Discuss 'Fitts and Posner's' phases of learning and explain how you would structure practices and competition.

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Acquiring Skills. Task 2                                                                                                   Hollie Kempson

Discuss ‘Fitts and Posner’s’ phases of learning and explain how you would structure practices and competition.

‘Learning is a more or less permanent change in performance brought about by experience.’(Knapp 1973)

To elevate in skill, you need to practise correctly-

‘Correct practise leads to improvement’ (John Honeyrourne, Michael Hill and Helen Moors, Physical Education and sport)

 

 All aspects of sport require learning. Despite the speed at which different people can learn new skills, Fitts and Posner (1967) introduced the three phases of learning to skill acquisition; cognitive, associative and autonomous.

  The earliest stage of skill learning is the cognitive stage; this includes a lot of trial and error. All faults should be recognised or the learner will learn the skill incorrectly. If the skill is performed correctly it is important that he is praised. This will give him more confidence and make him want to continue extending his skills. This helps the performer to realise why failure occurred so they know what to avoid the next time they attempt it. Watching demonstrations by people that can do the movement correctly will help beginners to visualise the actions in their head. (Mental rehearsal) If the coach or teacher is unable to perform the action, someone who can perform it correctly or a video will be shown. This were the beginner can associate what they’re doing, with what they have seen.

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Learning to play a team sport such as basketball learning basics, bouncing the ball will be the first stage. The learner will see the visual bouncing the ball with their hand spread out and relaxed rather than tense, the visual will not be using the palm of their hand, but their fingertips, they also need to realise the controlling is coming from the wrist rather than the whole arm. This is likely to happen with the performer at the cognitive stage, as beginners tend to make jerky movements. To prevent this from happening the coach would carry out dribbling ...

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