Theories of learning

Question 1

What do learning theories do?

Answer 1

They provide an understanding of how we learn

Question 2

What is the cognitive learning theory?

Answer 2

• insight learning (Gestalt)
• learning skills through experiencing the whole skill
• using their insight (past experiences) to adapt the skill to the sporting situation
• part learning is not effective (reduces kinaesthesis)
• lightbulb moment

Question 3

What is the behaviourism learning theory?

Answer 3

• operant conditioning (Skinner)
• The use of rienforcement to ensure the correct responces are repeated
• strengthening the link between a stimulus and responce
• once bond is made it increases likelihood of desired responce being reproduced

Question 4

How could a coach apply behaviourism learning theory to training?

Answer 4

• allow for trial and error
• positive rienforcement for correct behaviours
• negative rienforcement for incorrect behaviours
• manipulate environment to ensure desirable behaviour responce
  (as a result behaviour is shaped)

Question 5

What are the rienforcement types in behaviourism learning theory? (3)

Answer 5

• positive rienforcement is when a pleasant stimulus is given after a correct responce
• negative rienforcement is when an unpleasant stimulus is removed after a correct responce
• Punishment is and unpleasant stimulus given to prevent incorrect actions being repeated

Question 6

What is the social learning theory?

Answer 6

• observational learning (bandura)
• learning by watching and replicating the actions of other model performers
• models are significant others that are held in high esteem

Question 7

What are the 4 learning stages from the social learning theory?

Answer 7

Attention, retention, motor production and motivation

Question 8

What is attention from the social learning theory?

Answer 8

• making the demonstrations attractive to the performer
• point out key cues of the performance
• perfomance must be accurate
• role model or significant other

Question 9

What is retention from the social learning theory?

Answer 9

• being able to remember and recall the demonstration
• demonstration is repeated
• allow time for performer to create mental image

Question 10

What is motor production from the social learning theory?

Answer 10

• having the physical and mental ability to actually to perform the task
• skill needs to be at the right stage of learning for the performer
• performer must be physically and mentally capable of coppying the skill

Question 11

What is motivation from the social learning theory

Answer 11

• having the drive to perform the skill
• learner must have the drive to copy the demonstration
• coach should generate this by using praise and rewards

Question 12

What is constructivism from the social learning theory?

Answer 12

• learning is a social process, we learn skills from the people around us who we interact with (Vygotsky)
• role of social interaction
• more knowledgeable other (MKO)
• zone of proximal development

Question 13

Role of social interaction (constructivism)

Answer 13

• interpsychological = performer learns from people whom they interact
• intapsychological = individual thinks about what they can do on their own and what they have learned from others

Question 14

What is a more knowledgeable other and what do they do(constructivism)

Answer 14

• a person who has greater understanding of the task than they do
• provide demonstrations
• promotes positive values and high effort
• Inter psychological and intra psychological learning
• helps performer to develop what they can do with helps and what they cannot do

Question 15

Zone of proximal development (constructivism)

Answer 15

• learner will have three levels of a skill performance
  1) what the performer can achieve independently
  2) what a performer can achieve with the help of an MKO
  3) what the performer can not do at this moment in time