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Skill acquisition is the study of our ability to acquire and develop movement skills. This module will provide you with a theoretical framework for understanding how performers progress from novice to expert performers. The principles of motor control and skill acquisition also underpin the acquisition of everyday life movement skills and are therefore also applicable to diverse areas in rehabilitation and ergonomics.

This module will examine the effect of a variety of aspects on skill acquisition, performance, retention and transfer. These aspects will include: Type of skill, practice and feedback, perception, memory, and degrees of Freedom. Relevant theories, derived from information processing or dynamic systems perspectives, shall be considered to offer potential explanations for the effects of these aspects. Practical and tutorial sessions will review and replicate/test research findings, in small scale applied settings. This will stimulate awareness about issues in motor learning research and will require practical implementation.

Upon completion of this module you will be able to
LO1: Develop an understanding of the main areas of research which encompass motor learning and control.
LO2: Identify and examine current issues in the acquisition, retention and transfer of motor skills.
LO3: Differentiate between cognitive and ecological perspectives of skilled behaviour
LO4: Identify and evaluate factors influencing the acquisition of motor skills