When I set out to make science videos, I was excited and enthusiastic at first about learning a new skill. I was confident that I could master the technical and creative aspects and to quickly begin producing great videos about my research. Once I tried to film and later to edit, however, I discovered that there was a whole lot more to the process—aspects that I was initially not aware of. When I realized the challenge ahead of me, I was intimidated. How could I possibly learn everything I needed to know? What if I could not master a key technique, such as movie-editing or speaking on camera? What if my videos looked amateurish?
Fortunately, I approached this challenge by taking things one step at a time, which was less overwhelming. For example, I practiced filming with my camera until I was reasonably confident before moving on to editing. What I did not realize was that I was moving through four key stages, which we all experience in learning a new skill. This process is sometimes referred to as the Four Stages of Competence or the Conscious Competence Matrix. Understanding these stages can help you deal with the emotional roller-coaster ride that a learning experience can create. Anticipating the ups and downs that occur while learning a new skill can can help us develop strategies to deal with them.
The Four Stages of Learning
The theory, “The Four Stages of Learning Any New Skill”, was introduced in the 1970s by Noel Burch, who worked at Gordon Training International. His theory led to a model for learning based on these four phases. In the first stage, we are unskilled but don’t realize how little we know; that is, we are blissfully ignorant of our incompetence. In the second stage, we still make mistakes but are conscious of our lack of skill. We seek to acquire the necessary skills and then consciously use those skills in the third stage. In the final stage, we use the skill without conscious thought about what we are doing. If you are an expert at any skill—playing a musical instrument, giving a speech, or writing a scientific paper—you went through these four stages.
The four stages of learning are sometimes presented as a matrix, as in the following video:
Application to Videography
After I decided to make science videos, I watched a few on YouTube and thought, “I can do that; how hard can it be?” However, I had no skills or even basic knowledge of filmmaking techniques and did not realize how incompetent I was. As soon as I tried making a video, I quickly moved into the second stage in which I was acutely aware of my deficiencies. Once I became conscious of my poor skills, I began to read about filmmaking techniques and to practice filming and editing. I soon realized that teaching others would help me learn and began producing video tutorials. Now, filming and editing are second nature. I don’t have to think about how to set up my camera and frame a shot; I just automatically do it. The mechanics of editing are also so ingrained now that I can focus entirely on how to put the material together to tell a story. All this took was some practice.
The value of knowing about this four-stage learning model is that it prepares us for the difficult times and keeps us motivated to push through to the next stage. We can also better plan strategies to deal with setbacks. I find that when many novices first try to make a video and it does not turn out well, they give up. They’ve suddenly moved from unconscious incompetence to conscious incompetence—and the shock can be demoralizing. After recognizing your lack of competence, watching videos made by expert filmmakers can make things worse. One strategy at this stage is to focus on just learning the basics. Instead of comparing your initial efforts to videos made by experts with years of training, concentrate on avoiding novice mistakes.
Some novices think that making videos takes an innate talent that they do not possess. This belief is not true and therefore is self defeating. Like any other skill, making a video simply takes a basic understanding of techniques and practice to succeed. In stage 3, the emphasis is on practicing a skill to master all aspects of it. A strategy to use during this phase is something called deliberate practice, in which we focus on those aspects we find most challenging. People prefer to practice techniques that they can perform well and neglect the ones that they have trouble with. For example, you may be good at the mechanics of filming and editing a video but have trouble interviewing people or developing a good story to convey your message. To improve, you need to practice interviewing and storytelling techniques.
As you conquer each stage of learning, your confidence will improve. Beware, however, of seeking perfection, which can lead to paralysis at any stage. Another important point is that once you reach the fourth stage of learning, you can’t rest on your laurels. Lack of practice can lead to regression to an earlier stage. I not only practice filming and editing every week, I try to learn something new about videography and then apply it.
If you are struggling with learning videography or are too intimidated to even try, knowing about these four stages of learning may help. By recognizing which stage you are in, you can develop a more effective plan to advance to the next stage. Before you know it, making a video about your science will no longer be such a challenge.