Skill Acquisition Flashcards
What are the characteristics of a skill?
. Aesthetically pleasing
. Controlled
. Efficient
. Fluent
. Accurate
. Consistent
. Economical
What acronym can be used to remember the characteristics of a skill?
ACEFACE
How many different skills are there on the skill continua?
13
What are the 13 different skills on the skill continua?
. Open
. Closed
. Discrete
. Serial
. Continuous
. Gross
. Fine
. High organisation
. Low organisation
. Simple
. Complex
. Self paced
. Externally paced
What is an open skill?
A skill that is performed when the sporting environment is unpredictable and changes frequently
What is a closed skill?
A skill that is performed when the sporting environment is predictable
What is a gross skill?
A skill that is performed using large muscle groups
What is a fine skill?
A skill that uses smaller intricate muscle groups
What is a self paced skill?
A skill in which the performer controls the speed at which the skill is performed and often has some control over when it starts
What is an externally paced skill?
A skill in which the performer has no control over when to start the skill or how fast it might be performed
What is a discrete skill?
A skill that has a clear beginning and end and is one short sharp action
What is a serial skill?
A skill that has several discrete skills that are linked together in a specific order to form a completed task
What is a continuous skill?
A skill that has no clear beginning or end. Often the end of one part or sub-routine of a skill is the start of the next part
What is a high organisation skill?
A skill that cannot be easily broken down into parts
What is a low organisation skill?
A skill that can be easily broken down into its sub routines
How many types of learning transfers are there?
4
What are the four learning transfers?
. Positive
. Negative
. Zero
. Bilateral
What is positive learning transfer?
When the learning of one skill helps the learning of another
What is negative learning transfer?
When the action of one skill hinders the learning of another
What is zero transfer?
When the learning of one skill has no effect on another
What is bilateral transfer?
When the learning of one skill is transferred across the body
What is an example of positive transfer of learning?
Similar actions of a basketball pass and a netball pass
What is an example of negative transfer of learning?
Both badminton and tennis courts are similar but actions of the serve are different. A badminton serve uses the wrist whereas a tennis serve uses the arm
When may negative transfer take place?
When there may be a familiarity with the environment in which the different skills are performed
What is an example of zero transfer of learning?
Swimming action and foot placement in rock climbing
What is an example of bilateral transfer of learning?
Right footed player encouraged to use left foot when required so impacts of shots from both feet are equal
How can you ensure a positive transfer of learning?
. Make the training sessions realistic
. One skill should be learned well before moving onto another
. Reward and reinforce players for correct adaptations
What are the three methods of presenting practice?
. Whole practice
. Whole-part-whole practice
. Progressive part practice
What is whole practice?
It is performing the skill in its entirety without breaking it into subroutines
When would you use whole practice?
. If the skill is fast, ballistic, and discrete
. Skill is highly organised
. Skill is simple
. The feel of the task is required (kinaesthesis)
What are the advantages to whole practice?
. Gives a feel for the whole skill (kinaesthesis)
. Takes shorter time to perfect performance
. Performance is more fluent
. Helps create specific images that are stored as a plan in the LTM
. It is more realistic
. Makes more skill consistent
What are the disadvantages to whole practice?
. Places unnecessary demands on performer especially if beginner
. Possibility of fatigue
. Maybe too much info for performer to take in
What is whole-part-whole practice?
It is when the performer has an attempt at the whole skill for feel of movement at first. Then each part of the skill is practiced individually and finally put back into the whole skill
When would you use whole-part-whole practice?
. Beginner is doing complex tasks
. If it is high organisation - allows coach to concentrate on one aspect of the skill at a time
What are the advantages to whole-part-whole practice?
. Motivation is provided when specific weakness in skill is corrected
. Allows for immediate feedback
. Corrects any errors
. Fluency and integration of subroutines are maintained
. Maintains feel for whole skill
What are the disadvantages to whole-part-whole practice?
. May produce negative transfer of learning effects unless the PARTS are put back into WHOLE during same session
. More time consuming
. Requires patience and perseverance
What is progressive part practice?
It is when the first part of skill is taught and rest of the parts are added in sequence
When would you use progressive part practice?
. Low organisation skill
. Skill is serial
. Part of a complex skill can be isolated
What are the advantages of progressive part practice?
. Focus’ on one aspect of the task
. Potentially correct specific weaknesses
. Fatigue reduced as time to rest
. Each part brings success in stages to restore motivation
. Improve confidence
. Builds initial understanding
What are the disadvantages to progressive part practice?
. It is time consuming
. It removes feel for the whole skill (kinaesthesis)
. Ignores links between subroutines
. Danger of negative transfer between sequences
What are the three stages of learning?
. The cognitive stage
. The associative stage
. The autonomous stage
What happens in the cognitive stage?
The performer has to think carefully about their actions and try to understand how to copy the demonstrations and instructions they receive.
What are the features of the cognitive stage?
. Mental image created
. Mental rehearsal required
. Many mistakes performed
. Jerky movement
What type of feedback would be given in the cognitive stage?
Extrinsic feedback
What happens in the associative stage?
The competent beginner moves to an accomplished performer.
What are the features of the associative stage?
. Performer continues practicing
. May continue using trial and error process to perfect skill
. May still use feedback
. Fewer mistakes performed
. Movement are smoother
. May compare current level to top performers and adjust practice to reach that level (modelling)
What type of feedback is used in the associative stage?
Internal feedback
What happens in the autonomous stage?
Final stage that is reached after effective practice and this must continue to remain in this stage
What are the features of the autonomous stage?
. Fluent and effective movements
. Skills executed without conscious thoughts
What type of feedback is used in the autonomous stage?
Internal kinaesthesis is used to correct own mistake
What happens in stage 1 of learning a new closed skill?
Rate of learning is slow and performance level is poor due to performer being new to task and is in cognitive stage of learning. They are likely using trial and error learning
What happens in stage 2 of learning a new closed skill?
There is a rapid acceleration in rate of learning. Performer has begun to master task and gain some success which provides reinforcement and motivation
What happens in stage 3 of learning a new closed skill?
There is now no improvement in rate of learning because performer has reached a plateau. Performance maintains same level
What happens in stage 4 of learning a new closed skill?
This is the period towards the end learning a task when perhaps due to fatigue the performance may deteriorate
What is the learning plateau?
A graphic illustration that shows how rate of learning for a performer doing a closed skill over a period of time may vary
What are the causes of the learning plateau?
. Lack of motivation
. Boredom
. Coaching
. Limit of ability
. Targets set too low
. Fatigue
What are the solutions to the causes of the learning plateau?
. Find a new coach
. Coach offers more praise
. Rest can be taken
. More variety added to task
. Player could get feedback
What is verbal guidance?
Explanation of the task
What are the advantages to verbal guidance?
. Helps build correct mental image in memory
. Can be used with visual guidance
What are the disadvantages to verbal guidance?
. Too much info may cause confusion and place demand on memory system
. Language may be understandable so can be a barrier to some
What is visual guidance?
Demonstration of the task
What are the advantages to visual guidance?
. Highlight specific weaknesses
. Shows what skill should look like
. Can be used with verbal guidance
What are the disadvantages to visual guidance?
. Demonstrations must be completely accurate
. Too much info may cause confusion
What is manual guidance?
Involves physical support
What are advantages to manual guidance?
. Helps eliminate danger
. Helps boost confidence
. Fear and anxiety reduced
What are disadvantages to manual guidance?
. Detrimental effect on performance if over used
. Too much reliance from performer so coach should restrict guidance
What is mechanical guidance?
A device used to help performance
What are the advantages to mechanical guidance?
. Builds confidence
. Eliminates danger
. Allows for feel for whole skills
. Disabled athletes can use it
What are the disadvantages to mechanical guidance?
. Can interfere with feel of whole skill
. Dependant on it
. Motivation can be lost if performer feels they aren’t doing it themselves
What are the different forms of feedback?
. Extrinsic
. Intrinsic
. Negative
. Positive
. Knowledge of results
. Knowledge of performance
What is intrinsic feedback?
Comes from within performer themselves
What is extrinsic feedback?
Comes from an external source
What is negative feedback?
Gives the performer information as to what is going wrong so that such errors are corrected
What is positive feedback?
Entails information about what is going good
What is knowledge of results?
Gives an indication as to whether or not skill has been successful
What is knowledge of performance?
Gives reasons as to why something happened and is concerned with technique and how it can be developed
What is Bandura’s social learning theory?
It suggests both acceptable and unacceptable behaviours are learned by watching and copying others
According to Bandura what four processes when used are more likely to make a performer copy a model demo?
Attention
Retention
Motor Production
Motivation
What happens during attention (SLT Bandura)?
Performer takes note of relevant cues. Demo must be attractive to performer so it grabs their attention
What happens during retention (SLT Bandura)?
This is the ability for the performer to remember info. It is stored in memory. It can be broken down into ‘chunks’ to make it easier for performer to take in and remember
What happens during motor production(SLT Bandura)?
The performer should be physically capable of copying the skill they were demo’d. The task should be at same ability as performer. It is important that during this process they should be allowed to practice and learn before moving on
What happens during motivation (SLT Bandura)?
There needs to be a drive to want to copy demo. This can be influenced by giving praise, rewards and positive feedback as to avoid demotivation
What is Vygotsky’s Constructivism theory (social development theory)
We can learn sporting skills from an MKO (more knowledgeable others). These can be coaches or teachers
Describe and explain how Vygotsky’s constructivism theory?
During development, skills are learned from a coach by a process called intER psychological learning. Learner here uses the MKO to gain advice, feedback and tactical knowledge
Once external advice is absorbed, learning can take place and learner uses cognitive aspects of skill acquisition to internally analyse. This is called intRA psychological learning and takes place after intER psychological learning.
What does Vygotsky suggest about learning?
It can be constructed in stages. There are three parameters on which to build or construct learning
What is constructive learning?
Building on what you know
How can you build on what you know?
Working with more experienced others helps develop and add to existing skills.
What happens during intRA psychological learning?
As they internally analyse, performer assesses their current level and use three levels of performance to determine how they can improve. Learner uses the Zone of Proximal Development
What are the three levels of performance in the Zone of Proximal Development?
. What can I do alone?
. What can I do with help?
. What can I not do yet?
What is Getstalt’s insight learning theory?
Suggests performer uses existing knowledge to form an idea about problematic sporting situations
What are the features of the insight learning theory?
. Concentrates on the whole task
. Provides self satisfaction
What are the positives of the insight learning theory?
. Develops cognitive processes
. May generate a specific role for the performer
. Thinking is encouraged
What are the features of Skinner’s operant conditioning?
. Based on trial and error learning
. Coach may manipulate environment using operant conditioning
. Shapes behaviour using reinforcement
Explain how Skinner’s operant conditioning works?
Successful responses are rewarded so they are likely to be repeated. Unsuccessful responses are ignored so they are likely to be avoided.
What is a satisfier?
An action that promotes a pleasant feeling so that responses are repeated
What is an annoyer?
An action that creates unease to promote the avoidance of incorrect responses
What is positive reinforcement?
A pleasant stimulus after the correct response
What is negative reinforcement?
Taking away an unpleasant stimulus after an incorrect response
What is punishment?
An unpleasant stimulus to prevent incorrect actions recurring
What is massed practice?
Practice that is continuous with no rest in between sessions
When should massed practice be used?
When the skill is discrete, simple or closed
What are the advantages to massed practice?
. Promotes fitness
. Skill becomes automatic
. Gets task done quickly
. Images are stored more easily so can be recalled from memory
What are the disadvantages to massed practice?
. Can cause fatigue
. Danger of negative transfer unless conditions match that of a real game
. Motivation required
What is distributed practice?
Practice involving rest intervals between sessions
When should distributed practice be used?
When skill is open
What are the advantages to distributed practice?
. Takes pressure away
. Reduces fatigue
. Mental practice between breaks
. Motivation during breaks
. Safe way of practicing dangerous tasks
What are the disadvantages of distributed practice?
. Time consuming
. Danger of negative transfer
. Not so useful for expert players
What is variable practice?
Practice that changes drills and practice types so player learn to adapt
When should variable practice be used?
When skill is open or externally paced. Can be used if skill is continuous to maintain motivation
What are the advantages to variable practice?
. Allows adaptation of skills to changing environments
. Prevents players becoming stale
. Increases motivation
What are the disadvantages to variable practice?
. Time consuming
. Risk of negative transfer
. Unnecessary demands placed on player
. Danger of fatigue
What is mental practice?
Practice when athlete goes through performance in mind without any movement
When should mental practice be used?
With any type of skill
What are the advantages to mental practice?
. Improves confidence
. Lowers anxiety
. Stimulates muscle receptors
What are disadvantages of mental practice?
. Environment must be calm
. Must be correct
