Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP)

School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences

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

Figure 1. The skill acquisition/coaching process (adapted from Lavelle et al., 2003)

Skill acquisition/coaching process

Conveying information

Structuring practice

Providing feedback

Demonstrations Verbal instructions

Variability of practice,Contextual interference

Precision, Frequency, Timing, assistance

Effective Coaching

Schema Theory (Schmidt, 1975)

1. Initial conditions (body position, wind strength, rig, boat class)

2. Parameters/commands assigned to the

movement program (movement force & timing)

3. Feedback about the movement outcome

4. Sensory consequences of the movement

(proprioception, audition, visual)

How do we learn and store skills?Individual movement

Movement outcomeM

ovem

ent c

omm

ands

Schema for different skills

Structuring PracticeWhat is contextual interference?

What is variability of practice?

How do they work?

How and when should we prescribe them?

Practice makes Perfect?

Development of skill is generally and positively related to practice

Perfect Practice makes Perfect?

10,000 HRS

Optimisation of performance during practice will lead to the best memory of what has been ‘learned’

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 learning Good learning

How do we schedule the practice session to get the best learning?

Contextual InterferenceStructure 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

Movements from the same class of actions (Same skill)

Constant

Variable

Repeated rehearsal of one criterion outcome of a single action (same direction and distance)

Good performance

Poor learning

Rehearsal of a variety of movement outcomes with the same action (different directions and distances)

Poor performance

Good learning

Movement outcome

Mov

emen

t com

man

ds

VariableConstant

Initial conditions

How do we schedule the practice session to get the best learning?

Variability of Practice

Contextual interference vs.. variable practice?

Skills from different classes of movements (different skills)

Modifications of the same skill

Low CI High CI

Blocked Random

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)

How to effectively structure practice?

Blocked

Random

Constant Variable

Cont

extu

al

In

terf

eren

ce

Variability of Practice

Low High

Low

Hig

h

Adults

Experienced/Experts

Children

Novices

Children

Novices

Structuring Practice

Figure 1. The skill acquisition/coaching process (adapted from Lavelle et al., 2003)

Skill acquisition/coaching process

Conveying information

Structuring practice

Providing feedback

Demonstrations Verbal instructions

Variability of practice,Contextual interference

Precision, Frequency, Timing, assistance

Effective Coaching

Nominal task difficulty

Perf

orm

ance

/pre

dict

ed s

ucce

ss

low high

ExpertSkilledIntermediateNovice

Nominal task difficulty: difficulty regardless of performanceFunctional task difficulty: how challenging the task is relative to the skill level

Providing Feedback

functional task difficulty

low high

ExpertSkilledIntermediateNovice

Considerable

Minimal

Optimal Challenge points. 1. No learning without information/feedback2. Learning reduced with too much information3. Learning achievement depends on optimal amount of

information which differs as a function of skill level.

Optimal challenge points

Pote

ntial

ava

ilabl

e fe

edba

ck

Perf

orm

ance

dec

reas

e

Feedback and Task Difficulty

low high

Perf

orm

ance

in p

racti

ce

(sol

id li

ne)

Pote

ntial

lear

ning

ben

efit (

dash

ed li

ne)

functional task difficulty

low

high

low

high

Optimal challenge point

Potential learning benefit

Feedback and Task Difficulty

low high

Perf

orm

ance

in p

racti

ce

(sol

id li

ne)

functional task difficulty

low

high

low

high

Optimal challenge point

expert

novice

Feedback and Task Difficulty

Pote

ntial

lear

ning

ben

efit (

dash

ed li

ne)

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.

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

Sensory FB

Is the learner experienced?

Intrinsic FB sufficient

Is the task simple?

Does the learner comprehend the fundamental motion/movement pattern?

Provide fundamental movement FB

Provide movement parameter FB

Provide more precise FB

Provide less frequent FB

Provide FB when requested

yes

yes

yes

no no no

Feedback Specifics

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

Instructions and feedback – typically given about the movement pattern or technique

Coordination; order, form, timing etc.

What type of instructions do you give?

Ineffective when compared to external focus of attention!!!

Review Nov 13

Feedback and Focus of Attention

Constrained action hypothesis (Wulf & colleagues (2001,2001,2003)

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 cognitive end of the continuum

Forces learners to the autonomous end of the continuum

Feedback and Focus of Attention

Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP)

School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences

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