Sport and Rec (Skill Acquisition)

Q: What are the two main classifications of motor skills by movement precision?

A: Gross motor skills and fine motor skills.

Q: Gross motor skill — definition and example

A: Uses large muscle groups. Example: kicking, throwing, hitting.

Q: Fine motor skill — definition and example

A: Uses small muscle groups. Example: darts, putting in golf, writing.

Q: What are the three types of motor skills by length of movement (how they're organized in time)?

A: Discrete, serial, and continuous.

Q: Discrete skill — definition and example

A: Has a distinct beginning and end. Example: a netball pass, a free throw, a soccer kick.

Q: Serial skill — definition and example

A: A sequence of discrete skills put together. Example: gymnastics routine, figure skating, diving.

Q: Continuous skill — definition and example

A: No distinct beginning or end. Example: running, swimming, cycling.

Q: What are the three stages of learning in order?

A: Cognitive, associative, autonomous.

Q: Cognitive stage — who and what happens?

A: Beginners. They make many mistakes, know they're wrong but can't fix it. Movements are stiff.

Q: Associative stage — who and what happens?

A: Intermediate learners. They can detect and correct some errors. Movement gets smoother.

Q: Autonomous stage — who and what happens?

A: Advanced performers. Skill is automatic. They can focus on strategy, not just technique.

Q: What are the two main types of practice organization (how skills are ordered)?

A: Blocked practice and random practice.

Q: Blocked practice — definition and when to use

A: Same skill repeated over and over. Good for beginners (cognitive stage).

Q: Random practice — definition and when to use

A: Skills mixed up in random order. Good for intermediate and advanced (associative/autonomous).

Q: What are the two types of practice scheduling (how often and how long)?

A: Massed practice and distributed practice.

Q: Massed practice — definition and example

A: Long, infrequent sessions. Example: 3 hours once a week.

Q: Distributed practice — definition and example

A: Short, frequent sessions. Example: 30 minutes every day.

Q: What are the two ways to break down a skill for practice?

A: Whole practice and part practice.

Q: Whole practice — definition and when to use

A: Practice the full skill without breaking it down. Good for simple or highly connected skills.

Q: Part practice — definition and when to use

A: Break the skill into smaller pieces. Good for complex or dangerous skills.

Q: What are the two sources of feedback (where it comes from)?

A: Intrinsic feedback (internal) and augmented feedback (external).

Q: Intrinsic feedback — definition and example

A: What you feel and see yourself. Example: feeling your racquet twist on an off-center hit.

Q: Augmented feedback — definition and example

A: From an outside source like a coach or video. Example: "Keep your elbow straight."

Q: What are the two types of augmented feedback (what the feedback focuses on)?

A: Knowledge of Results (KR) and Knowledge of Performance (KP).

Q: Knowledge of Results (KR) — definition and example

A: Feedback about the outcome. Example: "You scored 8 out of 10."

Q: Knowledge of Performance (KP) — definition and example

A: Feedback about the quality of movement. Example: "Your follow-through was too short."

Q: KR vs. KP — what's the difference?

A: KR = the result (score, time). KP = the technique (form, follow-through).

Q: Which type of augmented feedback is best for beginners?

A: KR (Knowledge of Results) — they need clear outcome info.

Q: Which type is best for advanced athletes?

A: KP (Knowledge of Performance) — they already know the outcome.