3 Motor Learning Principles (MLP)

7.1 Instructions

In addition to performing the chosen task, you will be required to write a reflection piece describing your learning experience. You must include at least 3 Motor Learning Principles (MLP) as part of your reflection in addition to discuss the three stages of learning from Fitts and Posner (refer to Chapter 12 on our textbook). Read Appendix C for further information regarding the MLPs.

7.1.1 For the skill selected, do the following:

Write a 6-page (double-spaced) reflection paper describing your experience. As part of your reflection, you need to:
discuss how you moved through the stages of learning (described by Fitts and Posner – Chapter 12)
discuss 3 Motor Learning Principles (e.g., feedback, practice distribution, etc.) covered in this course and explain how the principles were applied to your learning experience.
7.1.2 Your reflection paper must:

have a minimum of 6 FULL pages and no more than 10 pages;
be typed using 12-point Times New Roman font, no exceptions;
be typed in double space, no exceptions;
NO EXTRA SPACE IN BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS AND EACH SECTION OF YOUR PAPER
have 1-inch margins on all sides
have a “Works Cited” page (does not count toward the 6-page minimum)
Should be on a separate page. DO NOT use the reference section to “fill up” space and meet the 6-page minimum requirement
7.1.3 Template

I have created a template to help you with this assignment. You will be required to use the template (see link above) when writing the reflection paper. When using the template:

DO NOT delete the titles (Introduction, Stages of Learning, Principle 1,…)
DO NOT delete the page numbers. If the page #s get deleted by accident, insert them back before submitting your paper.
Referencing Sources in APA Style

You MUST cite (ONLY PARAPHRASES OR DIRECT QUOTES – 40 WORDS OR LESS) ALL sources utilized and this has to be done following the APA style format.
IMPORTANT: You will NOT be required to cite sources other than Magill and Anderson (YYYY) and/or Danny (2010). PLEASE, DO NOT CITE MY SLIDES. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE SLIDES WAS TAKEN FROM MAGILL AND ANDERSON (2017).
7.2 Reflection Paper FAQ

Can I use my own template?
No, you cannot. Use the template I provided (see link above)
Can I add a title page to the template?
No, you cannot. Unless stated otherwise in the template, do not make any structural changes to it.
Do I need to leave the “<>” added to the template?
No, you are supposed to replace the highlighted (including the <>) with your own content.
Can I make the info on the top left of the first page double spaced?
No, leave it single-spaced.

ANSWER

Motor Control and Learning

Introduction

I always thought juggling was fun from an early age, explaining why I was looking forward to taking this class. My learning goal was to master juggling three balls. I knew I had good hand-eye coordination but never thought I could learn juggling. Juggling is a motor task that involves coordinating both hands, manipulation, and catching both balls in different patterns (Borglund et al., 2021). To successfully juggle, a performer must throw the balls consistently and pay attention to the height and timing of the throws. Throwing objects with shallow trajectories often results in minor errors. However, its downside is that it increases collisions and reduces the performer’s time to deal with the balls. On the other hand, higher trajectories give the juggler more time to correct mistakes, but they amplify errors. These challenges require the juggler to know the optimal throw height vis-à-vis number of balls. Professional jugglers perform the way they do because they have advanced sensorimotor coordination. Borglund et al. (2021) indicate that they mostly use somatosensory input or proprioception. Because it involves sensorimotor tasks, scholars can use the practice to investigate motor learning in humans. The principles I selected for this paper are 1) feedback, 2) distributed practice, and 3) transfer of learning.

The stages of learning

Fitts and Posner identified three learning states: cognitive, associative, and autonomous. In the first stage, the cognitive stage, I would watch performers to understand their techniques. Initially, I found the whole process difficult. I did everything I could, including changing my posture, yet achieved very little. My movements were slow, inefficient, and inconsistent. Throwing and catching one ball was easy. But when I brought a new ball into the mix, both balls would fall. I tried timing the ball and watching how far I was throwing it, but I couldn’t master the skill.

Stage II

During this stage, I started learning what I was doing wrong. I realized that I was paying too much attention to the ball. I would track each ball in flight every time I threw it. I decided to change my tactic. Instead of looking or monitoring the ball, I started concentrating on the apex or arc. I started getting lucky with my ball throws while using this technique. With every throw came an automatic catch. I was taken aback by this newly-learned skill. On the first try, I caught all three balls relatively well. But then I rushed the fourth ball, which messed up the whole rhythm. Fits and Posner explained, “Performance during this stage also is highly variable, showing a lack of consistency from one attempt to the next” (Magill & Anderson, 2017, p 291). This statement demonstrate that my skills were at the second stage.

Another thing I learned at this stage is that being self-conscious makes juggling difficult. Self-consciousness makes it difficult to maintain the timing pattern. I realized that juggling becomes all too easy when you stop thinking about every move. The third thing I learned about juggling was that the more you become skilled, the more time you have to deal with the ball. Initially, I thought the balls were too fast. So, I would make higher throws to buy time with the other balls. With time, I learned that higher trajectories is not the solution. There is actually enough time to handle the balls and manipulating the throw trajectories is unnecessary.

Stage 3

The third stage is typically characterized by efficient, consistent, and accurate movements. The performer shows little to no cognitive effort when performing, and they focus primarily on acceleration and speed. I have not attained this level yet, but still working on improving my performance. I can maintain two to three continuous cycles, and I’m confident that this will improve in the future.

Principle 1: Feedback

Feedback refers to the process of receiving information related to performing a task. Feedback is typically obtained from two sources: internal and external sources. Internal sources involve obtaining information by interpreting auditory, visual, and sensory information (Muratori et al., 2013). I used this technique to practice juggling. I watched YouTube tutorials (visual) and listened to lectures and online juggling lessons. While watching the videos, I observed and analyzed the technical aspects of the performance, taking note of things the jugglers were doing and those they weren’t doing. I discovered I was unconsciously imitating some of their actions, including holding my breath and raising my shoulders.

Sometimes, I would close my eyes and try to immerse myself in the experience and create a mental image of myself juggling the balls. This technique is also known as learning through osmosis. Learning through osmosis means observing professionals and then creating a mental image of their practice in your brain. The occipital lobe in the brain stores this information, and the information becomes part of your brain history. As your visualization strengthens, so does your ability to juggle. The authors were confident that effective visualization improves juggling abilities, but this did not work for me. I tried their technique, including listening to the rhythmic sounds of the balls and imagining their color, but none of it worked.

While the visualization technique was ineffective for me, I found the visual demonstration to be very useful. I improved my posture by imitating the jugglers and following their actions. I also found prescriptive information to be more helpful than descriptive information. I gained a lot from feedback that told me how to avoid the same mistake in the future. For example, I learned to coordinate my hands when an instructor told me I needed to extend my elbow while moving my hands. This information was more helpful than just being told to improve my hand-elbow coordination.

Principle 2: Distributed Practice

This principle involves dividing repetitions into small groups (e.g., two practices now, two practices in 10 minutes, etc.). Mastering a skill requires repeatedly rehearsing the skill (Muratori et al., 2013). Many variables need to be considered, including the practice design, type, schedule, and amount. It is widely agreed that more practice results in better capabilities. I agree with this notion because I experienced it. My juggling skills become better gradually. I did not know how to juggle balls when I started this class, but my skills have improved thanks to constant practice. I was not successful during most of my practice, but I learned something new with each attempt.

A fundamental question is whether motor tasks should be practiced in whole or in separate parts. Practice in whole means practicing an exercise in its entirety while practicing in part means breaking it down into parts (Chan et al., 2015). I prefer learning in part. Initially, I went straight into practicing with three balls, but the task was too difficult. Therefore, I decided to break down the tasks into parts; first, I started throwing the ball with a high trajectory from one hand to the other. The second step was to practice with two balls, then three. In the last stage, I would reel the three balls but let them fall. This technique helped me study and diagnose my technique and learn how it differed from experts.

Practice sessions typically have four structures: massed, distributed, constant, and variable. In constant practice, one task is performed repeatedly throughout the practice period. Various studies have demonstrated that this technique is ineffective (Lin et al., 2010). According to Lin et al. (2010), an individual cannot retain or transfer a skill when using constant practice. In contrast, variable practice is recommended as an effective technique. It involves performing completely different tasks throughout the practice sessions. My learning experience gives credence to this study. Initially, I practiced with no variability, but I changed this tactic with time. When I became comfortable, I started using practice variability, i.e., I practiced in different settings, heights, and objects, and my skills improved significantly.

Principle 3: Transfer of Learning

Transfer of learning refers to applying knowledge from past learning to current or future learning. I experienced intertask transfer during this class. I have always had good hand-eye coordination while playing sports. This skill was valuable in my juggling classes, especially when I stopped monitoring the ball’s movement. Instead of looking or monitoring the ball, I started concentrating on the apex or arc. My hand-eye coordination was resourceful when I started using this tactic. It made it easy to throw the balls without me moving my head to look at my hands.

Conclusion

This class has taught me many lessons, including crucial learning techniques. I could not juggle when I started the class, but my skills have improved significantly. I can now maintain two to three continuous cycles of juggling, and I am confident that these skills will improve in the future. The motor learning principles that shaped my learning include feedback, distributed practice, and transfer learning. Prescriptive feedback, variable practice, and visual demonstration techniques were the most helpful. I also acquired new skills by breaking tasks into manageable parts (practicing in part). Overall, the class was interesting and mind-opening. I know I can apply the knowledge and skills obtained from this class to other motor-related tasks.

References

Borglund, F., Young, M., Eriksson, J., & Rasmussen, A. (2021). Feedback from HTC Vive sensors results in transient performance enhancements on a juggling task in virtual reality. Sensors, 21(9), 2966. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21092966

Chan, J. S. Y., Luo, Y., Yan, J. H., Cai, L., & Peng, K. (2015). Children’s age modulates the effect of part and whole practice in motor learning. Human Movement Science, 42, 261–272.

Lin, C.-H. J., Wu, A. D., Udompholkul, P., & Knowlton, B. J. (2010). Contextual interference effects in sequence learning for young and older adults. Psychology and Aging, 25(4), 929–939. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020196

Magil, R., & Andersson, D. (2017). Motor learning and control: concepts and applications.

McGraw-Hill Education

Muratori, L. M., Lamberg, E. M., Quinn, L., & Duff, S. V. (2013). Applying principles of motor learning and control to upper extremity rehabilitation. Journal of Hand Therapy, 26(2), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2012.12.007

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