Lecture 3

Question 1

How to Asses motor learning (2)

Answer 1

1. Performance in practice
   - Performance curves: changes over time
   - Coordination Dynamics: developing new temporal (time) and spatial patterns
   - creating a new pattern from an old pattern vs learning something new
2. Learning tests
   - Retention Tests
   - Transfer Tests

Question 2

Observing practice performance: performance curves

Answer 2

• Geographical representation of performance during practice
• “Learning curve”
• shows performance changes over time/practice

Question 3

General types of performance curves (4)

Answer 3

1. linear
2. negatively accelerated curve
3. positively accelerated curve
4. Ogive/S-shaped curve

Question 4

Linear performance curve

Answer 4

• Proportional increases over time

Question 5

Negatively accelerated curve

Answer 5

• Large improvement early, small improvements later
• Represents classic power law (functional relationship) of skill learning
• The most prominent type of curve in motor learning

MOST COMMON

Question 6

Positively accelerated curve

Answer 6

• Slight improvement early, large improvements later (less common in motor learning)

Question 7

Ogive/S-shaped curve

Answer 7

• Combination of all three curves

Question 8

Assessing learning through practice
- Improvement
- Consistency

Answer 8

Improvement - seen in the general direction of the curve

Consistency - seen near the end of practice session. How far the SD lines are from the mean

Question 9

Performance curves for kinematic data

Answer 9

• common to show average performance for a block of trials
• compare performance to criterion
• improvement: similarity of tracing in final block of trials compared to criterion
• consistency: decreased SD from first to last block of trials

Question 10

Assessing learning from coordination dynamics

Answer 10

• Learning coordination requires developing new spatial and temporal patterns.
• Performance characteristics that demonstrate learning :
• improvement
• consistency
• persistence

Question 11

Assessing learning with a learning test

Answer 11

• compare to performance on 1st day (baseline)
• demonstrates the amount of performance improvement
• compare to most recent performance attempt
• demonstrates persistence (retention test) OR adaptability (transfer test) of performance improvement

Question 12

Assessing learning from Retention tests

Answer 12

• purpose: assessment permanence of the performance level achieved during practice
• retention tests asses persistence of improved performance
• make an inference about how much you have learned based on your performance on the test

Question 13

• Tests performance of the _____ skill following a period of NOT performing that skill
• Amount of time between end of practice and performance is arbitrary and is called the “_______”
• 24 hours is recommended minimum
• long enough that the effect of performance variables will dissipate
• If the difference between the two trials (first practice day and test day) is significant, then you can be confident that learning has occurred

Answer 13

Same
Retention interval

Question 14

Assessing learning from Transfer tests

Answer 14

• Transfer tests asses the adaptability of performance
• Test can involve:
• performing the practiced skill in a performance context or situation different from practice
• Provide a novel situation to asses learning:
  1. context variations
  2. skill variations

Question 15

Novel context characteristics (3)

Answer 15

1. Availability of augmented feedback
   - Skill that is practiced is tested. ex. game vs practice. ex. test vs lecture
2. physical Environment
   - Especially effective for a learning situation in which the goal is to enable the person to perform in locations other than those in which they practiced. ex. rehab sitting at home setting. ex. golf-dome- golf course
3. Personal characteristics
   - How well a person can perform the skill while adapting to characteristics of himself/herself/theirself that were not present
   ex. stress, anxiety

Question 16

Novel skill variations

Answer 16

Does the learning transfer from one variation of the skill to another
- changes in the object being manipulated, speed of movement, direction movement, etc

ex
- change in the speed of walking
- change in KIND of cup to drink from
- passing a ball vs a puck
- pirouette turned out vs parallel

Question 17

Caution: interpreting performance curves (4)

Answer 17

1. Performance is measured, not capability
2. Performance Plateaus-group averages are not sensitive to individual differences in performance
3. Ceiling and floor effects limit the sensitivity of a measurement to detect further improvements
4. Scoring criteria may change performance outcome

Question 18

1. Performance is measured, not capability

Answer 18

Practice may involve a performance variable which may enhance or impair performance

• Learning tests can control for performance variables
• Retention tests overcome this problem by evaluating persistence of learning
• Transfer tests overcome this problem by evaluating adaptability to novel situations

Question 19

Practice performance may misrepresent learning

Answer 19

Purpose:
- compare the effects of practicing with different types of feedback for learning the skill of partial wight bearing

Participants:
- 60 healthy participants

Question 20

Practice performance may misrepresent learning (example thing)

Answer 20

Protocol
- task: place 30% BW on a scale
- groups:
1. concurrent feedback (CF)
2. terminal feedback: knowledge of results (KR) after every trial (KR-1)
3. terminal feedback: KR after five trial (KR-5)

• practice 80 times in one day
• retention test (average of 20 trials) two days later with no knowledge of results
• measurement % normalized absolute error

Question 21

Practice performance may misrepresent learning

conclusions and implications

Answer 21

Conclusions: concurrent feedback was beneficial for immediate performance improvements but not of learning (shown by lack of persistence)

Implications:
practice performance may misrepresent learning

Question 22

1. how should you asses learning?
2. when should you asses learning?

Answer 22

1. retention tests
2. at least 24 hours post test

Question 23

2. Group averages are not sensitive to individual differences in performance

Answer 23

Perfomance Plateaus
- a period of time in which there is no Improvement, but then experiences improvement with continued practice

• seen in individual data during practice

possible causes:
1. cessation of learning
2. a temporary performance artefact (unintended interference) (getting bored)

Question 24

2. Group averages are not sensitive to individual differences in performance (Plateaus) (3)

Answer 24

performance artefacts causing plateaus:

1. transition between two phases of learning
   - developing a new strategy needed to improve
2. personal factors: period of low motivation, fatigue, lack of attention, etc
3. measurement type causing ceiling or floor effects

Question 25

3. Ceiling and floor effects limit ability to detect improvements

Answer 25

Floor effect = task is too difficult

Ceiling effect = task is too easy

Question 26

4. Scoring criteria may change performance outcome

Answer 26

• Measurement must appropriately reflect performance changes
• Sensitive enough to show improvements
• Have there been ability to show individual changes