Performance is not always an accurate reflection of learning why.

... whats better?

-it can be influenced by a number of variables and the changes observed in the skill may only be temporary -retention: involves demonstrating a skill over time and after a period of no practice, indicates that learning has occurred
what are instructional strategies for health professionals during cognitive stage
1. emphasizing the purpose of the skill in a context that is functionally relevant to the learner 2.

pointing out similarities to other learned motor skills 3. minimizing distractions 4. using clear and concise instructions 5. demonstrating ideal performance of the skill 6. breaking down complex movements into parts, where appropriate 7.

encouraging the learner to verbalize the instructions and watch the movement 8. providing some manual guidance but also allowing for errors in performance

what does second stage involve
how to do the skill -fine tune the skill thru continued practice -movement feedback becomes more important
practice is the most important factor in retraining motor skills--the amt, type and variability of practice will affect how well a target skill is acquired and retained
emphasis on reinforcement reflects behaviorist theory
mass practice example
in outpatient setting when working with a relatively health client who is a tennis player recovering from a wrist injury -massed practice leads to fatigue and possibly injury -practice has been shown to markedly decrease motor performance in continuous tasks (walking) -useful when working with high levels of motivation and skill who exhibit good endurance, attention and concentration
distributed practice example
-spaced practice intervals in which the amount of rest between practice times is equal to or greater than the amt of time within each practice trial -use in hospital setting -patients need frequent rest periods as they learn to manipulate necessary medical equipment, walk, or climb stairs -results in most learning in relation to training time
important goal for learning new motor skill is what
able to transfer learning to new situations or new tasks -therefore important to use a variety of chairs in hospital that resemble chairs at home when teaching task and not to limit practice to chair next to bed
effective way to teach tasks that can be naturally divided into segments that reflect the inherent goals of the task or that require information processing versus coordination
blocked practice patients
high degree of consistency and structure from learning
when is guidance most effective
initial stages of teaching a task when its unfamiliar to the learner and for tasks that are slow in time -too much-intereferes w learning bc it doesnt allow learner to solve problem
what does mental practice do
increase self efficacy, decrease anxiety, decrease fear -physical pracitce best for learning motor skill -mental practice have positive effects on the performance of the skill -combine both together to increase the rate and quality of skill learning