I've always been a 'learn by doing' sort of guy, so my advice for someone starting out is pick one subject (a flower, bird, landscape, Moon etc) and take dozens of photos using every combination you can think of and see what outcome you get.
Take a shot on full auto and see what the camera thinks is best.
Go into AV and try different apertures and see how depth of field changes, and if that improves the picture because it makes your subject stand out from the background, or is it better with more DoF and you can see the relationship with what's around it
Tv and different shutter speeds - learn about camera shake but also how blurry wings on a Hoverfly gives a nicer feel than it totally frozen.
Different ISO settings and the impact of noise; it's not always bad, some images look great with a high-key and grainy look from a silly ISO
If you've a flash (external or built in) try with and without, see what a bit of fill can do to a shot even in broad daylight
Finally use different focal lengths, not just for 'what you can fit in the frame' but more how DoF is impacted and also how a telephoto compresses perspective and how that can be good or bad depending on what look you're after
A flower that half fills the frame from 12 inches away with a 24mm and the same flower, same half frame fill with a 300mm from 15 feet away etc