INEXPERIENCED FO OF CRJ DESCENDS VICE CLIMBS WHEN CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT.

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WE WERE IN CRUISE AT FL360. I INQUIRED AS THE PNF TO ATC HOW THE RIDES WERE ABOVE AND BELOW US. WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE FINE; SO WE DECIDED TO CLB TO FL380. TORONTO CTR THEN GAVE US A CLRNC TO CLB FL380. THE FO WHO WAS THE PF SELECTED FL380 IN THE ALT SELECTOR (I VERIFIED); SELECTED VERT SPD MODE; AND THEN SCROLLED THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN AN UPWARD MOTION SO THE ACFT BEGAN A DSCNT 1.5 FPM. IT TOOK ME A FEW SECONDS TO REALIZE WHY WE HAD STARTED TO DSND; AND THEN I STATED 'WE ARE DSNDING; NOT CLBING.' THE FO REALIZED HIS MISTAKE AND REVERSED THE VERT SPD WHEEL FROM A DSCNT TO A CLB. OUR ALT AT THE LOWEST WAS APPROX FL356. TORONTO CTR CALLED US AS WE CLBED BACK THROUGH OUR ORIGINAL ALT AND QUERIED US ON OUR INTENTIONS. SINCE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE RIDE AT FL340; HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD OUR PRIOR CLRNC TO CLB AND NOT DSND; BUT THEN AGAIN OFFERED FL340 IF WE WANTED IT INSTEAD. SINCE WE WERE ALREADY IN OUR CLB; I STATED WE DID INTEND TO CLB TO FL380 AND THAT WE WERE DOING SO. AT THAT TIME; THAT WAS THE END OF THE CONVERSATION WITH ATC. I FEEL MANY FACTORS PLAYED INTO THIS SITUATION. FIRST; THE FO WAS NEW TO THE COMPANY AND HAD APPROX 250 HRS IN THE ACFT AND 500 TOTAL TIME! HE WAS ESSENTIALLY STILL LEARNING TO FLY THE ACFT LET ALONE FLY IN GENERAL. SECONDLY; WE WERE NOT AT AN ALT WHERE I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING THE CTLS; DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT AND PULLING BACK ON THE YOKE TO CLB. AFTER LOOKING BACK AT THE SITUATION; I FEEL I COULD HAVE PREVENTED SOME OF THE ALT LOSS THOUGH; BY SIMPLY MAKING THE VERT SPD ADJUSTMENT MYSELF. AS A CAPT; I KEEP FINDING OUT THAT I TAKE A LOT OF MY KNOWLEDGE FOR GRANTED. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS JUST FROM FLYING SO MUCH; THAT MOVING THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION MAKES THE AIRPLANE CLB. AFTER THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE FO DID; I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW HE COULD STILL BE A LITTLE CONFUSED. MOVING THE VERT SPD WHEEL IN AN UPWARD MOTION APPARENTLY WAS AN INSTINCTIVE MOVE SINCE WE NEEDED TO CLB; BUT IN THIS CASE IT CAUSED US TO DSND. HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS EVENT; HE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD FROM IT AND PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND RECOGNIZE THESE PERCEPTIONS IN OTHER FO'S AND REACT IN A MORE PROMPT; APPROPRIATE WAY.