Skill

Skill is the ability to carry out a task with determined results often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, self-motivation and others, whereas domain-specific skills would be useful only for a certain job. Skill usually requires certain environmental stimuli and situations to assess the level of skill being shown and used.

Definition

People need a broad range of skills to contribute to a modern economy. A joint ASTD and U.S. Department of Labor study showed that through technology, the workplace is changing, and identified 16 basic skills that employees must have to be able to change with it.

Labour skills

Three broad categories of skills are often cited: academic skills, people skills, and information skills. Academic skills include the ability to learn, and the ability to think critically, innovate, and solve problems. People skills include the ability to communicate, motivate, lead, and negotiate. Information skills include the ability to locate, evaluate, use, and communicate information.

Skill development

Skill development, otherwise known as skill acquisition, is the process of teaching, learning and mastering skills. This can be achieved through various methods such as education, training, apprenticeship, and practice. The development of new skills can be facilitated by both intentional learning and incidental learning.

Skill decay

Skill decay is the loss or deterioration of a skill over time. Just as the level of skill can increase with practice, it can also decrease over time without use. The rate of skill decay can vary depending on the skill, the level of expertise, and other factors.

See also

• Competence
• Dreyfus model of skill acquisition
• Expert
• Experience
• Knowledge
• Practice
• Procedural knowledge
• Skill management
• Talent
• Transfer of learning

References

Skill Resources
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