Document unlocking of exercises (#333)

Document unlocking of exercises

Author: ErikSchierboom

building/config.json

@@ -814,5 +814,12 @@
     "path": "building/product/mentoring-notes.md",
     "title": "Mentoring Notes",
     "blurb": ""
+  },
+  {
+    "uuid": "37f340b7-6abc-4c7d-92ea-d6eb3bd5540d",
+    "slug": "product/unlocking-exercises",
+    "path": "building/product/unlocking-exercises.md",
+    "title": "Unlocking Exercises",
+    "blurb": ""
   }
 ]

building/product/README.md

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ They aim to present a picture of why things on Exercism work the way they do.
 
 - [Practice Exercises](/docs/building/product/practice-exercises)
 - [Concept Exercises](/docs/building/product/concept-exercises)
+- [Unlocking Exercises](/docs/building/product/unlocking-exercises)
 
 ## Tooling
 

building/product/unlocking-exercises.md

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Unlocking Exercises
+
+Exercises are unlocked differently based on the type of track:
+
+1. Tracks without Learning Exercises: all Practice Exercises are unlocked from the start.
+2. Tracks with Learning Exercises: complete Learning Exercises to unlock further Learning and Practice Exercises.
+
+## Learning Mode vs Practice Mode
+
+Requiring Learning Exercises to be completed to unlock more exercises is called Learning Mode (which was introduced with Exercism 3.0).
+Learning Mode is the default for any user that joins a track with Learning Exercises, but also for any users from the old site.
+Practice Mode is the opposite, where all exercises are unlocked from the start.
+
+Note that in either Practice or Learning Mode, one can ask for mentoring on a particular exercise.
+
+### Returning User
+
+If you are a returning user, who used a previous version of Exercism, you may find that exercises that were previously available have now become locked.
+While we recommend staying in Learning Mode and solving Learning Exercises to unlock other exercises (each should take around 5 minutes to solve if you are fluent in a language), you could instead switch from Learning Mode to Practice Mode.
+
+### Switching modes
+
+To switch modes, go to the Track Page of the track you've joined and click on the "..." icon on the top right hand side.
+Then, depending on your current mode, select either "Disable Learning Mode" or "Enable Learning Mode" and confirm that you want to switch modes.
+
+Note that it currently takes a while for the current mode to be reported in your Tracks page.

using/faqs.md

@@ -54,16 +54,24 @@ If your issue is with emails and notifications you can adjust that in [your pers
 
 We now have a [dedicated Teams site][dedicated-teams].
 
+## How do I unlock exercises?
+
+By default, tracks with Learning Exercises require you to solve Learning Exercises to unlock other exercises (each should take around 5 minutes to solve if you are fluent in a language).
+This is called [Learning Mode][learning-mode].
+
+While we recommend using Learning Mode to progress through a track, you could [switch to Practice Mode][switching-modes] to unlock all exercises.
+For more information, see [unlocking exercises][unlocking-exercises].
+
 ## Why have my unlocked exercises in the old site become locked?
 
-New in Exercism 3.0 is Learning Mode and this is the default for any user from the old site:
+By default, tracks with Learning Exercises require you to solve Learning Exercises to unlock other exercises (each should take around 5 minutes to solve if you are fluent in a language).
+This is called [Learning Mode][learning-mode].
 
-* In Learning Mode there is a set of Learning Exercises to complete.
-  Completing these exercises unlocks further Learning Exercises and also Practice Exercises.
-  If you are a returning user, who is used to previous versions of Exercism, you may find that exercises that were previously available have now become locked.
-  While we recommend solving the Learning Exercises to unlock them (each should take around 5 minutes to solve if you are fluent in a language), you can instead disable Learning Mode and switch to Practice Mode.
-* Note that in either Practice or Learning Mode, one can ask for mentoring on a particular exercise.
-* To switch modes, go to the Track Overview Page and click on the More "..." icon on the top right hand side and select "Disable Learning Mode". (Please note that it currently takes a while for the current mode to be reported in your Tracks page).
+Learning Mode is the default for any user who used a previous version of Exercism.
+Therefore, returning users may find that exercises that were previously available have now become locked.
+
+While we recommend using Learning Mode to progress through a track, you could [switch to Practice Mode][switching-modes] to unlock all exercises.
+For more information, see [unlocking exercises][unlocking-exercises].
 
 ## Exercism Command-line Client
 
@@ -183,6 +191,8 @@ If you have spotted a typo or if you have a suggestion for clearer language or i
 [katrina-owen]: http://www.kytrinyx.com/
 [kytrinyx]: http://www.kytrinyx.com/
 [languages]: https://github.com/search?q=topic%3Aexercism-track+org%3Aexercism&type=Repositories
+[learning-mode]: /docs/building/product/unlocking-exercises#h-learning-mode-vs-practice-mode
+
 [mail-abuse]: mailto:[email protected]?subject=%5BCoC%5D]
 [new-cli-issue]: https://github.com/exercism/CLI/issues/new
 [new-language-request]: https://github.com/exercism/request-new-language-track/blob/main/README.md
@@ -191,6 +201,8 @@ If you have spotted a typo or if you have a suggestion for clearer language or i
 [personal-settings]: https://exercism.org/my/settings/preferences/edit
 [settings]: https://exercism.org/my/settings
 [succession]: http://www.kytrinyx.com/talks/succession
+[switching-modes]: /docs/building/product/unlocking-exercises#h-switching-modes
+[unlocking-exercises]: /docs/building/product/unlocking-exercises
 [upgrade-cli]: https://github.com/exercism/website-copy/blob/main/pages/cli_v1_to_v2.md
 [website-copy]: https://github.com/exercism/website-copy/issues
 [website-copy-new-issue]: https://github.com/exercism/website-copy/issues/new

using/getting-started.md

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Once you've decided upon a language, go to its track page and join the track.
 After having joined a track, you'll immediately be able to start [solving exercises](/docs/using/solving-exercises).
 
 By completing exercises (meaning: writing an implementation that passes all the tests) you'll get access to even more exercises, improving your fluency as you go.
+The [unlocking exercises](/docs/building/product/unlocking-exercises) page has more information on how to unlock exercises.
 
 If you're ever stuck on an exercise, you can request help from a mentor.
 A mentor will then engage in a conversation with you to help you get unstuck.