Internal processes associated with practice

Researchers posit the existence of various internal processes in which learners participate during the practice of a movement task. They attribute to the quality of these processes the success or failure of motor learning.

Many authors assume that a learner's ultimate success depends on the "depth" of processing that a particular type of practice requires. Others contend that the depth of processing is not as important as other qualities, such as "transfer appropriateness" (Morris, Bradford, & Franks, 1977). They emphasize that "practice conditions that promote a particular type of processing during acquisition trials will facilitate transfer to the extent that these processing activities are also encouraged during transfer trials" (Lee, Swanson, & Hall, 1991).

Examples of "transfer appropriate processes"

Practice conditions enhance transfer to the extent to which they cause the learner to:

• Interact with the environment
• Use feedback

  Detecting and correcting errors
  Develop an internal reference of correctness

• "Regenerate" a motor solution (Lee and Magill)

  Learn programming rules (not specific movements)
  Construct movement plans/programs based on these rules

• Anticipate need for movement as well as reacting
• Generalize learned movement to different contexts
• Solve movement problems

Reference

Lee, T.D., Swanson, L.R., Hall, A.L. (1991). What is repeated in a repetition? Effects of practice conditions on motor skill acquisition. Physical Therapy, 71,150-156.

Morris, C.D., Bransford, J.D., & Franks, J.J. (1977). Levels of processing versus transfer appropriate processing. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 16, 519-533.

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Last updated 11-2-99 ©Dave Thompson PT
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