INSTRUCTION TIMES
DELIBERATE PRACTICE EQUALS
Skill AcquisitionSTEVIE CHEPKO, VP FOR PROGRAM REVIEW CAEP
([email protected])KAREN ROOF, INDIA HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
([email protected])ROBERT DOAN, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
I (instruction) X DP (deliberate practice) = SA (skill acquisition)
I X DP = SA• Research supports that one of the key predictors of life time physical activity is
perceived competency• Keys to perceived competency are quality instruction X deliberate practice • Deliberate practice multiplies the impact of quality instruction• Deliberate practice increases the amount of PA during class time
Instruction, Skill Acquisition, & PA
Quality Instruction Limited instruction to 2 to 3 critical
elements or knowledge Allow students time to explore the
movement/skill Avoid using the silo approach to
instruction by providing context Cognitively engage students by
providing challenging deliberate practice tasks
Skill Acquisition Occurs with instruction is combined
with deliberate practice 75% of time in physical education
should be deliberate practice time Plan for deliberate practice and the
PA goal of 50% will be exceeded Skill acquisition will accelerate when
combined with deliberate practice and specific, corrective feedback
Deliberate Practice - Defined
Deliberate efforts to change specific aspects of performance (Ericsson, 2006) It takes as few as 50 hours of practice to have individuals obtain an
“acceptable” level of performance. For performance to improve students must be cognitively engaged
No drill and kill Improvement does not occur as a result of “experience” No student will improve without deliberate practice Observation or watching has little impact on skill acquisition Research across disciplines supports that practice must be deliberate for
performance to improve
Components of Deliberate Practice
Present practice tasks that are outside realm of reliable performance Challenging Short duration Extending or refining as you go Differentiate task based on performance levels by
Changing equipment Ability group students Change size of space or distances Number of students involved and/or number of decisions required
Students must concentrate (engage) on critical aspects by gradually refining performance through repetitions after feedback
Requires teacher to design practice tasks that challenge students, allow enough repetitions for skill acquisition to occur, provide feedback (whole group or individual), and constantly provide extensions or refinements of practice tasks
Research Support for Deliberate Practice
Differences between elite soccer players and less-skilled players (Ward et al., 2004) Less skilled players spend the majority of their time in “play” Elite players spend majority of their time in deliberate practice
Research on chess players, musicians, and athletes all support the following conclusions: Very small benefit from the number of games played (Charness, Krample, &
May, 1996; Charness, Tuffiash, Krampe, Reingold, & Vasyukova, 2005; Duffy, Baluch, & Ericsson, 2004)
Very big benefit from the amount of deliberate practice Think Chesley Sullenberger with the Miracle on the Hudson
Challenging Practice Tasks
Students must be cognitively engaged in the task Must involve problem solving Must be beyond their current level of performance Performers gradually refine performance with feedback Must have opportunities for repetitions of deliberate practice tasks Think of the overload principle as related to improved aerobic
performance Combine deliberate practice tasks with tactics and strategies in the
context of the game
Time Spent in Deliberate Practice Tasks
Since deliberate practice requires intense concentration, it can only be maintained for limited periods Limit the length of the practice tasks to 45 to 60 seconds
Never longer than 2 minutes Initially allow students to explore the performance tasks After the first 1 to 2 minute practice task - stop and provide “whole
group” feedback by identifying the one critical component they needed to correct
Can either have students practice with the same tasks (refinement), but concentrating on the identified critical cue or -
Extend the task by adding an additional level of complexity
Practice Variability vs. Massed Practice
Varied Practice Practicing tasks throughout the
period, but not in succession Produces more flexibility or
adaptability of movement Promotes concentration and
attentional focus on practice tasks More likely to provide the appropriate
context for the movement Aids in retention of the skill
Massed Practice Practicing the same task for an
extended period of time Produce a practice effect (students
get better in the short term), but reduces retention of the skill
Skill is practiced in an isolated environment which does not allow for the learning of the context of the skill
Students often disengage (do not concentrate) during the practice task
Concepts of Deliberate Practice
Simplified but realistic environment Practice tasks includes the context in which the skill will be
used Avoid teaching skills in isolation (Silo effect)
Progressive increases in the complexity of movement tasks relative to speed, direction, distance, number of people, length of movement sequence, and number of decisions required
Sufficient number of attempts for skill acquisition to occur Specific corrective feedback on both the technique of the
movement and the results of the movement
Deliberate Practice & Student Engagement
Student Engagement Students are actively involved in their
learning Students persist in active and effortful
attempts to master knowledge and skills All students are equally engaged in the
task with opportunities for differentiated practice tasks
Research has found that in PE less than 7% of class time is spent in practice
Deliberate Practice Short practice periods of focused and
active practice Challenging tasks that require cognitive
engagement All students are equally involved in the
practice tasks Students are participating with students
of similar ability levels 70% of class time is spend on practice
tasks
Environments that Foster Student Engagement
In mastery climates students define success as Gaining achievement through hard work Feeling of satisfaction and competency when developing a new skill View mistakes as part of the learning process
Frequent opportunities to be actively involved in skill development through deliberate practice Opportunities to participate without evaluative judgments
Opportunities to work with students of similar skill levels Higher skilled students learn nothing from lower skilled students Lower skilled students learn nothing from higher skilled students
Environments that Do Not Foster Student Engagement
Competitive environments May decrease motivation among students – specifically students with lower
perceived competence Winning and losing had a negative impact on student engagement regardless of
students’ perceived competence Overreliance on game play can have a negative effect on student
engagement and skill acquisition Focus is on “winning” and not skill acquisition Lower performing students are pressured not to mess up and skilled players
dominate the game Skill acquisition is directly linked to deliberate practice – does not occur during
game play
Deliberate Practice = Student Engagement Results of Increased Student Engagement Engagement in PE through deliberate practice enhances the frequency
and intensity of student physical activity in and out of class Engagement in PE through deliberate practice positively predicts
physical activity levels in and out of class Engagement in PE through deliberate practice positively enhances body
images Engagement in PE through deliberate practice increases skill
competency for all students Engagement in PE through deliberate practice increases enjoyment of
physical education for all students
I (Instruction) X DP (Deliberate Practice) =
SA (Skill Acquisition) Which leads to Life Time Physical Activity
Recommendations/Findings Teachers need to adopt a mastery-oriented environment where
success is defined in terms of effort and personal gain rather than winning or losing
Proportion of class time devoted to skill practice was positively related to student engagement
Students gain competency through engagement in mastery tasks Increased amount of time spent in deliberate practice leads to
increases in performance, student engagement, and perceived competency