Learning - How do you learn a new technology area

This is the way I ( or for that matter anyone!) picks up a new technology area - a representation using Simplediagrams :

Say I am learning something about the new version of Spring Core -
I would first download Spring Core, play around with the reference applications(the "10 minute test"), try my own application by copying the reference and trying out more variations, until one day I can claim a level of expertise!