Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP)

1. Effective Coaching “The Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP) is housed within the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University. IPEP was established in 2000 and its mission is to develop excellence within business, sport and the military.” http://ipep.bangor.ac.uk/ Structuring Practice & Delivering Feedback Dr. Gavin Lawrence School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP)

2. Skill acquisition/coaching process Conveying information Structuring practice Providing feedback Variability of practice, Contextual interference Demonstrations Verbal instructions Precision, Frequency, Timing, assistance Figure 1. The skill acquisition/coaching process (adapted from Lavelle et al., 2003) Effective Coaching

3. How do we learn and store skills? Schema Theory (Schmidt, 1975) 1. Initial conditions(body position, wind strength, rig, boat class) 2. Parameters/commandsassigned to the movement program (movement force & timing) 3. Feedbackabout the movement outcome 4. Sensory consequencesof the movement (proprioception, audition, visual) Individual movement Movement commands Movement outcome Schema for different skills

4. Structuring Practice What is contextual interference? What is variability of practice? How do they work? How and when should we prescribe them? Practice makes Perfect? 10,000 hrs Development of skill is generally and positively related to practice Perfect Practice makes Perfect? Optimisation of performance during practice will lead to the best memory of what has been ‘learned’

5. Time constraints require the teaching/re-learning of more than one skill (actions from different skills; tacking, Gybing, sail setting, heeling) How do we schedule the practice session to get the best learning? Blocked Random Repeated rehearsal of one task before moving on to another 1hr session – 3 skills 20 mins on skill 1, 20 mins on skill 2, then 20 mins on skill 3 Good performance Repeated rehearsal of one task is avoided 1hr session – 3 skills Skill 1, 2 and 3 are practiced in an assorted/intermingled fashion Poor performance Poor learningGood learning

6. How do we schedule the practice session to get the best learning? Contextual Interference Structure conditions that lead to poor practice performance often lead to better learning Why? ACTION PLAN RECONSTRUCTION (Lee & Magill, 1985) ELABORATION HYPOTHESIS (Shea & Zimny, 1983) RETROACTIVE INHIBITION (Dey, 1969) Must be: Different Skills Greater the difference, greater the effect Challenging the performer

7. How do we schedule the practice session to get the best learning? Variability of Practice Variable Constant Movements from the same class of actions (Same skill) Initial conditions Constant Repeated rehearsal of one criterion outcome of a single action (same direction and distance) Good performance Poor learning Movement commands Variable Rehearsal of a variety of movement outcomes with the same action (different directions and distances) Poor performance Good learning Movement outcome

8. How to effectively structure practice? Contextual interference vs.. variable practice? Skills from different classes of movements (different skills) Modifications of the same skill Low CIHigh CI BlockedRandom Novice Intermediate/Experienced Children Adults Early stages of learning – need to understand ‘what’ is required (Gentile, 1972, 2000) engage in complex cognitive tasks (Fitts and Posner, 1964) constrain multiple joints to act together (Bernstein, 1967)

9. Structuring Practice Random Adults Experienced/Experts Low High Variability of Practice Variable Constant Contextual Interference LowHigh Children Novices Children Novices Blocked

10. Skill acquisition/coaching process Conveying information Structuring practice Providing feedback Variability of practice, Contextual interference Demonstrations Verbal instructions Precision, Frequency, Timing, assistance Figure 1. The skill acquisition/coaching process (adapted from Lavelle et al., 2003) Effective Coaching

11. Providing Feedback Nominal task difficulty: difficulty regardless of performance Functional task difficulty: how challenging the task is relative to the skill level Expert Skilled Intermediate Novice Performance/predicted success low high Nominal task difficulty

12. Feedback and Task Difficulty No learning without information/feedback Learning reduced with too much information Learning achievement depends on optimal amount of information which differs as a function of skill level. Optimal Challenge points. Considerable Expert Skilled Intermediate Novice Potential available feedback Performance decrease Optimal challenge points Minimal low high functional task difficulty

13. Feedback and Task Difficulty high high Performance in practice (solid line) Potential learning benefit (dashed line) Optimal challenge point Potential learning benefit low low low high functional task difficulty

14. Feedback and Task Difficulty expert high high Performance in practice (solid line) Potential learning benefit (dashed line) novice Optimal challenge point low low low high functional task difficulty

15. Feedback and Task Difficulty Do we need to provide it? How much should we provide? When should we provide it? How precise should it be? FREQUENCY, PRECISION, AND TIMING.

16. Feedback and Task Difficulty Structuring practice and optimal learning point – CHALLENGING THE LEARNER. Feedback – often too much, too precise and too soon ‘misty coaching world’ Bandwidth Summary Self Selected Appropriate Focus of Attention

17. Feedback Specifics Sensory FB Is the learner experienced? Is the task simple? Does the learner comprehend the fundamental motion/movement pattern? Provide fundamental movementFB no no no yes yes Provide movement parameterFB yes Provide more precise FB Provide less frequent FB Intrinsic FB sufficient Provide FB when requested

18. Review Nov 13 Feedback and Focus of Attention Internal focus Attention is directed to performers own body External focus Attention is directed at the effects that the performers movements have on the environment What type of instructions do you give? Instructions and feedback – typically given about the movement pattern or technique Coordination; order, form, timing etc. Ineffective when compared to external focus of attention!!!

19. Feedback and Focus of Attention Cognitive/novice Autonomous/expert Internal focus; performers consciously control their actions, constrain the motor system and intervene with automatic control processes External focus; allows unconscious, fast, reflexive processes to control actions; outcome is achieved as a ‘by-product’. Forces learners to the autonomous end of the continuum Forces learners to the cognitive end of the continuum Constrained action hypothesis (Wulf & colleagues (2001,2001,2003)

20. Effective Coaching “The Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP) is housed within the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University. IPEP was established in 2000 and its mission is to develop excellence within business, sport and the military.” http://ipep.bangor.ac.uk/ THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!! Dr. Gavin Lawrence School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP)