Practice structure and extrinsic feedback frequency in learning motor skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedules and external feedback frequencies on motor skill learning. A hundred and forty four children with ages between 11 and 12 years old participated in this study. The task was the overhead volleyball service, which was performed with the objective to make the ball hit the center of a circular target placed on the opposite court. The participants were randomly distributed in eight groups, each one based on a combination of constant, random, constant-random, and random-constant practice schedules with feedback frequencies of 100% and 33%. The knowledge of performance (KP) manipulation was based on a hierarchical list. The study consisted of two experimental phases: stabilization and adaptation (130 and 30 trials, respectively). Dependent variables were related to accuracy and movement pattern. The Friedman test was used for a within-group analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test for the comparisons between groups. The results showeld that there isn't improvement in the performance during the stabilization phase, and in the adaptation phase the performance of all groups was worsed, regarding the previous phase. Therefore, the results not permit conclued about the effects of different practice schedules and KP frequencies, seen that was not proved occurrence of learning.