The development of motor The development of motor skills and the use of practice skills and the use of practice methodsmethodsPhases/Stages of movement skill learning that affect participation and performance in physical activity

Learning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesIdentify Fitt’s and Posner’s phases of learning

Apply these phases to practical activities

Learning.Learning.A recognisable change in

behaviour, which is permanent.Learning is not a one off lucky

performance.Learning is permanent. Learning is due to past

experiences/practice.

LEARNINGLEARNINGKNAPP’s DEFINITIONlearning may be considered to be a more or less permanent change in performance, associated with experiences but excluding changes which occur through maturation and degeneration, or through alterations in the receptor or effector organs

Fitts and Posner (1967)Fitts and Posner (1967)There are three phases of learning

that we will look at…Fitts and Posner were amongst the

first psychologists to examine motor skills in sport

They suggested three phases of learning, that you gradually move through

Knowing these phases, will help to structure a practice correctly

PHASES OF LEARNING (Fitts PHASES OF LEARNING (Fitts and Posner)and Posner)

COGNI TI VE PHASE (beginner)initial learning of basic skill

understanding of the activityanalysis of techniques

use of m odels

ASSOCI ATI VE PHASEfocus on m ovem ent

com parison of action w ith m odelerror detection and correction

skill still inconsistent

AUTONOM OUS PHASE (elite sportsm an)action autom atic

attention can be given to environm entalaspects of activity

focus on tactics / strategy

COGNITIVE (EARLY) COGNITIVE (EARLY) PHASEPHASE

Trying to form a mental picture of the skill

Demo’s and verbal explanation are v imp.

These are imp so that the learner can see the progressions of diff movements in the skill

Not too much info – why?Selective Attention – what is this?Picking out and focusing on the relevant

parts whilst ignoring irrelevant ones

Cognitive Phase of Cognitive Phase of learninglearning

Trial and error will be the starting point

Positive feedback on success will reinforce the movement

What will it look like?◦Improvement is rapid, but movements

are jerky and uncoordinated ◦demands high attention and

concentration

ASSOCIATIVE ASSOCIATIVE (INTERMEDIATE) PHASE(INTERMEDIATE) PHASE

The practice phaseUsually longer than the cognitive

phase (some never leave this phase of learning)

Mistakes are eliminated, errors are fewer, the skill becomes more consistent.

The skill will look more smooth, as they learn the sub-routines

Associative Phase of Associative Phase of LearningLearningThey will develop the ability to use

internal kinaesthetic feedback.What is this?Using your kinaesthetic sense

(tells your brain about the movement and contraction of muscles/tendons and joints.

Feedback will allow the learner to know if the movement is being down correctly or not.

Associative Phase of Associative Phase of learninglearning

Specific motor programmes and subroutines are developed relevant to sport

Consistency and coordination improve rapidly, timing and anticipation improve

Comparison of action with model Error detection and correction is

practised, detailed feedback is utilisedImprovement is less rapid

AUTONOMOUS (FINAL) AUTONOMOUS (FINAL) PHASEPHASE

Final stage of learningExecute skills with minimum

thought and can concentrate on other factors; demands of the environment E.G.

A tennis player can think about where to serve the ball, rather than thinking, 1 grip, 2 ball toss 3 backswing etc…

Autonomous Phase of Autonomous Phase of learning learning The motor programme is stored in

the long term memory and used when needed

The learner can now detect errors and adjust to refine them, themselves.

Improvements are slow, as the learner is capable

No practice – the performer may move back a stage

Cognitive Associative Autonomous Key Factors related to this stage:

Key Factors related to this stage:

Key Factors related to this stage

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Flash CardsFlash CardsA Revision tool