Chapter 1 forms the foundation for the entire book and sets the tone for the course. It is the first of two chapters in part I of the text ("Introduction to Motor Performance and Learning"). Chapter 1 is designed to get students thinking about the ways they might conceptualize motor skill. In addition, the chapter examines the relationship between performance and learning and introduces a situation-based approach students can use to identify factors that influence people’s performance and learning.

Motor Skill: Two Perspectives

Skill is a difficult concept to define clearly and unambiguously. Chapter 1 presents two basic ways the term skill might be conceptualized: a task perspective and a performance proficiency perspective. At the end of this section you might check students' ability to distinguish the two perspectives by asking them to share their responses to the first "Check Your Understanding" item on page 23.

The Task Perspective: Skill Classification

It is useful to discuss the idea that skills, when viewed from a task perspective, are made up of many components and that tasks can be classified in terms of different dimensions. It is important to point out that many principles of performance and learning depend on the kind of task a person is required to perform. Different skills (or tasks) emphasize different components and place different types of demands on performers. Examples of several skill-classification systems are shown in tables 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 (pp. 6, 8, and 10). A nice way to assess students' comprehension of the various classification systems is to ask them to share some of their responses to the “Matching” questions at the end of the chapter. You might first have them do this in small groups and then invite several people to share with the entire class one thing that stood out in their group discussion.

The Proficiency Perspective: Characteristics of Skilled Performance

Point out that skill proficiency is related to a person's stage of learning and that proficiency at a particular stage is reflected by observable performance characteristics (see table 1.5, p. 13). To help students grasp the connection between the concepts of learning stages and observable performance characteristics, you might ask them to discuss their answers to the “Fill in the Blank” question and the second “Check Your Understanding” question at the end of the chapter. It is useful to point out that there are no clear boundaries between the stages of learning, but we can obtain estimates of skill level by observing the consistent demonstration of certain characteristics. You might pick a particular task that the majority of class members are familiar with (e.g., driving a stick-shift car) and ask them, "What might be some of the prominent performance characteristics of beginners and advanced performers on this task?" You might also show a video depicting different people performing a particular skill (e.g., a professional athlete, a recreational athlete, and a child each hitting a ball) and ask students to write down and later discuss some of the observable characteristics that differentiate the performances of the different individuals.

Differentiating Motor Performance and Motor Learning

These are the points to be made in this section:

  1. Motor learning is inferred by observation of a person's performance proficiency.
  2. Performance characteristics are different for people at different stages of learning (see table 1.5, p. 13).
  3. Motor performance can be influenced by temporary factors (e.g., fatigue, motivation, physical conditioning) that distort learning inferences.
  4. Learning inferences are more accurate when they are based on performance observations demonstrating relatively stable characteristics.

To assess students' ability to detect performance characteristics that reflect people’s levels of learning, ask them to share their responses to the questions at the end of the chapter. You might also use a small-group format to have students share their solutions to the second exercise on page 23.

Situation-Based Approach

The last section in this chapter describes the situation-based approach to motor performance and learning that is reinforced throughout the book. Undergraduate students who take courses in motor performance and learning typically aspire to careers in fields such as physical or occupational therapy, physical activity instruction, and coaching. In most cases, practitioners in these fields are required to devise instructional or therapeutic strategies based on the person they are assisting, the task they are teaching, and the context in which the task must eventually be performed.

A nice way to get students thinking about a situation-based approach for providing instructional assistance is to ask them to share the summaries of their interviews with a movement practitioner (see the Field Note titled "What's It Like to Be a Movement Practitioner" on page 19). These are the points of this activity:

  1. Most movement practitioners solve problems on a daily basis.
  2. Effective use of the situation-based approach requires the ability to identify the important factors that influence the performance and learning process.

You might also ask students to work in small groups to share their answers to the first exercise on page 23. This would be a good place to emphasize the importance of providing supporting rationale for one’s solutions. Point out that two students may approach a problem in different ways, yet each of them may make valid points. The key is for each student to be able to provide supporting rationale and, whenever possible, documentation for his or her answer.

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