Learning Assessment and Instruction

Question 1

acquisition

• what is it
• motor skill learning advances through…

Answer 1

the process or experience of gaining skill proficiency
motor skill learning advances through stages controlled by different neurobiological mechanisms
-fast –> within-session learning
-slow –> inter-session learning

Question 2

retention

-what is it

Answer 2

assessing performace of skill practiced during acquisition phase under same relative condition that were present during acquisition

Question 3

learning concepts

Answer 3

performance vs. learning
acquisition
retention
transfer

Question 4

types of retention

Answer 4

immediate
-reflects initial encoding (fast learning) mechanisms
--synaptic efficiency, LTP
delayed
-reflects slow learning mechanisms

Question 5

transfer

• what is it
• determines…

Answer 5

proficiency of a learned skill applied under novel conditions (task or environment)
determines impact of instruction, method, or protocol

Question 6

transfer

-problem solving definition

Answer 6

self-application of concepts or principles to novel situations

Question 7

performance curves (aka learning curves)
-what are they

Answer 7

systematic plotting of results from repeated measurements of a specific variable across time

Question 8

key points about performance curves

Answer 8

rate of improvement is task specific
negatively accelerated pattern is most typical
-during acquisition phase, large initial improvement which slows later in practice
-Power Law of Practice
performance plateaus

Question 9

Power Law of Practice

-Crossman study

Answer 9

examined time need to make a cigar as a function of how long they had worked at the factors
repetitions had varied from 10,000 to 10,000,000 (7 years of experience)
strong relationship between performance improvements and experience
workers showed improvements even after 10,000,000 repetitions

Question 10

performance plateaus

• what is it?
• hypotheses for why it occurs
• what does the presence of a plateau NOT mean?

Answer 10

transitional period in learning process
hypotheses
-trying different strategies
-psychological factors (arousal, anxiety, boredom, fear of failure)
-insufficient physical prowess
-poor understanding of instructions
-focusing on wrong cues
presence of a plateau does not mean that learning has ceased
-knowing when and how is not synonymous with the execution of the activity

Question 11

what is the stimulus for learning?

Answer 11

error

Question 12

what is skill transfer

• what is it?
• to design optimal learning opportunities, a PT must…

Answer 12

transferring knowledge and skills from one problem-solving situation to another
PT must account for the learner’s past experiences

Question 13

types of skill transfer

-definition of each

Answer 13

positive transfer
-previous experience facilitates learning new skill or performance in a novel context
negative transfer
-previous experience hinders or interferes with new skill learning or performance in novel context
zero transfer
-previous experience has no influence

Question 14

Transfer Appropriate Processing Theory

• accounts for…
• key concepts

Answer 14

accounts for the cognitive aspects of a task

• expect positive transfer when practice requires the learner to engage in problem solving
• best to have a well defined cognitive framework of task from instructions
• -key goals of task
• -fundamental movement strategy
• -key perceptual strategies

Question 15

skill transfer strategies

Answer 15

get to know your learner
-understand past experiences
point out similarities and differences
-help the learner engage in active problem solving
consider the skill level of your learner
-transfer is more beneficial for a beginner than for someone more skilled
-provide opportunities for the learner to practice the skill in a variety of conditions