Skill learning

Skill Learning

1. Skill Learning Unit 2- SAC 1

2. Classification of a Skill Skill: Is the ability to do something well. Motor Skill: Part of a movement, or group of movements that produce a desired outcome when performed in a sequence.

3. Motor Programs Is an organised set of individual skills or subroutines that result in the production of a specific skill

4. Motor Ability Is an ability specifically related to the performance of a skill May explain how someone can have “natural ability” at a skill

5. Classifying Motor Skills Movement precision Type of movement Predictability of environment

6. 1. Movement Precision Fine Motor Skills : involve the cooperative use of small muscle groups and senses of sight & touch. Gross Motor Skills : a combination of large muscle actions resulting in a coordinated movement.

7. 2. Type of Movement Discrete Skills : Skills of brief duration with a distinct beginning and end. Serial Skills : A series or group of discrete skills joined together to make a complicated skill. Continuous Skills : Skills with no distinct beginning or end and involve repetitive movements.

8. 3. Predictability of Environment Closed Skills : Performed in a predictable environment with no changes or interruptions. Open Skills : Performed in an environment that is constantly changing. Can involve opponents, surface conditions and weather conditions.

9. 3. Predictability of Environment Not all sports fit neatly into either open or closed motor skills

10. Summary of Skill Classifications

11. Stages of Skill Learning There are three recognised stages of learning to achieve mastery of a skill: Cognitive Associative Autonomous

12. 1. Cognitive Beginner stage Understand skill and technique Makes many errors Highly variable results Use demonstrations May struggle with sequencing of subroutines Simple and small amounts of feedback Short period of time in this stage Focus on performing skill in closed environment

13. 2. Associative Make minor errors Emphasis on refining skill Begins to “feel” desired skill Begin to practice in competitive situations Can adjust skill through feedback Gradual improvement Requires large amounts of practice

14. 3. Autonomous Consistent results Automatic and efficient movements Focus more on strategies/tactics Can adapt and practice skill in competitive situations Can self identify problems and correct May move backward to relearn or refine skill

15. Humans as Information Processors Mechanisms involved in processing and learning a physical skill: Input via senses Information processing Output produced by the muscles Feedback

16. 1. Input Specifically from hearing, vision & touch Equilibrium- position of body in space and positioning Proprioception- ability to feel a movement Ability to detect and identify cues

17. 2. Information Processing Perceptual mechanism interprets sensory information Signal detection is important and depends on: Ability of sense organs Strength of the cue Noise Speed of the cue Level of arousal

18. Arousal An optimum level of arousal is important for signal detection Inverted U Theory

19. Selective Attention Your perceptual mechanism must interpret many cues, but can only process one at a time Selective attention: is the ability to filter out irrelevant information, reducing information processing time.

20. Anticipation Allows the performer to predict what will happen next based on experience Allows for a quicker response as not all cues are processed

21. Humans as Information Processors The ability to learn a new skill will depend on: Physical maturation Physical fitness Attention and motivation during learning Feedback Memory Amount & type of practice Perceptual ability

22. Memory

23. Short Term Memory You can improve your short term memory and ability to learn a skill by: Chunking or coding: a method used to reduce individual pieces of information into meaningful chunks Avoiding distractions/noise Make the information more meaningful Rehearse or practice straight after instruction

24. Long Term Memory Stores unlimited information for retrieval at any time Motor programs from other skills can be used and refined to assist current skill learning

25. 3. Decision Making & Output Once the decision has been made, a motor program is selected from the long term memory and sent to the muscles via the CNS

26. Reaction Time The delay between the stimulus and the initiation of the movement. Depends on the task and the individual. Simple Reaction Time: Involves one stimulus and one response. Eg. Starters Gun Choice Reaction Time: Multiple stimulus and responses.

27. Reaction Time Influences: Age Gender Intensity of stimulus/cues Number of choices (Hicks Law) Warning signals Probability of the signal occurring Psychological refractory period Stimulus-response compatibility

28. 4. Feedback Information on the performance or outcome of a skill Motivates Reinforce learning Changes to the performance Should be constructive and useful

29. Types of Feedback Internal: “feel” of the performance External: from sense organs Augmented: external from source other than yourself Positive Negative Continuous: during the performance Terminal: at the completion of the skill Knowledge of results: result of the skill Knowledge of performance: actual performance of the skill

30. Practice Massed: little or no rest between performances of the skill Distributed: small and short practice with rest in between

31. Practice Whole Part: breaking down into sub-routines

32. Practice Drill practice: repetitive drills Problem solving practice: discovery to determine what skills or changes to the skill need to be employed in different situations Physical practice Mental practice/imagery: mentally rehearsing the skill in your mind