Division of Health and Physical Education

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY

 

The mission of the Division of Health and Physical Education is to promote healthy, active lifestyles and to

 enhance the academic preparation of future professionals.

 

PE 310 - Motor Learning (CRN 10894)                Instructor:      Dr. Brian Caster

Fall Term, 2005                                                                                   Office:  NPE 219

Std 102b                                                                      Phone:            (503) 838-8364

MWF 10:00-10:50am                                                   e-mail:             casterb@wou.edu

                                                                                     Office Hrs:      MWF 9:00 – 10:00 am

                                                                                                            WF   2:00 – 3:00 pm

 

Course Description: This course will introduce students of physical education and exercise science to the processes underlying skilled human performance.  The learning of skilled motor patterns will be examined, with particular application to areas of teaching, coaching and rehabilitation.

 

Course Objectives

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:                        

1.   Classify movement skills according to cognitive, temporal and environmental factors.

2.   Identify the determinants of Reaction Time for various categories of movement.

3.   Identify sensory contributions to various categories of skilled performance.

4.   Outline the historical development of current General Motor Program theory.

5.   Identify determinants of accuracy in targeting movements.

6.   Discuss implications of individual differences relative to motor control principles.

7.   Design single and multi-task practice sessions which will foster efficient motor skill learning among the targeted group.

8.   Identify the Stages of Learning and apply instructional practices appropriate at each stage.

9.   Discuss the roles of Knowledge of Results and Knowledge of Performance in motor skill             learning.

           

Text:  Schmidt & Wrisberg (2004).  Motor Learning and Performance (3rd ed).

 

Requirements

1.   Written Assignments & Reading/Lecture Quizzes

  Weekly writing assignments and quizzes on reading and lecture material will be given to allow students to gauge progress and understanding of course material.

 

2.   Exams

        Students will be tested on information covered in lecture and readings.  Exams will                               consist of a combination of short answer, essay and multiple choice questions, with                                detailed study guides distributed at least one week prior to each exam.

 

Grading

The above requirements will contribute to the final grade as follows:

      Assignments/Quizzes:       10%

      Midterm Exam:                   45%

      Final Exam:                         45%

     

Total points accrued for a given grading category will be divided by total possible points for that category, the resulting percentage value weighted in the manner prescribed above.  Letter grades will be assigned to your overall percentage grade as follows (decimal values of .5 and greater will be rounded up):

A: 93-100   A-: 90-92   B+: 88-89   B: 83-87     B-: 80-82

C+: 78-79  C: 73-77      C-: 70-72   D+: 68-69  D: 63-67  D-: 60-62  F: 0-59

 

Course Outline

 

Week#                                                              Reading Topic(s)

 

Week 1             Preface, Chapters 1 & 2           Motor Skill Defined; Skill Classification; Individual                                                         Differences and Motor Abilities

 

Week 2             Chapter 3                                 Processing Information and Making Decisions

 

Week 3             Chapter 4                                 Sensory Contributions to Skilled Performance

 

Week 4             Chapter 5                                 Motor Program Theory

                       

Week 5             Chapter 6                                 Movement Accuracy;  Midterm Review

 

                        Midterm Exam (exact date announced in class)

 

Week 6             Chapters 7, 11 & 12                Practice Preparation

 

Week 7             Chapter 8                                 Practice Presentation

 

Week 8             Chapter 9                                 Practice Structure

 

Week 9             Chapter 10                              The Role of Feedback in Practice

 

Week 10                                                          Catch-up and Review for Final

 

Week 11          Final Exam                                Wed, Dec 7th, 10:00 am