Skill Acquisition

Stages of learning a motor skill

Measuring Learning
 Measuring Learning

• Strictly speaking it is not possible to test learning

 Measuring Learning

• Strictly speaking it is not possible to test learning

• Coaches generally use three methods to assess
learning: retention tests, transfer tests and plotting
performance
 Measuring Learning

• Strictly speaking it is not possible to test learning

• Coaches generally use three methods to assess
learning: retention tests, transfer tests and plotting
performance
• Performance curves
Stages of learning
 Stages of learning

• Various authors have discussed the stages

of learning including Adams (1971), Fitts &
Posner (1967), Gentile (1972)
 Stages of learning

• Various authors have discussed the stages

of learning including Adams (1971), Fitts &
Posner (1967), Gentile (1972)
• Although they use differing terminology the
majority of authors are saying the same
thing.
Fitts & Posner (1967)
Fitts & Posner (1967)

Three stages of learning:

Fitts & Posner (1967)

Three stages of learning:

1. Verbal Cognitive stage
Fitts & Posner (1967)

Three stages of learning:

1. Verbal Cognitive stage
2. Motor stage
Fitts & Posner (1967)

Three stages of learning:

1. Verbal Cognitive stage
2. Motor stage
3. Autonomous stage
Verbal-Cognitive stage
 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task
 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements
 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements

• You should expect performance to halting, jerky, uncertain

and poorly timed with the external environment
 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements

• You should expect performance to halting, jerky, uncertain

and poorly timed with the external environment

• Demonstration, verbal, visual and reinforcement are useful at

this stage
 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements

• You should expect performance to halting, jerky, uncertain

and poorly timed with the external environment

• Demonstration, verbal, visual and reinforcement are useful at

this stage

• Coaches should consider the athletes dominant ‘intelligence’

 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements

• You should expect performance to halting, jerky, uncertain

and poorly timed with the external environment

• Demonstration, verbal, visual and reinforcement are useful at

this stage

• Coaches should consider the athletes dominant ‘intelligence’

• Coaches should encourage transfer

 Verbal-Cognitive stage
• Unfamiliar task

• A lot of time “talking to themselves”

• A lot of time thinking of corrections

• Rapid improvements

• You should expect performance to halting, jerky, uncertain

and poorly timed with the external environment

• Demonstration, verbal, visual and reinforcement are useful at

this stage

• Coaches should consider the athletes dominant ‘intelligence’

• Coaches should encourage transfer

• Coaches should encourage trial and error

Motor Stage
 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements
 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

• Refinement is also different for open and closed skills

 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

• Refinement is also different for open and closed skills

• Movement appears smoother, less mistakes are made and

learners are more able to anticipate
 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

• Refinement is also different for open and closed skills

• Movement appears smoother, less mistakes are made and

learners are more able to anticipate

• Learners are able to give their own feedback (to an extent)

and can detect their own errors
 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

• Refinement is also different for open and closed skills

• Movement appears smoother, less mistakes are made and

learners are more able to anticipate

• Learners are able to give their own feedback (to an extent)

and can detect their own errors

• This stage is generally longer than the verbal-cognitive stage

 Motor Stage
• Learners now posses most of the strategic and cognitive
elements

• Focus now shifts to refining the movement patterns

• Refinement is different for fast skills and slow skills

• Refinement is also different for open and closed skills

• Movement appears smoother, less mistakes are made and

learners are more able to anticipate

• Learners are able to give their own feedback (to an extent)

and can detect their own errors

• This stage is generally longer than the verbal-cognitive stage

• Feedback should be more precise and targeted

Autonomous stage
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention

• Motor programs develop to such an extent that the athlete

can control their actions for longer
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention

• Motor programs develop to such an extent that the athlete

can control their actions for longer

• Increased automaticity in their sensory analysis of the

environment
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention

• Motor programs develop to such an extent that the athlete

can control their actions for longer

• Increased automaticity in their sensory analysis of the

environment

• This increased capability frees high performers to engage in

higher-order cognitive activities
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention

• Motor programs develop to such an extent that the athlete

can control their actions for longer

• Increased automaticity in their sensory analysis of the

environment

• This increased capability frees high performers to engage in

higher-order cognitive activities

• Self confidence increases and the capability to detect mistakes

in highly developed
 Autonomous stage
• Not all learners will enter this stage

• Athletes produce their actions automatically with little or no

attention

• Motor programs develop to such an extent that the athlete

can control their actions for longer

• Increased automaticity in their sensory analysis of the

environment

• This increased capability frees high performers to engage in

higher-order cognitive activities

• Self confidence increases and the capability to detect mistakes

in highly developed

• Further improvement are hard to detect