Skill acquisition Flashcards
What is a skill
Learned ability to bring about predetermined results with the minimum outlay of time and energy
Characteristics of a skill
Aesthetically pleasing
Consistent
Efficient
Fluent
Accurate
Controlled
Economical
Open skill
Environment is unpredictable and changes frequently
Eg passes in a game
Closed skill
Predictable environment, doesn’t have to adapt actions
Eg shot put
Gross skill
Performed using large muscle groups
Eg shoulder muscles used in a rugby tackle, with leg muscles used to drive to the ground
Externally paced skill
No control over when to start the drill or how fast it will be performed
Eg sailor must react to speed of wind
Fine skills
Smaller more intricate muscle groups
Eg the control needed to return a shot in table tennis
Self paced skill
Control over the speed skill is performed
Eg footballer taking a penalty
Discrete skill
Clear beginning and end and is 1 short action
Eg tennis serve
Continuous skill
no clear beginning or end but is more a cycle of movements repeated over and over again
Eg cycling
Serial skill
Several discrete skills are linked together to complete a task
Eg dance, gymnastics
Low organised skill
Skill easily broken down into its sub- routines
Eg swim strokes
High organised skill
Not easily broken down into parts
Eg volly in football
Simple skill
Limited decisions
Eg forward roll (gymnastics)
Complex skill
Decisions may need to be made before skill is attempted
Eg dribble in hockey x where are players, ball
Types of transfer
Positive
Negative
Zero transfer
Bilateral transfer
Positive
Learning of one skill helps /aids the learning of another
Similar shape/ form
Eg over arm volleyball serve + tennis serve
Negative
Learning of 1 skill hinders the learning of another
Some similarity with environment may cause confusion
Eg badminton and tennis
Zero transfer
Learning 1 skill has no impact on learning of another
Eg swim action and foot placement for rock climbing
Bilateral transfer
Learning of one skill is passed across the body to limb to limb
Eg footballer (right-footed) being taught to use their left foot
Methods of presenting practise
Whole practise
Whole-part practise
Progressive part practise
Whole practice advantages
A feel for the whole skill
Sub- routine linked fluidly
Realistic to performance
Whole practice
Practising skill entirely, not breaking off into sub-routines
Skill is simple and doesn’t require much thought
Whole practice disadvantages
Difficult for cognitive learners who may find the demands of the whole skill too much
Fatigue and boredom could result
Whole part practice advantages
Provides immediate feedback
Motivation technique when weaknesses are corrected
Whole -part practice
Assessing the skill, identifying a weakness to practise then putting the skill back together
Breaking down complex task into stages
Whole part practise disadvantages
Can lead to negative transfer if sub-routine is not integrated back into whole skill
Time consuming
Progressive part practise
First part of the skill is taught then the rest are added to the sequence
Progressive part sequence advantages
Can focus on 1 part of a serial skill and correct errors
Successful parts can maintain motivation to learn the whole skill
Progressive part sequence disadvantages
Time consuming
Could lead to negative transfer of parts not learnt correctly
May need to rest
Types of practise
Massed
Distributed
Varied
Mental
Massed practise
- No rest intervals, continuous
- Skill is simple, environment is closed
- basketball player practicing free throw
massed practice advantages
- promotes fitness so performer can keep up with demands of the tasks
- practicing without break
massed practice disadvantages
- can produce fatigue
- danger of negative transfer unless coach makes practice similar to match
Distributed practise
- Resting between sessions
- when skill is continuous
- open skill
- swimmer practicing stroke
distributed practice advantages
- takes pressure off the performer and allows recuperation after tough session
- good for beginners since it allows controlled process and coaching advice
- motivation - praise from coach
distributed practice disadvatage
- time consuming - not used when skill requires fast progress
- not useful for expert players
- danger of negative transfer
Varied practise
- Changing the practice type and the practice drills
- Good for team sports training so player learns to adapt to changes in the environment
- players practicing football pass
varied practice advantages
- allows players to adapt to their skills to changing environments
- increases motivation - variety of practice
varied practice disadvantages
- time consuming and increases risk of negative transfer
- may place unnecessary demands on players if they are given too many things to focus on
Mental practice
Going over the skill in the mind without movement
mental practice advantages
- improves confidence
- stimulates the muscle receptors so player can be prepared and reaction time increased
- develops cognitive ability and improve the decision making
mental practice disadvantages
- must be correct
- environment must be calm
Stages of learning
Cognitive
Associative
Autonomous
Cognitive
No motor program
uncoordinated movement
when you have only just started the skill
Associative
Motor program forming
smoother movement
still have to think about the skill
Autonomous
Motor program formed
automatic control detailed
actions are fluent
the purposes and types of feedback
positive feedback
negative feedback
extrinsic feedback
intrinsic feedback
knowledge of performance
knowledge of results
positive feedback
encouragement
negative feedback
error correction
extrinsic feedback
from an outside source eg coach
intrinsic feedback
from within
knowledge of performance
technique
knowledge of results
concerns about the outcome
learning plateau
period during performance when there are no signs of improvement
eg injury
stages 1 of the learning plateau
rate of learning is slow and performance level is poor because performer is new to a task
in cognitive stage
stage 2 of the learning plateau
rapid acceleration in the rate of learning because the performer has begun to master the task and gain some success
stage 3 of the learning plateau
no improvement in the rate of learning and the performance has reached plateau performance maintains same level
stage 4 of the learning plateau
period towards end of task when maybe due to fatigue, the performance may actually deteriorate
causes of plateau
lack of motivation
boredom
coaching
limit of ability
targets set too low
fatigue
solutions of plateau
task could be extended so that a new challenge to test the performer is given new targets/goals
player find new coach
rest
more variety added to task
player receive feedback
methods of guidance
visual
verbal
manual
mechanical
visual
images and videos
links to cognitive stages of learning
visual advantages
beginners can from mental picture of correct performance
demonstrations can be repeated
slow motions video can be used to focus on specific parts
visual disadvantages
demonstrations need to be accurately performed
otherwise could lead to wrong technique
verbal
instructions given in words
explain movements and techniques
all 3 stages of learning
verbal advantages
immediate instructions can be acted upon straight away
questions can be asked
verbal disadvantages
long or complicated instructions are hard to process
some actions cant be explained in words
manual
hands on guidance that helps performers get muscle memory
cognitive stage
manual advantages
helps develop muscle memory
manual disadvantages
performers can become dependent on the support
cognitive stage
mechanical
device used to help performance
cognitive stage
mechanical advantages
- provides safe environment for new skills
- eliminates danger
- builds confidence
mechanical disadvantages
- can give unrealistic feeling of the motion
- performer may depend on it too much
- motivation may be lost if they cant do it independently
theories of learning
operate conditioning
observational learning
social development
insight learning
operate conditioning
skinner
- use of reinforcement to link correct response to a stimulus
based on trial and error
shapes behavior
manipulated the environment
operate conditioning
stimulus - response bond
strengthening the link between the stimulus and the response
linking appropriate response to stimulus then actions can be learnt
operate conditioning
positive reinforcement
pleasant stimulus is given to increase correct response
coach offering praise for doing correctly will increase motivation to do it again
operate conditioning
negative reinforcement
taking away an unpleasant stimulus when the perfomer does it right
observational learning
bandura
both acceptable and unacceptable behavior can be learnt by watching then copying other people
suggested a performer is more likely to copy demonstartion if uses 4 processes
observational learning
4 processes
attention
retention
motor production
motivation
observational learning
attention
making demonstration attractive to performer
observational learning
retention
remembering demonstration
observational learning
motor production
having mental and physical ability to do the task
observational learning
motivation
having drive to do the task
social development theory
vygotsky
skills learnt from more knowledgeable others
gives direct examples, advice
social development theory
first process
inter- psychological learning- learning from others externally
social development theory
second process
intra-psychological learing- learning from others using MKO to develop knowledge
social development theory
contructivism
building up learning in stages, based on the current level of performance
social development theory
zone proximal development
an assessment of what they need to do next to learn the skill
social development theory
zone proximal development 3 stages
what can i do alone
what can i do with help
what can i not do yet
insight learning
gestaltist
using experience and understanding to solve problems relating to the whole skill
performer uses existing knowledge to form idea of how to deal with situations
concentrates on whole task
insight learning advantages
encourages performer to think for themselves
develops cognitive process
