Republic Polytechnic

Continuing Education & Training

Course Structure for Course III: Skills Acquisition
Module

Description

Human Motor Control &

Development

This module is a combination of theoretical and laboratory lessons which will prepare the
students to assist individuals in learning and performing motor skills through assessment of
movement skills and understanding the developmental stages/phases of fundamental skills. It
aims to develop students competencies in understanding the processes underlying skilled
performance. Students will apply the knowledge taking into account the individuals differences
and needs, as well as assessing the validity of various assessment batteries to be used.

Less
on
1

Topics
Human Growth and
Motor
Development

Competency-Based
Learning Objectives
(i) To understand that the development and
refinement of skillful performance in a variety of
motor activities are a major developmental task of
childhood and adolescence.
(ii) To understand the concepts and principles which
underlie the study of growth, maturation, and
physical activity performance during the first 2
decades of postnatal life.
(iii) To appreciate that there will be individual
differences in terms of age groups and their motor
control.

Lesson Plan
Brief students
expectation and general
coverage of the topics
and assessment mode
0900 to 1000 hr
Lecture Part I
Break
1000 to 1015 hr
Lecture Part II
1015 to 1115 hr
Group Discussion on
Mahjong paper
1115 to 1200 hr
Presentations
1200 to 1215 Q & A
1215 to 1230 hr
(closing)

Assessment (%)
Class participation
and presentation

Fundamental
movement skills

i) To understand and describe the developmental

stages/phases of fundamental movement skills.
(ii) To identify a qualitative method of assessing
movement skills.
(iii) To understand and explain the different
constraints that affect the development of
locomotor and ballistic skills.

Classification of
Motor Skills and
Stages of Learners

(i) To understand fundamental concepts in motor

learning (Motor abilities vs. Motor skills ; Open Skill
and Closed Skill).
(ii) To appreciate the importance of theories in the
application of motor learning concepts.
(iii) To understand that movement behaviours are
based on a very large number of specific abilities
that are independent of each other.
(iv) To know the different stages of learning and the
implications to
learn motor skills.

Measurement of
Motor skills

(i) To apply basic concepts in motor learning

through the measurement of motor performance.
(ii) To learn the use of the varied assessment
batteries- Mccarron & Movement ABC
(iii) To appreciate that identifying and assessing
motor abilities can allow a coach or teacher to
identify the source of problems or difficulties in

1315 to 1415 hr Lab

practical and worksheet
1415 to 1445 hr
Group discussion and
focus group
1445 to 1500 hr
student attempts quiz
(15mins)

0900 to 0945 hr
Lecture Part I and
release of group
assignment
0945 to 1030 hr Mini
Poster and Gallery
Walk
1030 to 1045 hr
Break
1045 to 1130 hr
Lecture Part II
1130 to 1145 Q & A
1200 hr closing

1230 to 1300 hr lecture

(slides 1 21)
1300 to 1400 hr
Laboratory session
issue worksheet,
assigning students with
assessment test kits,
exploring and reading
test kits instruction,
carry out assessment

Lab/worksheet
(5%)

Group Assignment
will take the form
of designing a
poster for the
instruction of a
FMS (2.5%) and
lab participation
(2.5%)

Group assignment
(2.5%) and lab
participation
(2.5%)

performing a motor skill.

Senses and
Movement

(i) To understand the role of the senses of the

sensory systems which are used in providing
feedback for the execution of movement skills.
(ii) To appreciate the function of vision, auditory and
the kinesthetic systems in assisting or hindering
motor learning.
(iii) To know some of the ways to measure static and
dynamic properties of the sensory systems which
are important to movement such as Visual acuity;
Colour vision; Dynamic Vision; Kinaesthetic weight
discrimination & Kinaesthetic joint angle sensitivity.

Reaction Time and

Speed Accuracy
Trade-off

(i) To learn that by manipulating some aspect of the

input dimensions (stimulus patterns) can change
the time to react to the stimulus.
(ii) To know that the task requirements (motor
organization) changes in the time to react will
represent different cognitive processing functions.
(iii) To understand the concept of instability of an
environment when speed is the focus of learning a
motor skill.

test kits and completing

worksheets
1400 to 1415 hr
BREAK
1415hr to 1445 hr
Students presentation
and sharing with other
teams on how to carried
out the test kits
1445 hr Q & A and
closing remarks
0900 to 0930 hr
Lecture Part I
0930 to 1030 hr
Practical
1030 to 1045 hr
Break
1045 to 1130 hr
Focus group and
discussion
1130 to 1145 Q & A
(Closing)

1215 to 1300 hr Lecture

1300 to 1315 hr break
1315 to 1415 hr Lab
work (worksheet)
1415 to 1445 hr
Students attempt quiz
1445 to 1500 hr Q & A,
closing remarks

Quiz (2.5%) and

lab participation
(2.5%)

Quiz (2.5%) and

lab participation
(2.5%)

*CA1 Test
1500 1600hr

(iv) To apply the Fitts Law in their learning of a

rapid movement.
7

Attention

(i) To understand that the important characteristic

of skilled performers is their attention proficiency.
(ii) To know that the attention to certain important
stimulus and prioritizing them is important to
improve performance.

0900 to 0945hr - Lecture

0945 to 1000 hr break
1000 to 1100 hr Lab
work (worksheet)
1100 to 1145 hr
Students attempt quiz

Quiz (2.5% and

lab participation
(2.5%)

(iii) To create awareness of the different learners

characteristics and how mental arousal assist in
their motor learning.
8

Memory and
Transfer of
Learning

(i) To understand that memory is a part of

perceptual process, involving sensory, short-term,
and long-term memory.
(ii) To apply memory strategies such as labeling,
chunking and rehearsal (practice).

1215 to 1300 hr
Lecture Part I
1300 to 1315 hr break
1315 to 1400 hr
Lecture Part II
1400 to 1430 hr
Students attempt quiz

Quiz (2.5%) and

class participation
(2.5%)

(iii) To know that the transfer principle has

theoretical significance, because it helps the
students to understand processes underlying the
learning and control of motor skills.
(iv) To explore the importance of memory in
practice, retention and transfer of learning.
9

New synthesis in
Motor Learning:
Dynamical
Systems (Novice
and expert)

(i) To familiarize with another theoretical approach

to the Motor Learning process.
(ii) T describe the control of coordinated movement
that emphasizes the role of information in the

0900 to 0945hr - Lecture

0945 to 1000 hr break
1000 to 1100 hr Lab
work (worksheet)
1100 to 1145 hr

Quiz (2.5%) and

class participation
(2.5%)

environment.

Students attempt quiz

(iii) To explain the relationship of the control of the

dynamic movements and dynamic properties of the
body/ limbs.
10

Old age

(i) To understand the different theories and

concepts that seek to explain aging and the
physical consequences of aging on growth and
motor development;
(ii) To distinguish between normal aging processes
to that of degenerative diseases.

1215 to 1300 hr
Lecture Part II
1300 to 1315 hr break
1315 to 1400 hr
Students attempt quiz
1400 to 1500 hr
Lecture Part II

(iii) To conceptualize Newells model in explaining

changes in motor behaviour throughout the
lifespan.

Worksheet and
Participation

*Presentation of
CA2 assignment
10-minute
presentation and
5 minute
discussion (10%
out or 30%)

Useful resources:
Burton, A.W., & Miller, D.E. (1998). Movement skill assessment. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.
Davids, K., Button, C., Bennet, S., (2008). Dynamics of skill acquisition. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.
Gallahue, D.L., and Ozmun, J.C. (2006). Understanding motor development: Infants, children, adolescents, adults. (6th Edition). NY:
McGraw Hill.
Malina, R.M., Bouchard, C., and Bar-Or, O. (2004). Growth, Maturation and Physical Activity. (2nd Edition). Champaign, Illinois:
Human Kinetics.
Magill, R. A. (2007). Motor learning: Concepts and applications (8thed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Schmidt R.A. and Wrisberg C. A. (2004). Motor Learning and Performance (3rd Ed). Champaign, Illinois:Human Kinetics.
Schmidt R.A. and Lee T.D. (2005). Motor Control and Learning (4th Edition). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.