5.3 Principles of skill learning

Learning is a relatively permanent change in performance brought about by experience, excluding changes due to maturation and degeneration

Performance is a temporary occurrence, fluctuating over time. A change in performance over time is often used to infer learning. We are not thought to have fully learned a skill until we can perform it with consistency.

Cognitive, Associative, Autonomous

Movements are slow, inconsistent, and inefficient. Considerable cognitive activity is required. Attention to understand what must move to produce a specific result. Large parts of the movement are controlled consciously. Practice sessions are more performance focussed, less variable & incorporate a clear mental image (technical/visual). ex. for me juggling lots of mistakes, slow inefficient

Movements are more fluid, reliable, and efficient. Less cognitive activity is required. Some parts of the movement are controlled consciously, some automatically. Practice sessions link performance and results, conditions can be varied. Clear mental image —> accurate performance ex. for me playing blackbird on the guitar

Movements are accurate, consistent, and efficient. Little or no cognitive activity is required. Movement is largely controlled automatically. Attention can be focused on tactical choices. Practice sessions are more results oriented. Focus is on greater range of motion, speed, acceleration & use of skills in a novel situation. ex. for me playing the c major scale on the piano

Linear learning curve Positive accelerated curve ex. snowboarding Negative accelerated curve ex. skiing Plateau effect

The Most Able People Process Information Differently - Teaching environment, Motivation, Age, Physical fitness, Physical maturation, Individual differences in coaching, difficulty of task

A safe teaching environment/limited distractions/small group. Learning/attention/facilities and space available for learning

Can be related to a person’s inner drive (intrinsic) or external factors such as trophies (extrinsic) the strength of a learner’s drive to achieve is very individual motivation is also linked to a person’s state of arousal

young learners have difficulty in focusing on important cues, difficulty in processing information. young learners make a large number of errors but as learners mature, more motor plans are generated. not physically developed enough to perform skills

physical maturation/experience/emotional maturity will affect the progress of a learner

size, shape and level of fitness may assist in learning. one learner may have more flexibility and strength than the other. a learner has an ability to make decisions more effectively if they are not fatigued

a coach’s teaching style (command/reciprocal) may appeal to one learner but not the other. the quality and type of feedback received

progress will be slowed if the task is too difficult for the learner, this may have an impact on the motivation of the learner

Practitioner makes decisions. Participant copies and complies with decisions and instructions.

Instructing

Copying

Participants work together, receiving feedback from each other. Practitioner provides reference points for feedback.

Supporting

Performing and peer assessing

Practitioner sets or frames problems. Participant attempts to create possible solutions

Prompting

Creating