Assessment Depth Study: The Learning Environment

SYLLABUS CONTENT

How are movement skills acquired, developed and improved?

• Apply an understanding of how movement skills are acquired, developed and improved for recreational and elite athletes

Including: ​

• characteristics of learners

• stages of learning/skill acquisition

• characteristics of motor skills, including gross and fine, continuous, discrete and serial, open and closed, self-paced and externally paced

• practice methods for the different stages of learning, including massed, distributed, whole, part, blocked and random

• performance elements, including decision-making, strategic and tactical development

• types of feedback for different stages of learning, including task-intrinsic, augmented, concurrent, delayed, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance
  
  

Group Lists:

These groups are listed below: 

Characteristics of Learners

The characteristics of the learner, including factors like personality, prior experience, and confidence, can critically impact the development of movement skills. Coaches must consider these traits when tailoring their approach to ensure that training strategies effectively support each athlete’s unique needs and capabilities. These characteristics include:

Personality: Personality, shaped by social interactions and life experiences, influences skill development by affecting an athlete’s behaviour. Traits like consistency, motivation, and the ability to express emotions can impact how well athletes learn. Coaches often seek athletes with positive personal attributes such as cooperativeness, determination, enthusiasm, and risk-taking. These traits make athletes more receptive to instruction, cooperative in tasks, and contribute to a productive learning environment, helping to enhance skill acquisition.

Heredity:  Heredity refers to the genetic traits inherited from parents that determine an individual’s potential in sports. These factors set limits on physical abilities such as speed, strength, and ideal body type for certain sports. Key hereditary characteristics like muscle fibre composition, somatotype, height, and gender influence an athlete’s suitability for specific events. For example, athletes with a higher percentage of fast-twitch fibres excel in sprinting, while those with slow-twitch fibres are more suited for endurance events. However, while heredity sets the potential "ceiling," the environment and training determine whether these limits can be reached.

Confidence: Confidence is developed through prior success, positive reinforcement, and encouragement, fostering the belief that success is achievable. A learner who believes in their ability to accomplish a difficult task is more likely to succeed than one who doubts themselves. This is true for elite athletes as well, where a lack of confidence can be the difference between success and falling short. Confidence is essential for acquiring new skills, as learners need to believe they can reach a proficient level. It also enhances resilience, helping individuals recover from setbacks with determination.

Prior Experience: Prior experience plays a significant role in an athlete’s ability to learn a new skill. It involves transferring knowledge and movement patterns from previous activities into new tasks. Athletes who have developed similar motor skills or movement patterns can often transfer these abilities to a new skill more easily. Coaches should adapt their training by recognising an athlete’s prior experience and adjusting their approach accordingly. 

Ability: Ability refers to a learner's general capacity for coordinated movement, influenced by both inherited and social factors. It includes aspects such as hand-eye or foot-eye coordination and the ability to move the body in complex ways. While ability can be developed, a higher natural ability leads to quicker and deeper skill acquisition. Athletes with greater ability, like Don Bradman in cricket, tend to learn and innovate more easily, while others may need more effort and determination. Coaches should tailor their training to an athlete’s ability level, providing appropriate challenges and support to maximize skill development. 

Practice Methods

Massed or Distributed practice

Massed Practice involves long blocks of training or practice without breaks. This type of practice is usually suited for more advanced learners who are capable of maintaining focus over longer periods and can handle the physical demands of the skill being practiced. It is also effective for creating pressure in specific situations (e.g., practicing free throws under stress). However, this type of practice can lead to fatigue and mental exhaustion, which may limit its effectiveness for beginners or when dealing with highly fatiguing skills.

Distributed Practice involves shorter blocks of practice with more frequent breaks or transitions to different activities. This method is often recommended for early learners as it allows for better focus and reduces mental fatigue. Shorter sessions with regular breaks help learners refresh and refocus, especially when learning complex or cognitively demanding tasks. This type of practice is particularly effective for skills that require a high level of concentration and for younger athletes who may struggle with long practice sessions.

Whole or Part Practice

Whole Practice involves executing the skill or sport in its entirety, without breaking it down into sub-components. This method is typically used when athletes have already developed a basic understanding of the skill, allowing them to practice the skill as a whole. It is especially useful for advanced learners who can perform the skill consistently well, as it helps maintain the flow and fluidity of the movement. For simple skills or those that do not require sub-routines, whole practice is more efficient.

Part Practice breaks a skill into smaller sub-components, allowing athletes to focus on refining individual parts before putting them all together. This method is beneficial for beginners or when learning complex skills, as it reduces the cognitive load and allows learners to master one component at a time. Once the components are mastered, the learner can then combine them into a complete movement. For advanced learners, part practice is only useful if a specific error has been identified that needs to be addressed (e.g., improving foot placement for a cricket bowler).

Blocked or Random Practice

Blocked Practice involves practising the same skill repeatedly under the same conditions to build strong motor patterns and refine movements. This method is useful for beginner learners or when focusing on mastering a specific movement. For example, a tennis coach may hit 30 forehand shots to the same spot on the court, allowing the player to focus entirely on executing that one movement correctly.

Random Practice involves constant variation in the skill, either through choice or in response to external stimuli. This type of practice is used to simulate more realistic game conditions, requiring athletes to adapt to changing situations. For example, a tennis coach might alternate between forehand and backhand shots, or a basketball player may take shots from various points on the court, fostering flexibility and decision-making skills.

Feedback

As a class we will read through pages 299-301 of the Cambridge textbook. As we explore complete the following:

1. Define each of the key terms

2. Provide an example 

3. Summarise the coaching implications.

Training Session

Use the remaining time to finalise your training session and report. Collaborate with your group members, share ideas, and challenge each other’s thinking! Go outside and test your activities or drills, do they work as planned? Consider the following:

• What equipment will you need to run your activities effectively?

• How will you organise the athletes into groups to ensure each receives adequate attention and feedback?

• How will use a variety of communication methods and ensure each group member has a clear role. 

• How will you position the athletes to maximise the effectiveness of feedback and engagement?

• Are your activities adaptable for athletes at different stages of learning?

• Does your session balance technical skill development with decision-making and strategic elements?

• How can you make sure each learner receives the appropriate feedback to progress in their learning stage?

This time is essential for ensuring that your session flows smoothly and aligns with your objectives. Make sure to assess every part of the session, from the drills to feedback mechanisms, and make adjustments as needed.