is hard to do if you are fresh out of a basic training class unless you are working
with a skilled mentor. Mentors can help learners quickly advance to the second and third learning stages and then
support them in stages 4 and 5, as the learners gain more experience. It takes time and experience to hone the good
judgment necessary for these stages, and there are no shortcuts.
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