Week 2: Intro to Motor Learning and Control

Question 1

Describe Motor Behaviour (5 points)

Answer 1

• This field comprises 3 closely related disciplines
  
  • Motor Learning
  • Motor Control
  • Motor Development
• The study of movement and the processes underlying motor performance

Question 2

Define motor skills (1 point)

Answer 2

• Activities or tasks requiring voluntary control over movements of the joints and segments of the body to achieve a goal

Question 3

Describe Motor Learning (6 points)

Answer 3

• AKA modal learning
• Related the acquisition of motor skills or skilled movements
• Also related to the performance enhancement of learner motor skills
• Also relates to the reacquisition of previously learned skills that have become difficult to perform as a result of an injury or an illness.
• Researchers of motor learning study behavioral and neurological changes experienced by learner as they learn a motor skill
• For example, they may study the impact of various types of feedback a coach or teacher gives the learner as the learner is trying to improve various motor skills

Question 4

What is learning? (6 points)

Answer 4

• Learning is defined as “a relatively permanent change in a person’s capability to execute a motor skill as a result of practice or experience”
• For example, when determining whether or not someone has learned how to shoot a basketball jump shot, the observer is trying to identify whether the learner is able to demonstrate a persistent change in their jump shot shooting.
• This can be challenging because you cannot actually see learning, but you can see the performance.
• Performance – the act of executing a skill
• By observing a number of attempts at a skill over time, a decision can be made based on the performances of the skill.
• It can be concluded that learning has occurred if it is determined that there has been improvements in movement proficiency and performance consistency

Question 5

Describe influences on performance of motor skills (10 points)

Answer 5

• Human movement emerges as a result the interaction of three factors:
  
  • The learner
  • Performance environment
  • Task
• The learner relates to the person performing the skill.
• For example, what is the experience level, the size, or the strength of the learner? Or how motivated are they to perform the skill?
• The performance environment relates to the context in which the task has been performed.
• For example, is a skill being performed in an open or closed environment.
• The task or the skill being performed relates to the characteristics of the skill itself.
• For example, is there a high perceptual component involved in the performance of the skill and what are the body movements that are required?

Question 6

Describe Motor Control (5 points)

Answer 6

• the study of movement and how movement is controlled
• Shumway-Cook defined motor control as “the ability to regulate or direct the mechanisms essential to movement”
• Those researching motor control are looking to answer questions related to how the central nervous system controls all the different muscles and joints that results in smooth, coordinated movements. Motor control particularly important for therapists
• A strong understanding of motor control is particularly important for those working as a physical or occupational therapist. Therapists assist and retrain patients to overcome motor control problems
• The therapist may prescribe interventions that aim to improve their patient’s posture or the quality of their movements