Prestructural (Incompetence):

• Description: The learner is incompetent and misses the point. They don't grasp the basic concepts.
• Visual Representation: A simple vertical line (|).
• Example: A student asked about photosynthesis might have no idea what it is or what it involves.

Unistructural (One Relevant Aspect):

• Description: The learner can identify one relevant aspect of the topic. They have a basic, superficial understanding.
• Visual Representation: Three vertical lines (|||).
• Example: The student might know that plants need sunlight for photosynthesis but not understand how or why.

Multistructural (Several Relevant Independent Aspects):

• Description: The learner can identify several relevant aspects but treats them independently. They haven't made connections between them.
• Visual Representation: A diamond shape with lines inside.
• Example: The student might know that plants need sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis but not understand how these elements interact.

Relational (Integrated into a Structure):

• Description: The learner can integrate the different aspects into a coherent structure. They understand the relationships between the parts.
• Visual Representation: Two interconnected diamonds with lines inside and an arrow pointing to the next stage.
• Example: The student understands how sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide are used in photosynthesis to produce glucose and oxygen.

Extended Abstract (Generalized to New Domain):

• Description: The learner can generalize their understanding to new situations and apply their knowledge in different contexts. They can think abstractly about the topic.
• Visual Representation: Two interconnected diamonds with lines inside and an arrow pointing to the next stage.
• Example: The student can explain how photosynthesis is related to other biological processes like cellular respiration and how it impacts the global ecosystem.