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By, Pamela O. Vickers Most of the four learning stages - unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence and unconscious competence - are bridged by acquiring experience. But the gap between unconscious incompetence to conscious competence is where the most discomfort and discouragement occurs. Helping new developers bridge the void ensures a vibrant, accessible community, and having visible members/mentors in each stage encourages newcomers' learning. This talk illustrates (literally!) how to help new colleagues build this bridge and prevent losing them in the what-do-I-even-Google abyss.
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This presentation by Pamela O. Vickers at RailsConf 2015 focuses on guiding new developers through the challenging learning stages of programming, specifically transitioning from unconscious incompetence to conscious competence. Vickers emphasizes the importance of mentorship, community support, and patience in fostering a welcoming environment for beginners in the tech industry. **Key points discussed in the presentation include:** - **The Four Learning Stages:** - **Unconscious incompetence:** Not knowing what one doesn't know. - **Conscious incompetence:** Recognizing what one doesn’t know. - **Conscious competence:** Knowing how to do something consciously. - **Unconscious competence:** Mastery where skills are performed automatically. - **Tenderfoot's Journey:** A metaphorical character, Tenderfoot, illustrates a typical new programmer's journey across a canyon representing the learning gap. - **Utilizing Resources:** New learners like Tenderfoot often feel overwhelmed with the resources available online and struggle with initial questions that may seem vague or too broad. Vickers stresses that we should help refine these questions to improve the responses they receive. - **Supportive Mentorship:** The necessity for experienced developers to provide thoughtful, clear, and constructive answers to new programmers is paramount. Sharing knowledge accurately can either encourage or discourage learners. - **Community Visibility:** The importance of having visible role models from diverse backgrounds in tech is highlighted to help underrepresented learners see their potential pathway in the field. - **Creating Connections:** Vickers advises engaging actively within the developer community to establish relationships that can facilitate job placement and mentorship opportunities for newcomers. **Conclusions:** - The journey of learning to code is complex, and experienced developers can play a critical role in bridging the gap for new learners. Each interaction can make a significant difference in how tenderfeet feel about their progression. - A supportive and welcoming community not only retains new developers but enhances the vibrancy and diversity of the tech industry. Honoring their journey and recognizing the challenges they face creates an encouraging environment for mutual growth and learning.
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