Describe 'Fitts and Posner's' phases of learning and explain how you would structure practices to enhance a performance.

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Skill Acquisition

3. Describe ‘Fitts and Posner’s’ phases of learning and explain how you would structure practices to enhance a performance.

In 1967 Fitts and Posner introduced the idea that a skill is learnt through a series of phases, this is because they recognized that an individual trying to learn a skill, can not move “directly from can’t to can”. (Edexcel). This supports an earlier statement made by Knapp in 1973, who said “Learning is a permanent change in performance brought about by experience” This experience is obtained from these phases of learning. To successfully learn a skill a series of Phases must be completed, and its essential that each stage is passed through if the next stage is to be obtained. The three phases are:

Cognitive

-This is the initial phase of learning a skill.

-This requires a basic mental image of the skill, which is to be learnt. The most effective ways to build up this image is by a physical demonstration, however other methods are also effective such as different types of guidance: -verbal, visual and mechanical.

Associative phase

-The main objective within this phase is for the learner to practice the desired skill in relation to the information gained through the cognitive stage. This stage usually requires much practice and the learner tends to move back and fourth between the cognitive and associative phase just to rebuild the image of the skill. The learner needs to obtain feedback –mostly extrinsic eg a coach. Also this is an area where there is a lot of trial and error, and where most improvement is noticeable.

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Autonomous stage

-This is the stage when the performer is able to perform the skill with little or no conscious thought. At this level the performer can start to think about enhancing the skill, to make it harder for an opponent for example. Tennis serve putting spin on the ball, Or they can think ahead to how the other player may react to the serve.

Tennis Serve  

A structured practice to help improve a sports performance such as tennis could be to improve the serve. The performer will practice the skill through the three learning phases.

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