Learning movement Learning movement skillsskills

learninglearning

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

LearningLearning

Learning motor skillsLearning motor skills

•Practice and rehearsalPractice and rehearsal

•Trial and errorTrial and error

•Observing others and then Observing others and then copying themcopying them

Practice and rehearsalPractice and rehearsal• We make associations or links We make associations or links

between what we see and between what we see and hear (stimuli) and what we hear (stimuli) and what we can do (response) by can do (response) by practising or rehearsing practising or rehearsing actions.actions.

• When learning motor skills When learning motor skills for physical activities we for physical activities we practisepractise repetitive drills that repetitive drills that encourage movements to encourage movements to become almost automatic. become almost automatic.

• The responses of the learner The responses of the learner become become conditionedconditioned when when associated with a particular associated with a particular stimulus. stimulus.

• This ‘conditioning’ is more This ‘conditioning’ is more likely to succeed if there is a likely to succeed if there is a reward. This is often called reward. This is often called positive reinforcement.positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcementPositive reinforcement• Name given to the use of Name given to the use of

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

Practice and rehearsalPractice and rehearsal

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

Trial and error learning of Trial and error learning of motor skillsmotor skills

• Sometimes called Sometimes called operant conditioning, operant conditioning, involves the shaping of behaviour through involves the shaping of behaviour through the use of reinforcement.the use of reinforcement.

• If a reward is given when a certain If a reward is given when a certain behaviour takes place then learning is behaviour takes place then learning is much faster (much faster (complete reinforcementcomplete reinforcement).).

• If a reward is given after a number of If a reward is given after a number of correct responses then learning takes correct responses then learning takes longer but lasts longer (longer but lasts longer (partial partial reinforcementreinforcement).).

Trial and error learning of Trial and error learning of motor skillsmotor skills

• Trial and error is Trial and error is widely used in widely used in learning motor learning motor skills.skills.

• Rewards are used Rewards are used extensively in skills extensively in skills teaching because teaching because they reinforce the they reinforce the required behaviourrequired behaviour

Trial and error learning of Trial and error learning of motor skillsmotor skills

• Some argue that punishment Some argue that punishment is very effective in modifying is very effective in modifying behaviour.behaviour.

• Can also have detrimental Can also have detrimental side effects such as anxiety, side effects such as anxiety, lack of motivation and lack of motivation and depression.depression.

• Some argue that punishment Some argue that punishment merely suppresses a merely suppresses a response and as soon as the response and as soon as the punishment ceases the punishment ceases the undesired response recurs.undesired response recurs.

• It is likely that a combination It is likely that a combination of reinforcement and of reinforcement and punishment is effective with punishment is effective with human behaviour.human behaviour.

Copying others – Copying others – observational learningobservational learning

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

Copying others – Copying others – observational learningobservational learning

• With observational With observational learning, responses are learning, responses are spontaneous and often spontaneous and often there is no intention on the there is no intention on the model’s part to be teaching model’s part to be teaching any type of behaviour.any type of behaviour.

• Behaviour is more likely to Behaviour is more likely to be copied (and reinforced) be copied (and reinforced) if the consequences of the if the consequences of the behaviour both by the behaviour both by the model and the observer are model and the observer are desirabledesirable

• Observational learning is Observational learning is not just about imitation. It not just about imitation. It also involves learning about also involves learning about morals, values and patterns morals, values and patterns of social behaviourof social behaviour

Conclusions from studies about Conclusions from studies about copying behaviour to learn motor copying behaviour to learn motor

skillsskills• Appropriate behaviour is more likely to be copied. Appropriate behaviour is more likely to be copied.

(e.g. aggressive male models are more likely to be (e.g. aggressive male models are more likely to be copied than aggressive female models).copied than aggressive female models).

• Boys are more likely to imitate aggressive Boys are more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour because through influences such as behaviour because through influences such as media or friends they see aggressive behaviour as media or friends they see aggressive behaviour as appropriate for them.appropriate for them.

• Role models whose behaviour is reinforced in some Role models whose behaviour is reinforced in some way by significant others are likely to be copied.way by significant others are likely to be copied.

• More powerful role models are more likely to be More powerful role models are more likely to be imitated.imitated.

• If a role model’s behaviour is consistent, it is more If a role model’s behaviour is consistent, it is more likely to be copiedlikely to be copied

Role modelsRole models• Social learning through Social learning through

observation and imitation observation and imitation is very relevant to learning is very relevant to learning motor skills in physical motor skills in physical activities.activities.

• Role models can influence Role models can influence the views and behaviour of the views and behaviour of others (especially children)others (especially children)

• Top sports people are Top sports people are enthusiastically watched enthusiastically watched and copied by young and copied by young viewers.viewers.

• Their behaviour is seen as Their behaviour is seen as acceptable and preferable acceptable and preferable to others.to others.

DemonstrationDemonstration

• Is particularly Is particularly important in the important in the process of teaching process of teaching skillsskills

• Imitation of the Imitation of the demonstration will demonstration will depend on the depend on the observers attention, observers attention, visualisation, visualisation, retention, motor retention, motor reproduction and reproduction and motivation.motivation.

Paying attentionPaying attention• To be able to imitate or copy To be able to imitate or copy

a demonstration the a demonstration the performer must pay attention performer must pay attention and focus on important and focus on important movements or cues.movements or cues.

• The attractiveness, status and The attractiveness, status and competence will influence the competence will influence the amount of attention they are amount of attention they are paidpaid

• The personal characteristics The personal characteristics of the observer and the of the observer and the incentives are also important incentives are also important influences.influences.

• If there are problems in If there are problems in copying the learned copying the learned behaviour it is often because behaviour it is often because attention has been distracted attention has been distracted or interfered with at the time or interfered with at the time of watching the role model.of watching the role model.

Recording a visual imageRecording a visual image

• The observer (learner) The observer (learner) must be able to must be able to remember the model remember the model that is presentedthat is presented

• He/she needs to He/she needs to create a mental create a mental picture (or visual picture (or visual image) of the process.image) of the process.

• Mental rehearsal can Mental rehearsal can improve retention of improve retention of this mental imagethis mental image

Motor reproductionMotor reproduction

• The observer must be physically able The observer must be physically able to imitate the skill being observedto imitate the skill being observed

• Trials - feedback - muscular Trials - feedback - muscular development are all also importantdevelopment are all also important

MotivationMotivation

• We copy the skills We copy the skills performed by others performed by others because we are because we are motivated to achieve motivated to achieve success and because success and because of our drive to be of our drive to be accepted by others.accepted by others.

• External External reinforcement will reinforcement will increase motivation increase motivation because the perceived because the perceived consequences will be consequences will be desirabledesirable