LUGAIT COLLEGE

CHED Center of Excellence for Teacher

Education
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
1st Semester, A.Y. 2021 – 2022

PEd 2 - Principles of Motor Control and Learning of

Exercise, Sports and Dance
Module 1 & 2

Instructor: Stephanie A. Timo

MOTOR CONTROL AND MOTOR LEARNING THEORIES

AND PERSPECTIVES
General Objectives
At the end of the unit, you should be able to:
A. Discuss the meaning of Motor Control and learning in the Context of their exercises, sports and
dance experiences.
B. Differentiate motor learning Control and development using specific examples from chosen
article.
C. Contrast the difference between prevailing theories of motor control and motor learning.

INTRODUCTION

What is motor control?

• Motor control is a complex process involving the coordinated contraction of muscles due to the
transmission of impulses sent from the motor cortex to its motor units. It is “the process of
initiating, directing, and grading purposeful voluntary movement” (physiopedia)

• It is a top-down process of the nervous system that occurs before the actual movement is
performed (planning –> programming –> execution), that appropriately adjusts for force, tone
and timing.

• During the intended movement goal, the nervous system continues to assess it’s performance
and adjusts force, timing and tone accordingly with sensory information from proprioceptors,
visual and vestibular systems

• This information that is obtained can be stored from future performance of the same task. If
this is then repeated, a new skill can be learnt.

• The aim is to reduce the cognitive demand during a skill or task i.e. learning to drive and talk
at the same time.

Motor Control Theories

It include production of reflexive, automatic, adaptive, and voluntary movements and the
performance of efficient, coordinated, goal-directed movement patterns which involve multiple
body systems (input, output, and central processing) and multiple levels within the nervous
system. As therapists we can change the environment, or the task in such a way as to enable
our patients to achieve their goals.
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 What is Motor Learning?
• The ability to develop
a relatively permanent change
in motor skills from novice to
skilled performance through
practice or experience by
engaging in activities that are
currently beyond an
individual’s capabilities (Muratori,
Lamberg, Quinn, &
Duff, 2013; Gokeler et al, 2013).

• It is when complex processes in

the brain occur in response to
practice or experience of a skill
resulting in changes in the
central nervous system that
allow for production of a new
motor skill.

To determine the success of

motor learning and skilled
performance the following
concepts are used:

• Improvement – measuring the

skill i.e. archery score, more
accurately hitting a target.
There should be a decrease in
errors.
• Consistency – the individual is
able to reliably produce the
result
• Retention – Retention tests are
used following a delay in
practice to determine if
permanent learning has
occurred.
• Transfer – The ability to perform
a similar movement, within a
different context in which it was
initially learnt is tested (transfer)
i.e. changing the amount of force
or surface, location etc (Muratori,
Lamberg, Quinn & Duff, 2013).

During rehabilitation, progressing

an exercise subsequently
increases the amount of
information to be processed. If
the progression is added too
quickly, the ability to understand
thewas downloaded
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concurrently increased
(Guadagnoli and Lee, 2004)
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  Modelling; the process by which the action or motor skill is performed by another individual that
is then reproduced by the patient.
 This can be beneficial due to social interaction, competition or increased motivation.
 Manual guidance; the therapist passively moves the learner to allow for an increase in
proprioceptive feedback.

Motor learning typically involves 3 phases (Fitts, 1976);

COGNITIVE ASSOCIATIVE AUTONOMOS

- Attention is necessary to - Characterized by refinement of - The motor skill is
understand the necessary Movement efficiency with less completed with little
components of the skill. overcorrection. cognitive guidance/little
- always questioning” what is - Movement errors reduce due conscious control
my objectives”. to being detected by internal -The focus is not on the skill,
-The focus is on performance feedback process. but rather other
with less variables and low load. -Less cognitive attention is skills/strategies/unrelated
-Is usually a stiff/rigid needed. topics.
movement.

Considerations in the phase: Consideration in this phase: Considerations in this

phase:
- Discuss WHY you’re doing it. - Promote self-analysis. - Minimal intervention in this
- Use demonstrations of manual phase
guidance. - Practice to maintain their
- Don’t provide too much skills.
information.
- Emphasize the process, not
the outcome.

How do we improve Motor Learning performance?

Practice; An increased amount of practice is related to improved capabilities; however, the process of
optimal learning is not clear-cut so the amount, type, dose and frequency must be
individualised depending on learning capabilities.

Part-practice versus whole practice

Mental practice
Specificity of practice

Instruction/focus;
An external focus of attention should be used when providing instructions, with an emphasis on the
outcome of the movement compared with instruction to direct attention to their own movement i.e.
using “imagine kicking a ball” instead of “extend your knee more” when improving
knee extension during stance following ACLR
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 Using an external focus of attention
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 allows the process of learning to happen
more quickly, and can result in better
performance by allowing the patient to
develop their own strategies for
movement (Gokeler et. al. 2013).

Feedback;The frequency of feedback

provided by the clinician can be during,
or after the task is completed.

If feedback is repeatedly provided through

out a movement, it may hinder the ability
of the learner to retain and successfully
transfer theskill as they become passive
participants whom reliant on feedback
(Winstein, Pohl, Lewthwaite, 1994)

 The amount of feedback should be

reduced as the learner progresses through
their rehabilitation by providing intermittent
summaries of performance, gradually
reducing feedback over time, only provide
feedback if large errors occur or allow the
learner to guide feedback.

 Internal feedback is providing

information about the movement through
sensory, visual and auditory means
(Muratori et. al. 2013).

Less feedback is usually best (Muratori,

Lamberg, Quinn, & Duff, 2013).

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 Assessment

Name: _______________________ Year & Course: __________

I. DIRECTION: Differentiate Motor Control Learning and Development in Venndiagram

II. DIRECTION: Answer the following questions.

1. Why are the theories of Motor Control?

2. Who define the motor control as ability to regulate mechanism essential tomovement?

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