Variable Practice
Variability in movement and context is a necessary ingredient for skill development
A learner should be able to generalize a skill to a variety of situations
Learning
A relatively permanent change in a person's ability to execute a motor skill, as a result of practice or experience
Performance:
A temporary expression of a skill
Variable Practice Guidelines
Assess the nature of the skill being learned and the environment in which it will be performed
Variable Practice Guidelines 2
Then introduce variations in regulatory/ non-regulatory conditions, or both
Other areas where one can vary practice:Movements concepts,
Challenges
Constant Practice
During initial stages of learning
and When developing an understanding of the task
Variable practice:
After the learner has acquired basic movement patterns
Contextual Interference
Switching from one skill to another
Changing the context in which a task is practiced
Blocked practice (low contextual interference)
Random practice (high contextual interference
Contextual Interference Effect
Blocked practice, Random Practice
Blocked practice
Superior short-term performance during practice
Random practice
Greater long-term learning gains
Possible explanations for the contextual interference effect:
Elaboration hypothesis
Action plan reconstruction hypothesis
Contextual Interference in Applied Settings
Some investigations show no difference between blocked and random schedules
Possible reasons:
Nature of the task
and Learner characteristics (age and skill level)
Challenge Point Framework
An optimal amount of information must be available for learning to occur
Practitioners should consider the relationship between skill level and task complexity to determine the optimal level of contextual interference
Self-Regulated or Self-Controlled Practice
Allows learners to control their own practice schedules for multiple tasks
Enhances motor learning
Practitioners should reconsider deeply rooted traditional practice methods
Use blocked practice until learners get the idea of a movement
Then introduce moderate or high levels of contextual interference to engage learners in higher cognitive processing activities
Organize practice using serial, repeated-blocked, and random sche
Designing Practice Sessions for Contextual Interference
1. identify the skills to be practiced
2. identify possible skill and performance context variations that will influence how the skill is executed
Designing Practice Sessions for Contextual Interference
3. Design practice where the learner is confronted with different variations and contexts using randomized schedule
Massed Practice
Amount of time allocated to rest between practice sessions is comparatively less than the time spent engaged in practice
Distributed Practice
Rest component between practice sessions is equal to or greater than the practice component
Distributed Practice Recommended For
New and complex skills
Continuous tasks
Tasks with high-energy requirements
Tasks with some degree of risk
Skills practiced in a therapy setting
Massed Practice Effective with learners who
Have acquired basic skills
Are motivated
Are in good physical condition � Have long attention spans
Avoid practicing when highly fatigued
Maximizing Time on Task
Rest intervals
Equipment substitutions
Drill design: