Domain 4: O&M Related Concepts

Question 1

define Orientation

Answer 1

knowledge of one’s distance and direction related to objects (and environmental characteristics such as slopes and openings) observed or remembered in the surroundings and keeping track of these self-to-object spatial relationships as they change during locomotion.

Question 2

Define mobility

Answer 2

act of moving safely nd effectively from one’s present position to a desired position in another part of the environment.

Question 3

3 principles of perceptual learning regarding unskillful and skillful perceptions in regards to:

1. attention
2. relevant/irrelevant features
3. proximal/distal stimuli

Answer 3

1. unskillful perceiving requires much concentration and attention; skillful perceiving requires less attention and is more easily combined with other tasks.
2. unskillful perceiving involves noticing both relevant and irrelevant features of sensory stimulation without understanding their meaning, whereas skillful perceiving involves narrowing one’s focus to relevant features and understanding the situations they specify.
3. Unskillful perceiving often involves attention to the proximal stimulus; skillful attends to distal stimulus.

Question 4

motor learning

Answer 4

refers to the acquisition - through practice and experience - of specific and often complex patterns of movement.

ex. long cane techniques such as constant contact, two-point touch

Question 5

Degrees of Freedom

Answer 5

dimension in which movement is free to vary. Ex. Elbow has two degrees (bend and rotate)

2 goals for motor skills: reduce energy required for performance and consistency.

when teaching novice students, O&M specialist may ask students to “lock up” degrees of freedom (move only wrist) to keep cane tip in same place, then unlock in a sequence as they gain experience.

Question 6

automaticity

Answer 6

attention required to perform a motor skill. The less attention required, the more automatic the skill can be.

Key feature - limited capacity; so don’t overload a student’s mind when teaching a new skill. Teach a new cane skill in a simple environment free of clutter.

Question 7

3 types of knowledge relevant to O&M which influence perception and action.

Answer 7

1. Perceptual knowledge
2. Episodic knowledge
3. Conceptual knowledge

Question 8

Perceptual knowledge

Answer 8

knowledge of how to do things and where to do them.

Ex. knowing how to do a 90 degree turn, and which situations to do them in; or how and when to use various long-cane techniques.

Question 9

Episodic knowledge

Answer 9

knowledge of particular places and events (episodes of experience)

ex. knowledge of places in a neighborhood, and routes between those places.

Question 10

Conceptual knowledge

Answer 10

knowledge of general patterns, not of specific instances of a pattern.

ex. layout and traffic movements of typical intersections, cardinal directions, address numbering systems.

this knowledge can be applicable to both familiar and unfamiliar environments, but is especially important for learning unfamiliar environments.

Question 11

Two types of perceptual errors

Answer 11

1. detection errors - occur when presence or absence of an important environmental feature or event is misjudged.
2. localization error - occur when the distance or direction to an environmental feature or event is misjudged.