Skill Acquisition 2.2

Question 1

What are the 3 stages of learning?

Answer 1

• The cognitive stage
• The associative stage
• The autonomous stage

Question 2

What is the cognitive stage?

Answer 2

Where performer has to carefully think about their actions & try to understand how to copy the demonstrations & instructions they may have seen from a coach

Question 3

What type of feedback may a performer use if they are in the cognitive stage of learning?

Answer 3

• Extrinsic feedback (has to be carefully considered as they are beginner)

Components of skill that can be stored in memory are not yet developed
Beginnger may use trial & error in approach to task

(e.g.) having a go at skill, thinking & adapting actions & having another attempt to see if any improvements are being made

Question 4

What is the associative stage of learning?

Answer 4

• Longer duration than cognitve stage- performer moves from competent beginner to accomplished performer
• To make progress during this stage performer has to practice lots

Performer may compare current level of performance to a top class performer & try tp adjust practice to reach that top level

Movements become smoother & more coordinated

Question 5

What type of feedback may a performer use during the associative stage of learning?

Answer 5

• Trial & error may still be used to perfect skills 7 performer may still use feedback but its become more internal

Question 6

What is the autonomous stage of learning?

Answer 6

• Autonomous stage is reached after effective practice & such practice must continue if performer is to remain in this high level stage

Actions are fluent,efficient, & automatically undertaken

Performer can concentrate on fine details of task as basics of task are performed without thinking

Question 7

What are the different forms of feedback?

Answer 7

• Positive feedback
• Negative feedback
• Intrinsic feedback
• Extrinsic feedback

Question 8

What is positive feedback?

Answer 8

• Entails information about what was good
• Tells player what is going well & offers motivation to maintain effort

Question 9

What is negative feedback?

Answer 9

• Gives performer information about whats going wrong so errors can be corrected & bad habits eliminated

As players gain more experience negative feedback can be appreciated

Question 10

What is extrinsic feedback?

Answer 10

• Derived from outside source such as coach so performer gains view of what they need to improve on or what they need to maintain

Question 11

What is intrinsic feedback?

Answer 11

• The feedback that comes from within

Performer may have developed a feel for the task using kinaethesis

Question 12

What is knowlege of results?

Answer 12

• Concerns the outcome
  Form of feedback gives indication whether or not skill was successful e.g. did the netball shot score?

Successful outcomes need to be maintained- unsuccessful ones eliminated can form early basis of improvement

Question 13

What is knowlege of performance?

Answer 13

• About technique
  Gives reasons as to why shot went in or not
  & is concerned with how technique can be used to produce a better performance than last attempt

Question 14

What type of feedback should be given to a beginner in the cognitive stage of learning?

Answer 14

• Lots of encouragement
• Lots of advice as they have little existing knowlege of skill

Question 15

What feedback should be given to a performer in the autonomous stage of learning?

Answer 15

• Performer requires detailed feedback on how to control their performance
• Can benefit from error correction & would use existing knowlege to make internal adjustments

Question 16

What feedback should be given to a performer in the associative stage of learning?

Answer 16

External information would be used to refine movements as at this stage develops more intrinsic feedback used to control performance

Long stage where performer makes steady progress

Question 17

What is a learning plateu?

Answer 17

• A period during performance when there are no signs of improvement & performer does not appear to be getting any better

Question 18

What is the learning curve?

Answer 18

• A graphic illustration that shows how rate of learning of a performer doing a closed skill over period of time can vary
• Learning curve can be divided into 4 stages

Question 19

What are the 4 stages of the learning curve?

Answer 19

• Stage 1- Rate of learning is slow, performance level is poor because performer is new to task & in stage of cognitive learning
• Stage 2- Rapid acceleration in rate of learning and as performer has begun to master task & gain some success
• Stage 3- No improvement in rate of learning and performance has reached learning plateu
• Stage 4- Period towards end of task when perhaps due to fatigue performance may actually deteriorate

Question 20

What causes of the learning plateu are there?

Answer 20

• Lack of motivation- lack of incentives or extrinsic rewards may cause performer to lose drive & energy for task
• Boredom- Repetitive nature may cause boredom
• Coaching- Coach may issue incorrect instructions or use incorrect practice methods so skill is not done correctly
• Limit of ability
• Targets set too low- Perhaps task is one where learner isnt able to use full range of their skills
• Fatigue- Continuous action over extended period of time would result in tiredness especially if muscles are being used repeatedly (DOMS)

(Many Bees Can Look Towards Flowers)

Question 21

What solutions are there to solve the plateu effect?

Answer 21

• Task could be extended so that a new challenge to test performer is given
• Player could find a new coach to raise performance levels
• Coach could offer more praise & positive reinforcement to provide motivation
• A rest could be taken to avoid fatigue
• More variety could be added to task so boredom is avoided

Question 22

What is visual guidance?

Answer 22

• A visual demonstration of the required task

-Intention is to create a mental image for a beginner that can be used as a reference point for future practice