James Marshall (Hogan1953)
New member
In attempt to find out what I know and don't know about motor skills learning and how it influences my teaching practice I've written out the following document. It reflects my increasing interest in the "how" of the deleivery of information rather than the "what". I would appreciate any input which might improve its quality.
Yours,
James
What do I know about motor learning skills and how it affects my teaching practice?
<O
</O
Motor skills are learnt and developed through a never-ending loop of practice and feedback provision which improves both the learner’s implicit and explicit knowledge of the activity. The explicit knowledge about the activity to be undertaken both in the form of information pertaining to the movement and feedback following execution feed the increasingly automated movement by building more intricate and precise circuits in the brain which are fueled and strengthened by deliberate practice, see Daniel Coyle and “The Talent Code” for further information. The explicit knowledge serving as an “advanced organizer”, planting the seeds for future development.
Deliberate practice is characterized by effortful, attentive activities designed to monitor, maintain and improve existing motor skills circuits in the brain. The feedback provided through the monitoring process aims to add precision to the movement. <O
It seems that explicit knowledge about the movement and how it should be performed is useful in the provision of error based feedback and studies show that there is a close correlation between amounts of explicit knowledge and subsequent execution.<OFeedback is typically supplied by a skilled and trained observer, often a teacher, or via video camera, mirrors, shadows, ball flight etc.
It appears that many successful performers in a variety of fields use slow-motion activities to heighten their awareness of the internal architecture of a movement. The lack of speed allows learners to execute the motion with greater precision.
A typical activity loop might include the following stages.
1. Detection of error
2. Provision of information-rich feedback aimed at highlighting error
3. Modeling of correct and/or incorrect execution by teacher, underlining the differences
4. Learner models both correct and incorrect execution in order to compare, internal architecture thus noticing the gap between the two
5. Modeling of correct version only at slower speeds, feedback provided by teacher which may either require going back to step 3 or slowing down even further the execution of the movement or proceeding to step 6
6. Attempts at successful execution at higher speeds, feedback provided. Depending on the result this may require steps backwards or attempts at full speed
7. Feedback loop starts over as process is repeated
8. If movement is successfully incorporated, other elements of the action which require remedial work may be flagged up by the teacher
<O</O
Explicit knowledge can be delivered via verbal descriptions, visual options which could include execution by the teacher, photographs, videos etc. Physical manipulation of the learner. Learners can be encouraged to seek out explicit knowledge via project, question, lecture and discussion. Learners should be encouraged to take an active role in the search for this knowledge. Learners may vary in their feedback/information provision preferences.
An important element of class practice should be the observation by the learner of successful execution at a variety of different speeds. This observation can be enhanced via explicit knowledge and the direction of learners to monitor specific elements of the motion. This type of activity potentially engages the human’s ability to imitate via the mirror cells in the brain and appears to play an important part of motor skills learning.
Explicit knowledge enhances the learner’s ability to notice elements of the movement which then become potentially available for further processing and opportunities to incorporate into their future attempts.
Getting the learner’s attention is key to the provision and developing of explicit knowledge. Developing saliency enhancing activities would appear imperative to this end.<O></O>
It appears that beginners benefit most from explicit knowledge for execution, more experienced learners should allow more non-conscious processes to perform the activity. However, the activity loop described above for improving is important for both beginners and experts alike.
Developmental stages for activities like the golf swing don’t appear to have been charted unlkke first and second language acquisition. Do you have to learn to do “x” before being able to execute “y”?
It would appear obvious that expecting a beginner to be able to get to impact with a forward leaning shaft and impart a downward blow to the ball is highly optimistic. Other keys elements must be mastered before this can be achieved regularly. The jury is out on the what and in what order.
<O</O
To sum up:
1. The provision of copious amounts of activity related information is key to developing successful and repeated execution and an accelerated learning environment. It is important to signpost this information as being useful to improved execution. It should be repeated often and provided in end of class summary moments.
2. Opportunities to execute the movement is imperative, the quality of which is enhanced via the provision of feedback and subsequent further chances to implement. This process is repeated until learning takes place.
3. In order to keep learners’ attention, activities should be as varied and interesting as possible, not losing sight of the fact that deliberate practice by its very nature is not necessarily intrinsically enjoyable and cannot be sustained for more than 3 or 4 hours a day over long periods of time, see “The Road to Excellence” edited by Klas Ericsson for more information.
<O</O
Class methodology which features little provision of activity related information via feedback, no modeling and comparison opportunities and no slow-mo options should be avoided.
Yours,
James
What do I know about motor learning skills and how it affects my teaching practice?
<O
</OMotor skills are learnt and developed through a never-ending loop of practice and feedback provision which improves both the learner’s implicit and explicit knowledge of the activity. The explicit knowledge about the activity to be undertaken both in the form of information pertaining to the movement and feedback following execution feed the increasingly automated movement by building more intricate and precise circuits in the brain which are fueled and strengthened by deliberate practice, see Daniel Coyle and “The Talent Code” for further information. The explicit knowledge serving as an “advanced organizer”, planting the seeds for future development.
Deliberate practice is characterized by effortful, attentive activities designed to monitor, maintain and improve existing motor skills circuits in the brain. The feedback provided through the monitoring process aims to add precision to the movement. <O
It seems that explicit knowledge about the movement and how it should be performed is useful in the provision of error based feedback and studies show that there is a close correlation between amounts of explicit knowledge and subsequent execution.<O
Feedback is typically supplied by a skilled and trained observer, often a teacher, or via video camera, mirrors, shadows, ball flight etc. It appears that many successful performers in a variety of fields use slow-motion activities to heighten their awareness of the internal architecture of a movement. The lack of speed allows learners to execute the motion with greater precision.
A typical activity loop might include the following stages.
1. Detection of error
2. Provision of information-rich feedback aimed at highlighting error
3. Modeling of correct and/or incorrect execution by teacher, underlining the differences
4. Learner models both correct and incorrect execution in order to compare, internal architecture thus noticing the gap between the two
5. Modeling of correct version only at slower speeds, feedback provided by teacher which may either require going back to step 3 or slowing down even further the execution of the movement or proceeding to step 6
6. Attempts at successful execution at higher speeds, feedback provided. Depending on the result this may require steps backwards or attempts at full speed
7. Feedback loop starts over as process is repeated
8. If movement is successfully incorporated, other elements of the action which require remedial work may be flagged up by the teacher
<O
</OExplicit knowledge can be delivered via verbal descriptions, visual options which could include execution by the teacher, photographs, videos etc. Physical manipulation of the learner. Learners can be encouraged to seek out explicit knowledge via project, question, lecture and discussion. Learners should be encouraged to take an active role in the search for this knowledge. Learners may vary in their feedback/information provision preferences.
An important element of class practice should be the observation by the learner of successful execution at a variety of different speeds. This observation can be enhanced via explicit knowledge and the direction of learners to monitor specific elements of the motion. This type of activity potentially engages the human’s ability to imitate via the mirror cells in the brain and appears to play an important part of motor skills learning.
Explicit knowledge enhances the learner’s ability to notice elements of the movement which then become potentially available for further processing and opportunities to incorporate into their future attempts.
Getting the learner’s attention is key to the provision and developing of explicit knowledge. Developing saliency enhancing activities would appear imperative to this end.<O
></O>It appears that beginners benefit most from explicit knowledge for execution, more experienced learners should allow more non-conscious processes to perform the activity. However, the activity loop described above for improving is important for both beginners and experts alike.
Developmental stages for activities like the golf swing don’t appear to have been charted unlkke first and second language acquisition. Do you have to learn to do “x” before being able to execute “y”?
It would appear obvious that expecting a beginner to be able to get to impact with a forward leaning shaft and impart a downward blow to the ball is highly optimistic. Other keys elements must be mastered before this can be achieved regularly. The jury is out on the what and in what order.
<O
</OTo sum up:
1. The provision of copious amounts of activity related information is key to developing successful and repeated execution and an accelerated learning environment. It is important to signpost this information as being useful to improved execution. It should be repeated often and provided in end of class summary moments.
2. Opportunities to execute the movement is imperative, the quality of which is enhanced via the provision of feedback and subsequent further chances to implement. This process is repeated until learning takes place.
3. In order to keep learners’ attention, activities should be as varied and interesting as possible, not losing sight of the fact that deliberate practice by its very nature is not necessarily intrinsically enjoyable and cannot be sustained for more than 3 or 4 hours a day over long periods of time, see “The Road to Excellence” edited by Klas Ericsson for more information.
<O
</OClass methodology which features little provision of activity related information via feedback, no modeling and comparison opportunities and no slow-mo options should be avoided.
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