Plain English Meaning
The middle stage of learning a skill, where the student knows what to do and is now practicing to do it more smoothly. Movements start to connect, mistakes get smaller, and the task feels less mechanical, but it still takes active concentration.
Full Definition
The second of three stages of skill acquisition in learning, in which the learner has moved past memorizing the basic steps of a task and begins linking those steps together into smoother, more coordinated performance. During this stage, errors decrease, the learner starts to recognize patterns, and conscious thought is still required but less than before. It follows the cognitive stage and precedes the automatic response stage.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation instructor training when discussing how students learn flight skills time.