Motor Learning and Skill acquisition

Learning goals We are learning to describe stages of human motor learning. We are learning to describe stages of skill acquisition. We are learning to understand importance of feedback in skill development.

skills Let’s state the obvious … the more we perform skill, the better we get at it our ability to master increasingly difficult skills increases as we grow and develop

Motor learning process by which a person develops, via a combination of physical and psychological factors the ability to perform a task root of any motor activity lies in the co-operation between the sensory, nervous and muscular systems

Task completion Constraints on motor task completion: the nature of activity the characteristics of person performing it the external enviro task is being performed in

Stages of motor learning Cognitive Stage come to basic understanding of task learner commits relatively large errors and may need specific instruction on how to improve

child is learning to play soccer understanding the basics of playing the game (avoiding touching the ball with the hands and the arms during most of the game, and so on). a young tennis player learns to hit the ball over the net and keep it in the court, and other basic aspects of learning to play the game

Stages of motor learning Associative Stage learners begin to refine skill develop some awareness of mistakes being made become more consistent

better passing and scoring skills in soccer an ability to keep the ball in the court in tennis an ability to dribble the ball in basketball without constantly watching the ball

Stages of motor learning Autonomous Stage skill becomes “automatic” do not spend much time thinking about basic fundamentals aware of mistakes and how to correct them

reached by professional sports players and other highly trained individuals, whose movements seem almost seamless in their execution.

Factors affecting skill development Reasons for errors and faults in skills In your group, please brainstorm a list Incorrect understanding of movement Poor physical abilities Poor coordination of movement Incorrect application of power Lack of concentration Inappropriate equipment, clothing or footwear External factors (weather, distractions, etc.) Fatigue

Constraints affecting skill development Constraints can either limit or permit development of a skill

Individual factors that are unique to the person physical (e.g., a person’s height, weight, and build) psychological (e.g., motivation, attention span, or self-esteem) behavioural (e.g., a short attention span or difficulty focussing during game action)

environmental are those factors affecting skill development that are external to the individual. physical (e.g., wind, temperature, or air pollution) sociocultural (e.g., gender identity, socialization, socioeconomic background, or cultural identity)

task consist of factors related to the activity in which the individual is participating at the time. rules of the game equipment being used specific goals of the sport or activity

Types of feedback feedback is essential positive, constructive, and specific describe exactly what learner must do in order to perform better

Knowledge of performance (KP) emphasis not on outcome of activity but rather on how body performed during activity e.g., golf shot practice would not be concerned with where ball lands but with the actual swing input of outside observer critical in KP feedback video recording also helpful sport Announcers usually comment on KP

Knowledge of results (KR) comes from simply seeing the final outcome of an action e.g., working on golf swing can get KR feedback by how far ball traveled after each shot track and field results are another example of KR usually quantitative

Fundamental movement skills Stability (or balance) movement skills such as stork stand, stopping, bending, and twisting Locomotion (or travelling) skills such as running, jumping, leaping, and skipping Manipulation (or object control) skills such as throwing, catching, striking, and dribbling

transferability learned skills from one sport or activity can often be applied, or transferred to a different sport Can you think of transferable skills between these sports? * tennis and volleyball * basketball and baseball * hockey and golf

Classifying skills Open Performed in an unpredictable environment Requires participants to adapt their movements to changing nature of environment Sport skills vary depending on the situation Closed Predictable environment Permits participants to plan movements in advance Sport skill is often a repetitive movement

Teaching skills skills can also be chained or shaped chained skills are taught in order using the 5-steps discussed last unit shaped is when the whole skill is performed and faults are corrected after the athlete performs the whole skill

Let’s examine this idea of shaping a skill and chaining a skill even further. When would you use these as a coach? Why? Discuss in your group. Come up with an example.

Learning goals We are learning to describe stages of human motor learning. We are learning to describe stages of skill acquisition. We are learning to understand importance of feedback in skill development.