5.3 Principles of skill learning Flashcards
Definition of learning
Learning is a relatively permanent change in performance brought about by experience, excluding changes due to maturation and degeneration
Definition of performance
Performance is a temporary occurrence, fluctuating over time. A change in performance over time is often used to infer learning. We are not thought to have fully learned a skill until we can perform it with consistency.
What are the three phases of learning?
Cognitive, Associative, Autonomous
Describe the cognitive stage
Movements are slow, inconsistent, and inefficient. Considerable cognitive activity is required. Attention to understand what must move to produce a specific result. Large parts of the movement are controlled consciously. Practice sessions are more performance focussed, less variable & incorporate a clear mental image (technical/visual). ex. for me juggling lots of mistakes, slow inefficient
Describe the associative stage
Movements are more fluid, reliable, and efficient. Less cognitive activity is required. Some parts of the movement are controlled consciously, some automatically. Practice sessions link performance and results, conditions can be varied. Clear mental image —> accurate performance ex. for me playing blackbird on the guitar
Describe the autonomous stage
Movements are accurate, consistent, and efficient. Little or no cognitive activity is required. Movement is largely controlled automatically. Attention can be focused on tactical choices. Practice sessions are more results oriented. Focus is on greater range of motion, speed, acceleration & use of skills in a novel situation. ex. for me playing the c major scale on the piano
What are the four graphs to show the different rates of learning? BE ABLE TO DRAW THEM
Linear learning curve
Positive accelerated curve ex. snowboarding
Negative accelerated curve ex. skiing
Plateau effect
Factors that affect the rate of learning - little sentence thing
The Most Able People Process Information Differently - Teaching environment, Motivation, Age, Physical fitness, Physical maturation, Individual differences in coaching, difficulty of task
Teaching Environment
A safe teaching environment/limited distractions/small group. Learning/attention/facilities and space available for learning
Motivation
Can be related to a person’s inner drive (intrinsic) or external factors such as trophies (extrinsic) the strength of a learner’s drive to achieve is very individual motivation is also linked to a person’s state of arousal
Age
young learners have difficulty in focusing on important cues, difficulty in processing information. young learners make a large number of errors but as learners mature, more motor plans are generated. not physically developed enough to perform skills
Physical maturation
physical maturation/experience/emotional maturity will affect the progress of a learner
Physical fitness
size, shape and level of fitness may assist in learning. one learner may have more flexibility and strength than the other. a learner has an ability to make decisions more effectively if they are not fatigued
Individual differences of coach
a coach’s teaching style (command/reciprocal) may appeal to one learner but not the other. the quality and type of feedback received
Difficulty of task
progress will be slowed if the task is too difficult for the learner, this may have an impact on the motivation of the learner
Explain the interaction of the teaching style ‘command’
Practitioner makes decisions. Participant copies and complies with decisions and instructions.
What is the role of practitioner in the command teaching style?
Instructing
What is the role of the participant in the command teaching style?
Copying
What is the interaction of the reciprocal teaching style?
Participants work together, receiving feedback from each other. Practitioner provides reference points for feedback.
What is the role of practitioner in the reciprocal teaching style?
Supporting
What is the role of the participant in the reciprocal teaching style?
Performing and peer assessing
What is the interaction of the divergent discovery teaching style?
Practitioner sets or frames problems. Participant attempts to create possible solutions
What is the role of practitioner in the divergent discovery teaching style?
Prompting
What is the role of the participant in the divergent discovery teaching style?
Creating
What is the overall feel for the command style?
- authoritarian style
- questioning and thinking are not encouraged
- teacher/coach in full control of decision-making process
- no developing responsibility for their own learning
- good for beginners, large groups, and limited time situations
What is the overall feel for the reciprocal style?
- peer coaching/teaching
- coach/teacher sets agenda, picks topic, and encourages learner to work with peers to provide feedback on the task
- gives confidence, encourages communication, and cognitive skills
- mistakes are not seen as bad, but as room for improvement (progress)
What is the overall feel for the divergent (problem solving) style?
- problem-solving approach
- teacher/coach presents a problem/task and lets learners find a solution
- more independence, increased self-esteem, innovation
- important to set realistic goals
- experience is required
What are the two ‘vs’ of types of practice?
Massed vs distributed
Fixed vs variable
Explain massed practice (intervals in training)
Little to no gaps in practice
Rest intervals are shorter than the time taken to perform the task
Can lead to quick improvements
Effective for more experienced, older, fitter, and motivated individuals
Explain distributed practice (intervals in training)
Practice interspersed with rest or a different activity
Intervals between tasks are longer than the time taken to complete a task
May lead to better performance as less fatigue & Boredom
Effective for beginners, less experience, limited preparation (physical/mental), less motivated
Explain fixed practice (order of practice)
One skill is repeated over and over again
Can lead to quick improvements, similar to massed practice
Effective for skills that require minimal adaptation to the environment closed, interactive, coactive skills
Explain variable practice (order of practice)
Practicing of one skill is randomly interspersed with practice of other skills
Practicing in different contexts and different situations
Key for open and interactive skills
What are the four different types of presentation?
whole practice
part practice
whole-part-whole
progressive part
Explain whole practice
Practicing the skill in its entirety
Used more when parts of the skill are performed simultaneously
Learner is able to develop their kinaesthetic awareness (“feel”) for the activity
In some activities the components of the skill are unable to be broken down ex. golf swing
Explain part practice
Skill is broken down into its parts
When parts of the skill are consecutive, it can be broken up
Used for complex skills
Specific techniques can be taught individually: arm action, breathing pattern, leg movement ex. tennis swing
Explain whole-part-whole
Teacher or coach introduces the complete skill, highlighting the important elements. Performer then attempts to carry out the skill
Any errors observed from teacher or coach allows them to break down the whole skill into subroutines to allow the performer to practice specific area(s)
Once satisfied the “problem area” has been mastered, the part is integrated back into the whole skill ex. using a float to practice leg kick in swimming
Explain progressive part
Known as the “chaining method”
Parts of a skill are gradually linked into larger blocks that come progressively closer to the real, whole action.
Slow process but allows weaknesses to be targeted to better understand the relationships. ex. gymnastic sequences or triple jump
Explain the linear learning curve
When learning an easy-to-perform skill
Rare that learning is simple as this
Explain the positively accelerated curve
Skill is difficult to learn at first
Slow progress, then quick improvement
Explain the negatively accelerated curve
Quick learning at first
Learning then slows down
Explain the plateau effect
Learning is positive
Then a period with no improvement (horizontal line)
With more practice, learning is demonstrated
