Introduction to Motor Learning and Control - Motor Learning - Lecture Slides, Slides of Physical Education and Motor Learning

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Introduction to Motor Learning

and Control

How do people acquire

motor skills?

• Motor learning is the study of the processes people go through as they acquire and refine motor skills. One must also consider the variables that promote or inhibit the acquisition of these skills.
• What variables might promote or inhibit acquisition?

How do people move?

• Movement is the function of the interaction of three elements: - The learner - The task - The environment

Foundational knowledge

• Learner
  • Do they possess underlying abilities to perform?
  • Is the task developmentally appropriate?
  • Were there previous similar experiences?
  • Are they motivated?
  • Might individual differences influence acquisition of this task?

Foundational Knowledge

• Environment
  • In what context will the task be performed?
  • Is that context predictable or unpredictable?
  • Is there a time limitation?
• When assessing performance and making instructional decisions, you must remember that none of these elements exists in isolation

What is learning?

• Learning is a relatively permanent change in a person’s ability to execute a motor skill as a result of practice or experience doing the skill - We can’t see learning because the internal processes can’t be directly observed - So how does a facilitator of learning know if the client/athlete/student learned?

Inferences must be accurate

• If a person is anxious, tired, experiencing equipment problems, does impaired performance mean a loss of capability to do the skill?
• Could a person be ‘ON’ one day during practice, and then revert back to previous levels of ability the next time out?

Practical Application

• Nondominant hand juggling
• Two tennis balls in nondominant hand
• Toss upward and when reaches peak, toss second tennis ball; catch first, then toss, catch second then toss
• Continue this pattern for 10 minutes
• Record the highest number of successful catches you make

Motor Skill

• Goal-oriented
• Body and limb movements required to accomplish goal
• Voluntary
• Must be learned or re-learned

Which are motor skills?

• Grasping a bottled water
• Keyboarding
• Drawing back after touching a hot iron
• Sewing a button
• Playing the drums
• The startle reflex

Precision of Movement

• Fine motor skill
  • Involving very precise movements normally accomplished using smaller musculature
• Gross motor skill
  • Places less emphasis on precision and is typically the result of multi-limb movements

Precision of Movement

Fine Gross

Predictability of the Environment

Closed Open

Open/closed classification system

• Closed skill
  • Environmental context is stable & predictable (does not change from trial to trial)
  • Consistency is the objective
  • Technique refinement is emphasized
• Open skill
  • Performer must adapt performance to the ever changing environment
  • Practice should emphasize responding to the