Learning movement skills

1
Learning movement skills
2
learning

• Experience gives us knowledge, which in turn
  influences the way we behave.

3
Learning
4
Learning motor skills

• Practice and rehearsal
• Trial and error
• Observing others and then copying them

5
Practice and rehearsal

• We make associations or links between what we see
  and hear (stimuli) and what we can do (response)
  by practising or rehearsing actions.
• When learning motor skills for physical
  activities we practise repetitive drills that
  encourage movements to become almost automatic.
• The responses of the learner become conditioned
  when associated with a particular stimulus.
• This conditioning is more likely to succeed if
  there is a reward. This is often called positive
  reinforcement.

6
Positive reinforcement

• Name given to the use of reward to encourage
  behaviour to be repeated and to make learning
  more likely. The desire to receive more reward
  causes the behaviour to be repeated. Positive
  reinforcement in the teaching and learning of
  motor skills can be in a number of forms such as
  praise from the teacher when the learner makes a
  required response. There is wide use of merit
  badges when certain skills or levels of
  performance are attained.

7
Practice and rehearsal

• A possible problem with the drill style of
  teaching motor skills is that the participant
  does not gain an understanding of why he or she
  is doing something. This lack of understanding
  can limit the learning and development of more
  complex skills.

8
Trial and error learning of motor skills

• Sometimes called operant conditioning, involves
  the shaping of behaviour through the use of
  reinforcement.
• If a reward is given when a certain behaviour
  takes place then learning is much faster
  (complete reinforcement).
• If a reward is given after a number of correct
  responses then learning takes longer but lasts
  longer (partial reinforcement).

9
Trial and error learning of motor skills

• Trial and error is widely used in learning motor
  skills.
• Rewards are used extensively in skills teaching
  because they reinforce the required behaviour

10
Trial and error learning of motor skills

• Some argue that punishment is very effective in
  modifying behaviour.
• Can also have detrimental side effects such as
  anxiety, lack of motivation and depression.
• Some argue that punishment merely suppresses a
  response and as soon as the punishment ceases the
  undesired response recurs.
• It is likely that a combination of reinforcement
  and punishment is effective with human behaviour.

11
Copying others observational learning

• Learning takes place through the observation and
  copying or imitation (modelling) of others (role
  model).

12
Copying others observational learning

• With observational learning, responses are
  spontaneous and often there is no intention on
  the models part to be teaching any type of
  behaviour.
• Behaviour is more likely to be copied (and
  reinforced) if the consequences of the behaviour
  both by the model and the observer are desirable
• Observational learning is not just about
  imitation. It also involves learning about
  morals, values and patterns of social behaviour

13
Conclusions from studies about copying behaviour
to learn motor skills

• Appropriate behaviour is more likely to be
  copied. (e.g. aggressive male models are more
  likely to be copied than aggressive female
  models).
• Boys are more likely to imitate aggressive
  behaviour because through influences such as
  media or friends they see aggressive behaviour as
  appropriate for them.
• Role models whose behaviour is reinforced in some
  way by significant others are likely to be
  copied.
• More powerful role models are more likely to be
  imitated.
• If a role models behaviour is consistent, it is
  more likely to be copied

14
Role models

• Social learning through observation and imitation
  is very relevant to learning motor skills in
  physical activities.
• Role models can influence the views and behaviour
  of others (especially children)
• Top sports people are enthusiastically watched
  and copied by young viewers.
• Their behaviour is seen as acceptable and
  preferable to others.

15
Demonstration

• Is particularly important in the process of
  teaching skills
• Imitation of the demonstration will depend on the
  observers attention, visualisation, retention,
  motor reproduction and motivation.

16
Paying attention

• To be able to imitate or copy a demonstration the
  performer must pay attention and focus on
  important movements or cues.
• The attractiveness, status and competence will
  influence the amount of attention they are paid
• The personal characteristics of the observer and
  the incentives are also important influences.
• If there are problems in copying the learned
  behaviour it is often because attention has been
  distracted or interfered with at the time of
  watching the role model.

17
Recording a visual image

• The observer (learner) must be able to remember
  the model that is presented
• He/she needs to create a mental picture (or
  visual image) of the process.
• Mental rehearsal can improve retention of this
  mental image

18
Motor reproduction

• The observer must be physically able to imitate
  the skill being observed
• Trials - feedback - muscular development are
  all also important

19
Motivation

• We copy the skills performed by others because we
  are motivated to achieve success and because of
  our drive to be accepted by others.
• External reinforcement will increase motivation
  because the perceived consequences will be
  desirable