Chapter 17 The Amount and Distribution of Practice

Overlearning and Learning Motor Skills Overlearning: Continuation of practice beyond the amount needed to achieve a certain performance criterion Research has shown that overlearning can have a positive influence on retention performance for motor learning skills (Driskell et al., 1992)

Examples of Overlearning Strategy Applied to Types of Motor Skills Procedural skills –Skills that include a combination of cognitive and motor components and require performance of a series of relatively simple movements, e.g., assembling a rifle –U.S. Army sponsored research found 100% overlearning strategy effective for long-term retention Dynamic balance skills –Research has found point of diminishing returns for amount of extra practice 50% as effective as 100% and 200% Physical education class setting –One study reported student-determined extra practice resulted in better learning than teacher- determined extra practice these settings

Examples of Overlearning Strategy Applied to Types of Motor Skills Procedural skills –Skills that include a combination of cognitive and motor components and require performance of a series of relatively simple movements, e.g., assembling a rifle –U.S. Army sponsored research found 100% overlearning strategy effective for long-term retention Dynamic balance skills –Research has found point of diminishing returns for amount of extra practice 50% as effective as 100% and 200% Physical education class setting –One study reported student-determined extra practice resulted in better learning than teacher- determined extra practice these settings

Examples of Overlearning Strategy Applied to Types of Motor Skills Procedural skills –Skills that include a combination of cognitive and motor components and require performance of a series of relatively simple movements, e.g., assembling a rifle –U.S. Army sponsored research found 100% overlearning strategy effective for long-term retention Dynamic balance skills –Research has found point of diminishing returns for amount of extra practice 50% as effective as 100% and 200% Physical education class setting –One study reported student-determined extra practice resulted in better learning than teacher- determined extra practice these settings

Overlearning Strategy Can Lead to Poor Learning Research has shown situations in which learning deficits resulted from excessive practice, i.e., too much overlearning –See experiments by Shea & Kohl (1990, 1991); Travlos (1999) What would account for these types of results? –Extended practice of relatively simple skills resulted in learners not continuing to engage in appropriate amounts of cognitive effort (Lee et al., 1994) –Extended practice of the same relatively simple movement results in decreased capability to remember the movement as well as to transfer to a movement variation Indicates need for practice variability

Overlearning Strategy Can Lead to Poor Learning Research has shown situations in which learning deficits resulted from excessive practice, i.e., too much overlearning –See experiments by Shea & Kohl (1990, 1991); Travlos (1999) What would account for these types of results? –Extended practice of relatively simple skills resulted in learners not continuing to engage in appropriate amounts of cognitive effort (Lee et al., 1994) –Extended practice of the same relatively simple movement results in decreased capability to remember the movement as well as to transfer to a movement variation Indicates need for practice variability

Overlearning Strategy Can Lead to Poor Learning Research has shown situations in which learning deficits resulted from excessive practice, i.e., too much overlearning –See experiments by Shea & Kohl (1990, 1991); Travlos (1999) What would account for these types of results? –Extended practice of relatively simple skills resulted in learners not continuing to engage in appropriate amounts of cognitive effort (Lee et al., 1994) –Extended practice of the same relatively simple movement results in decreased capability to remember the movement as well as to transfer to a movement variation Indicates need for practice variability

Distribution of Practice The practice distribution problem: You have a specific amount of time to practice [or for rehab] for a future “test.” What is the best way to schedule the available time in terms of: 1.The length and frequency of the practice sessions? 2.The length of rest intervals between trials during each practice session?

Two Types of Practice Distribution Schedules Massed Practice Sessions –Longer and fewer Between-Trial Rest Intervals –None to very short Distributed Practice Sessions –Shorter and more Between-Trial Rest Intervals –Longer than massed practice length

Distribution of Practice for Practice Sessions Research shows that practice sessions can be too long and infrequent to lead to optimal learning Better learning results when people practice skills in more frequent and shorter practice sessions See experiments by: –Baddeley & Longman (1978) –Dail & Christina (2004)

Practice Schedule #hours 1 hr/session – 1 session/day (12 weeks training)55 (12 weeks training)55 1 hr/session – 2 sessions/day (6 weeks training) 75 (6 weeks training) 75 2 hr/session – 1 session/day ( 6 weeks training) 67 ( 6 weeks training) 67 2 hr/session – 2 sessions/day (3 weeks training)80+ (3 weeks training)80+

Why Distributed Practice Sessions Are Better for Learning Three hypotheses 1. Fatigue hypothesis 2. Cognitive effort hypothesis 3. Memory consolidation hypothesis

Distribution of Practice for Intertrial Intervals Practice distribution schedule that is best for learning depends on type of skill (Lee & Genovese, 1988, 1989) Continuous motor skills –Distributed schedules more effective than massed Discrete motor skills –Massed schedules more effective than distributed