Skill Acquisition

SKILL CONTINUUMS:

Muscular involvement:

  • Fine- small muscle movements, accurate with control and direction (eg. Darts)

  • Gross- large muscle movements, power, stamina and strength (eg. Running)

Environmental:

  • Open- unstable/ changing externally paced environment, requires constant adjustment and decision making (eg. Cricket batter)

  • Closed- predictable/stable/ consistent self paced environment, habitual (eg. High jump)

Pacing:

  • Self paced- performer controls the start of movement, habitual (eg. Long jump)

  • Externally paced- performer stats based on the action of others, changing environment (eg. Basketball)

Continuity:

  • Discrete- clear beginning and end (eg. Football penalty)

  • Serial- linked series of discrete skills (eg. Floor routine)

  • Continuous- no clear beginning or end (eg. Cycling)

Complexity:

  • Simple- low perpetual load, less decision making (eg. Swimming)

  • Complex- high perpetual load, lots of decision making (eg. Cricket batter)

Organizational:

  • Low- contained subroutines requiring power, stamina and strength (eg. Swimming)

  • High- subroutines cannot be separated, use whole practice (eg. Cycling)

SKILL TRANSFER:

  • Positive transfer- earning one skill positives influences the learning of another

→ Teach similar skills together

→ Ensure skills are well learned

→ Positive reinforcement

→ Progressive practices

  • Negative transfer- learning of one skill inhibit the learning of another

→ May be a misunderstanding

→ Skills appear similar but are different

→ Conflicting skills coached together

  • Zero transfer- no impact by learning of one skill on another

  • Bilateral- from one side of the body to the other

To prevent this:

  • Draw attention to the differences

  • Thoroughly learn skill before moving on

  • Making key teaching points clear

  • Don’t overload the performer

GUIDANCE AND FEEDBACK:

  • Visual guidance- demonstrations or use of videos

Strengths: creates a mental image and is best for les complex skills

Weaknesses: can overload beginners and each in needs to be accurate

  • Verbal guidance- coach talking though the skill/ key terminology

Strengths: immediate feedback can be given and highlights key points

Weaknesses: can overload beginners causing them to loose concentration

  • Manual guidance- coaches use a ‘hands-on’ approach

Strengths: builds confidence and eliminates danger

Weaknesses: performer becomes dependant and creates an unrealistic kinaethesic

  • Mechanical guidance- use of equipment

Strengths: build confidence and ensures safety

Weaknesses: performer becomes dependent and creates an unrealistic kinaethesic

  • Intrinsic feedback- kinaethesic senses knows when a skill was executed good/ bad

  • Extrinsic feedback:

    • Knowledge of results focuses on the outcome

    • Knowledge of performance focuses on how well the reformer played

  • Positive feedback- information that praises a performance. Helps strength the S-R bond and motivation

  • Negative feedback- form of criticism and may be centred around poorer aspects of performance/ results

TYPES OF PRACTICE:

  • Massed practice- no rest interval and used when a coach wants to promote high levels of fitness

→ for simple and discrete skills

→ highly organized

→ self paced

Strengths: increases fitness and makes skill automatic

Weaknesses: demanding and there is no time for feedback

  • Variable practice- performing tasks in different situations which strengthens the ability to adapt the skill to a range of circumstances

→ used for open skills for beginners

Strengths: motivating and allows adaptation

Weaknesses: time consuming and demanding

  • Distributed practices- rest intervals are given for advice and feedback

→ used for beginners/ unfit individuals

→ used for complex, low organized, externally paced skills

Strengths:: allows recovery and feedback

Weaknesses: time consuming

METHODS OF PRACTICE:

  • Whole practice: repeating the whole series of actions. Can be performed over and over until perfected.

  • Whole-part-whole practice: action is performed as a full, then skills are broken down and practiced, then the whole action is performed again.

  • Progressive- part practice: learning several subroutines to form the whole movement.

STAGES OF LEARNING:

1st Phase: Cognitive

  • Beginners who are understanding the new sport/ skill.

  • Trial and error process.

  • Manual and mechanical guidance may be use.

  • Extrinsic and positive feedback used for encouragement.

2nd Phase: Associative

  • Practice phase of learning.

  • Information from feedback is used to correct errors.

  • Performer builds up mental framework.

  • Intrinsic feedback is used.

  • Verbal and visual guidance are used.

3rd Phase: Autonomous

  • Movements are effected to become automatic.

  • For experts who are concentrating on the finer details.

THE LEARNING PLATEAU:

Stage 1- the novice working out the subroutines of the task. Improvements are rapid but uncoordinated.

Stage 2- rapid increase in ate of learning. Performance becomes fluid. This success provides reinforcement, motivation nd confidence.

Stage 3- learning plateau where there is little to no improvement. Could be a consequence of performer reaching their limit of ability, or becoming bored.

Stage 4- reduction in level of performance, due to fatigue or loss of motivation (drive reduction).

OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING:

  • Behavior is more likely to be repeated if it is reinforced with success

→ Attention: learner must be attracted to the demonstration

→ Retention: information should be broken down so it can be processed and stored

→ Motor reproduction: coach should make sure the performer has the necessary amount of power and coordination

→ Motivation: learner is more likely to continue the practice if motivate. Positive reinforcement should be used.

OPERANT CONDITIONING:

  • Positive reinforcement, mental rehearsal ad practicing the task as a whole will strengthen the S-R bond. This is a link between a stimulus and a certain response.