PDFE #8

How did your performance progress in terms of the stages of learning described in

chapter 7?

            I performed the lab with Emma recording my learning stages.  While learning to tie the bowline knot, I went through the stages of learning.  I was in the verbal-cognitive stage for the first 7 trials, getting the idea about what I was doing and really paying attention to each step of the process of learning the mechanics of tying the knot.  I exhibited many of the behavioral traits of self-talk to guide me and heavy reliance on instructions.  I progressed to the motor stage for the nest 20 or so trials.  I was able to perform the task of making the knot much more efficiently and focused on consistently performing each movement.  I knew when I messed up without anyone having to tell me or correct me. I reached the autonomous stage around trial 30 where my movements where automatic and I was able to take in my surroundings and talk to people while tying the knot with great success. I was able to make the knot time after time with little or no thought about the process.

           

Did your experience match what would be expected based on the information presented in the textbook?

            Yes it did.  In the case of learning a knot the stage went rather quickly as opposed to learning something that requires more muscles and skill like shooting a free throw.

As you progressed, what where the biggest challenges you faced and how did you go about meeting them?

            My biggest challenge was constantly making the loop big enough. I could make the knot every time but I had trouble at the beginning getting the loop size correct.  I figured out where to start the knot on the string to get the loop the right size and after that I was successful in doing the knot each time. 

What happened to your performance (in terms of the stages of learning) when you tried to tie the knot upside down?

 When I attempted to tie the knot upside down, it was like I was back in the verbal-cognitive stage but I moved through the stages much more quickly than I had when I was first learning to tie the knot.

PDFE #7

Ability Inventory

Purpose

To better understand the role that abilities play in skilled performance and to consider

strategies that might be employed to get around the perceived limitations associated with

certain levels of specific abilities.

Background

Figures 6.3 and 6.4 on pages 169 and 170 in the textbook list several of the proposed

abilities that might underlie human motor performance. These lists are not definitive

descriptions of human motor abilities, but they do represent plausible examples that are

supported by research. In using these lists, remember that they can be used as a tool for

exploring the various ways in which individuals might attempt to meet the demands of

motor skills. For example, a person with a relatively slow reaction time might spend more

time developing anticipation skills than a person with a relatively fast reaction time.

When using figures 6.3 and 6.4, note the difference between the ability that is described

and the example that is given to illustrate the role the ability might play in a skill. For

example, finger dexterity is an ability, whereas knot tying is a skill. To successfully tie a

knot, not only must you have finger dexterity, but you also must acquire the knowledge

required to complete the correct sequence of actions.

It is also important to recognize that all healthy people have some degree of each of the

listed abilities. It would be inaccurate the say that someone has no ability, even though

this characterization is commonly (and mistakenly) made by people not completely

familiar with the concept of ability.

It is generally believed that abilities do not change with practice or experience. You

might be able to develop an ability to its fullest potential through training, but your ability

level relative to that of someone else with the same level of training would remain the

same. This means that those with stronger abilities initially have stronger abilities after

training. In contrast to abilities, skills are acquired through practice. Skill acquisition and

strategies to rely on your stronger abilities are probably the only ways to compensate for

your weaker abilities. For example, if you are not the quickest off the base in baseball

(relatively slow reaction time), you might still become a successful base stealer by

learning to anticipate the best opportunity to steal. Your skill in anticipation might

actually make you a better base stealer than someone who is quicker but does not

anticipate well.

Lab 6.2 Name:

Instructions and Worksheet

For this lab, you will work individually. Your instructor might want you to share ideas

with other students as you proceed through the lab, but you should answer each part

based on your own thoughts and experiences.

Based on your own experiences, rank yourself from 1 to 5 for each of the following

abilities listed (1 indicates low ability; 5 indicates high ability). For definitions and

examples, refer to figures 6.3 and 6.4 in your textbook. Circle the number that

corresponds to your ranking for each ability in the list.

Personal ability inventory

Low Med High

Multilimb coordination 4

Control precision 4

Response orientation 3

Reaction time 3

Rate control 3

Manual dexterity 3

Finger dexterity 3

Arm–hand steadiness 4

Wrist–finger speed 4

Aiming 3

Explosive strength 5

Static strength 4

Dynamic strength 3

Trunk strength 3

Extent flexibility 4

Dynamic flexibility 4

Gross body equilibrium 3

Balance with visual cues 4

Speed of limb movement 4

Gross body coordination 3

Stamina 3

Movement rate 4

Motor timing 4

Perceptual timing 5

Force control 4

After you have ranked your own abilities, list up to five skills that you think you can

perform at a fairly high level of proficiency (see chapter 1 for proficiency perspective of

skill). These skills can be related to sports or recreational activities (e.g., a free throw or

juggling), to work-related activities (e.g., data entry or opening a bottle of wine), or even

to everyday activities (e.g., flipping a frying egg without breaking the yolk).

List five skills that you can perform with a relatively high level of proficiency:

1. Perceptual timing – judgment of a horse’s movement when training 2 yr olds

2. Racquetball serve

3. Cat like reflexes

4. Yoga skills – back bend

5. playing drums on rock band

For one of these skills, create an ideal ability profile by listing 6 to 10 abilities for which

having a high level would be important (see figures 6.3 and 6.4 on pages 169 to 170 of

your textbook).

Ideal Ability Profile

List the skill you selected from five you listed: Judging a horse’s movement

List 6 to 10 abilities for which having a high level would be important for this skill:

1. perceptual timing

2. multilimb coordination

3.explosive strength

4. stamina

5. reaction time

6. arm-hand steadiness

7. wrist-finger speed

8. force control

9. balance with visual cues

10. dynamic flexibility

Discussion

Using the skill for which you created the ideal ability profile as an example, discuss at

least two ways in which people with nonideal ability profiles might become successful in

performing this skill (i.e., how can they use their strong abilities and compensate for their

weaker abilities?). Does your personal ability inventory match the ideal ability profile

you created? If not, you might use your own experiences to illustrate how you became

proficient at the skill despite some limited abilities.

            People who have nonideal ability profiles can become more successful at anticipating the movements of a young untrained horse by using skills that they are strong in.  They can use a strong ability of gross body equilibrium to help with balancing on the horse.  Even though sight is important when riding, the person could use their ability to balance without sight to help them on the horse.  They could find their center of balance with eyes closed then open them and work on maintaining that balance while riding.  A better balanced rider means a more balanced horse and the ability to anticipate the horse’s movement by feeling a shift in their weight.  A person might also have a high level of rate control.  While riding a horse it is important to be continuously anticipating the horse’s movement.  While this is important it is also necessary for the rider to be aware of movement but not be too stiff in that movement. My personal ability does match the ideal ability profile that I created, for the most part.  I have become proficient at this skill mainly because I do think that I possess the skills required for it and I have had years of practice.

PDFE #6

General Motor Ability Test

                The purpose of this lab was to determine that a general motor ability does not exist by comparing the performance of different people on both static and dynamic balancing tasks.  This general motor test consisted of six balancing skills.  A general motor test is conducted by ranking the performance of several participants from best to worst for each balance test.  This lab is to validate that there is no such thing as a general motor ability and that any person who is the best at one of the tasks is not the best at the others.  For this lab we divided into groups of six to complete the skills test and for ranking purposes.  My group consisted of myself, Caitlin, Emma, Jenny, Kara and Melissa.  The skills performed were:

                Stork Stand- Stand on preferred foot while hooking the instep of the other foot behind the knee, place hands on hip and rise to the ball of your foot.  Your score is the amount of time you can hold the position with good form.

                Diver’s Stand- Stand with feet together arms extended in front (90 degree flexion), close eyes and rise on balls of feet. Your score is the amount of time you can hold the position with good form.

                Heel Stand- Get into the ready position with feet shoulder width apart, crouching with hands on knees.  Then rock back on heels so that your toes don’t touch the ground. Your score is the amount of time you can hold the position with good form.

                Sideward Leap- Balance on left foot on left tape mark, leap sideways to the other mark one meter away and land with right foot, balance for a two count then bend down to touch the outside of your right ankle with your right index finger.  Stand up again and after another two count leap back to your left foot, bend down and touch left ankle with left index finger.  Continue and your score is the number of times you touch an ankle in thirty seconds without falling.  If you fall, move back to the starting position and resume counting from there.

                Bass Stepping-Stone- Using tape make five lines along the floor, like rungs of a ladder, evenly spaced about 3 meters long. (.75 meter spacing) Balance on the ball of one foot on the first spot, leap forward to the next spot landing on the ball of the opposite foot.  Hold position for two counts and then continue to the next mark.  When you get to the end, stay on one foot and turn around slowly by hopping and return in the other direction. Your score is the number of lines you cross in 30 seconds.

                Book-Balancing Walk- Place a strip of masking tape 3 meters long on the floor.  Beginning at one end of the tape, walk heel to toe while balancing a book on your head.  Your score is the amount of time it takes you to walk the full length, turn around and come back without dropping the book or stepping off the tape.  If you drop the book, place it back on your head and continue from the point at which it dropped.

Participant	Stork	Diver	Heel	Side	Bass	Book
Caysie	3	1	3	T-1	T-1	1
Caitlin	5	3	5	T-1	T-4	6
Emma	6	4	6	T-1	6	3
Jenny	2	5	4	6	T-4	4
Kara	1	2	1	T-1	T-1	2
Melissa	4	6	2	T-1	T-1	5

                This lab proved the hypothesis that no one is the best at all balance skills, so a general motor ability does not exist.  However there was a strong correlation in skills as far as overall ranking of skills.

PDFE#4 & 5

I conducted an interview via email with Dr. Paul Mondo.  Dr. Mondo is an orthopedic surgeon who works specifically with athletic injuries. Here are the email questions and answers:

1.       How would you describe what you do on a day to day basis?

a.       I work mostly with athletes who have sustained an injury and need more than rest to rehabilitate the injury.  Day to day I look at x-rays, MRIs, evaluate injuries and prescribe rehab plans.  Usually I continue to consult with injuries that require surgery, and I refer patients who need physical therapy to other therapists. I usually perform surgeries 2-3 days a week.

2.       What made you decide to go into this field?

a.       I have always enjoyed helping people and while I was in college I really liked my biology classes, so I decided to pursue a medical career.  I decided to work with athletes because I was always involved in athletics myself.

3.       Do you enjoy your work?

a.       Absolutely love it.  I get challenged everyday and still get to help people.  Sometimes I get unique cases in that are more of a challenge than the most common torn ACLs and rotator cuff issues.

4.       Are there any disadvantages to your job?

a.       Yes, a few.  Sometimes I have to be in surgery all day and that is taxing on me, especially as I get older, but the thrill of surgery is so rewarding that it outweighs any negatives.

5.       Do you have any advice to someone entering this field?

a.       Like with any job, make sure you love what you do.  There will always be positives and negatives associated with any jobs, but as long as you love what you do it is worth it. 

The “Becoming Invaluable” power point was very valuable for me to watch.  I have never been 100% confident in a career path ever.  Going through the slide show brought up some relevant information about the sports and education field.  It was a bit unnerving to see all of the suggestions of things to have done as a freshman, considering that I had no idea what I was going to do as a freshman.  I have been a communications, marketing and geology major before becoming an exercise science major. It is a relief however to know that I will be able to graduate on time and pursue a career in this field but I do wish that I had known sooner what all exercise science entailed.   Looking at the slide show, I realized that it should have been a no brainer for me to go in this field.  Some of the skills required for this field include communication skills, public relation skills and marketing skills – all things that I already loved.  I really enjoyed the presentation and feel confident about all of the things that I have done to prepare myself for graduate school.