From the time a new airline pilot flies his first type rating simulator it is universally accepted that 90 percent of his "training" will be how to operate the automatic pilot. His whole concentration is on the flight director especially when he is pounded by his trainers with "Fly the flight director".
Centaurus: lots of good stuff. Many of us are on the same page. Reference above; I encourage the students to turn off the FD when using A/P. The FD tells you nothing when A/P is in CMD. It will always be centred. I often ask the student who just flew an A/P + A/T manoeuvre what they attitude and thrust setting was. What was the attitude at climb out to flap retraction; what was the attitude during acceleration; what was the attitude clean 250kts to FL100, what was the attitude thereafter at 280kts; what was the attitude & power settings at FL350. They had never looked but followed the mother hen like a chick. Flying an NPA with the automatics, but FD OFF, was met with trepidation, but they quickly realised the FD 'got in the way' of appreciating what the a/c was doing. They then understood that the FD was very useful when flying manually, but ti needed a good scan to determine if it was sensible & correct. They now knew where to scan.
AirRabitt: A misunderstanding of 'teach themselves'. What I meant is a training situation where the instructor has given a thorough briefing and guidance to a student, allowed them to practice, they've achieved solid understanding and then you tweak it a little. They apply what they have learnt to handle the new slightly altered scenario on their own initiative and then comes the "ah ha" moment and the clouds lift.