Discuss the role of feedback in the learning of skills

If a performer is learning to play football for the first time then the coach can teach him a lot because of the cognitive phase the learner is in it is easier to pick up on the guidance given. This means the learner can get a mental image of the task and perform it with confidence. This method requires a good coach for example at training when the learner is trying to perform a pass the coach would stop play and demonstrate how to perform this perfect and let the learner keep practicing. The coach may use the progressive part method of training to teach this. This means to break down the routine of a pass so the learner can get a mental image. This is extrinsic feedback because of the performer being at a cognitive phase so it is basic analysis of an action.

This routine teaching is much easier for beginners to pick up more skills because of the mental image that is held of the activity. The coach will use knowledge of results to see if the ball was hit correctly, with the right technique. If the technique was not right then the coach can use extrinsic feedback and positive feedback to help improve the technique with the learner being encouraged.

A footballer such as 'David Beckham' or 'Zinedine Zidane' does not need as much encouragement as a beginner because they are well into the autonomous phase. These players require more negative feedback so they can perfect what they are doing within a match to perfect their game play. They rely upon their fully developed kinesthesis using intrinsic feedback. They can study instantly how they have hit a shot or a pass and can then get advice from the coach for this. In football the coach can use the knowledge of results feedback method to explain to the elite performer that their game play is slipping and the coach can tell them to change an aspect of their game. Performers like 'Beckham' or 'Zidane' are not as sensitive of criticism as a beginner would be. They use criticism to motivate themselves because of their own ability.

An intermediate would need positive feedback and negative feedback because the positive feedback received would be used to reinforce learning and increases the chance of the same task being performed again e.g. a goal keeper interpreting a crossed ball. Negative feedback is essential so they know what they have been performing wrong and improve on that while not taking criticism in the wrong way.

Teaching an intermediate performer, should be focused on skill. Distributed practice sessions are an effective way of learning because the learner can enjoy themselves and enjoy the breaks they get. When they get breaks in the sessions it is a perfect chance for the coach to give feedback so when they get back to training they can build on what was said. Feedback can be given at each break which lets the learners continually improve their technique throughout the session.

In tennis an expert tennis player can understand a lot more than a beginner because of their ability to take in the feedback given by the coach. The process of taking in the information is made easier by an expert because they can pick out the relevant feedback due to experience. When teaching tennis to a beginner they need lots of encouragement using positive feedback, also using visual guidance is needed because this reinforces feedback. Learning tasks visually is easier for beginners because they can picture what their coach has showed them and how to perform it. One on one tuition increases the chance of learning a task well with more feedback given to improve. If a learner is taught a skill and performs it well they get feedback (positive) and then remember the skill and how to perform it. The beginner will use guided discovery to discover their own style of play. The beginner requires continuous feedback in the same way as an intermediate because they can be constantly improving however, intermediates would be allowed to use a more guided discovery approach than a beginner. In the cognitive phase visual and verbal guidance is used to help the performer understand the skills involved within the game and take them to the associative phase.

An expert however, has developed good kinesthesis and is in the autonomous phase. They can use intrinsic feedback to decide whether the skill needs improving because it does not feel right due to the performer being of balance etc. The coach would use constructive feedback to demonstrate and perform and improve the technique. Knowledge of performance feedback would be used to see how the performer has played from week to week and check if they are progressing or just putting in steady consecutive performances each week. If the performer is not improving then the coach should change the style of training to re-motivate the performer.

I an individual sport like boxing the difference between a beginner and intermediate is a lot in the skill side of performance but may not be in physical strength. Intermediate performers will have learnt from feedback of their coach to increase on their skill. An intermediate would have developed small kinesthesis, whereas a beginner has not developed muscle memory yet. The coach would rely on the knowledge of performance to check whether the performer is improving. The beginner can be shown visually to perform a punch or block. If a performer is in bad form then positive feedback will be used until the morale of the performer is increased. When using command/reciprocal style teaching the learner can remain motivated and learn the proper technique. Experts use intrinsic feedback to further their skill. They can use their head mentally to try and predict what their opponent is going to do judging on knowledge of performance from past fights. The performer has good kinesthesis to determine this.

Bibliography

www.google.com

www.brianmac.demon.co.uk

Adavanced PE for Edexcel (Galligan et al)

Sport and PE (Wesson and Wiggins et al)

Word count 1217

Oliver Hind 17/05/2007