The nature of skill
Skills have observable characteristics which have the ability to be grouped according to criteria. These groups are;
- open and closed skills
- gross motor and fine motor skills
- discrete, serial and continuous skills
- self-paced and externally paced skills
- open and closed skills
- gross motor and fine motor skills
- discrete, serial and continuous skills
- self-paced and externally paced skills
Open and Closed Skills
Open Skills
Open skills are skills that are learnt and executed in an unstable environment. The lack of ability to perform an open skill could be due to the changing weather of the environment, the player-affected surface, or the opponents being played against. Due to the fact that these are open skills, a player will need to modify their techniques to adapt to the unstable environment around them. Most teams sports incorporate open skills. Cognitive learners (learning stages of acquiring skill) tend to have great difficulty in executing skills in open environments.
Closed skills
A closed skill comes into play due to a stable and predictable environment, one that does not have variable factors. The performer has great control of where the skill is going to be controlled. There is very little distraction for the learner so a skill can be executed with increased control and precision.
When learning a closed skill, the process is generally a lot faster then that of an open skill. E.g. Kicking a moving soccer ball (open) to kicking a stationary soccer ball (closed). These skills can fit on a continuum (as shown below) of being totally open to totally closed.
(Outcome PDHPE book)
Open skills are skills that are learnt and executed in an unstable environment. The lack of ability to perform an open skill could be due to the changing weather of the environment, the player-affected surface, or the opponents being played against. Due to the fact that these are open skills, a player will need to modify their techniques to adapt to the unstable environment around them. Most teams sports incorporate open skills. Cognitive learners (learning stages of acquiring skill) tend to have great difficulty in executing skills in open environments.
Closed skills
A closed skill comes into play due to a stable and predictable environment, one that does not have variable factors. The performer has great control of where the skill is going to be controlled. There is very little distraction for the learner so a skill can be executed with increased control and precision.
When learning a closed skill, the process is generally a lot faster then that of an open skill. E.g. Kicking a moving soccer ball (open) to kicking a stationary soccer ball (closed). These skills can fit on a continuum (as shown below) of being totally open to totally closed.
(Outcome PDHPE book)
Gross And Fine Motor Skills
Movement skills have the ability to be classified based on the amount of movement there is with the skill, and how many muscles are used for each movement during performance.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills are skill which use large muscles to conduct larger, more general movements, such as walking, running, jumping and kicking. - (Outcomes)
Movement skills have the ability to be classified based on the amount of movement there is with the skill, and how many muscles are used for each movement during performance.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills are skill which use large muscles to conduct larger, more general movements, such as walking, running, jumping and kicking. - (Outcomes)
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are skills involve the smaller groups of muscles to conduct smaller/controlled movements. E.g. throwing darts or catching a tennis ball
Fine motor skills are skills involve the smaller groups of muscles to conduct smaller/controlled movements. E.g. throwing darts or catching a tennis ball
It's hard to define a skill as just a gross or fine motor skill. Skills usually have a combination of both incorporated into the skill. E.g. Throwing a baseball; gross skill is the whole body movement of throwing the ball, however the fine motor movement of the fingers putting spin on the ball is still prevalent, therefore making a combination.
Therefore the representation of whether a skill is gross of fine is best represented on a continuum.
Therefore the representation of whether a skill is gross of fine is best represented on a continuum.
Discrete, Serial and Continuous Skills
Discrete Skill
Skills which have a clearly defined beginning and end to the movement. E.g. A throw of a tennis ball.
Serial skill
For a serial skill to take place, a series of separate skills need to be performed in a certain order to allow the skill to be executed E.g. Bowling in cricket; the run up, the arm movements and the leg movements all combine to execute the skill.
Continuous Skill
Continuous skills are those which are generally a lot easier to learn due to their repetitive nature. E.g. Swimming, rowing and running.
Discrete Skill
Skills which have a clearly defined beginning and end to the movement. E.g. A throw of a tennis ball.
Serial skill
For a serial skill to take place, a series of separate skills need to be performed in a certain order to allow the skill to be executed E.g. Bowling in cricket; the run up, the arm movements and the leg movements all combine to execute the skill.
Continuous Skill
Continuous skills are those which are generally a lot easier to learn due to their repetitive nature. E.g. Swimming, rowing and running.
Self-paced And Externally Paced Skills
Pacing is referring to the control in which the person has over the timing of the skill execution.
Pacing is referring to the control in which the person has over the timing of the skill execution.
Self-paced skills
Self-paced skills are skills which the performer has the ability to control when they decide to execute the skill. E.g. Kicking a conversion in rugby or serving a tennis ball.
Self-paced skills are skills which the performer has the ability to control when they decide to execute the skill. E.g. Kicking a conversion in rugby or serving a tennis ball.
Externally Paced Skills
External factors to the person will determine the time that the skill is going to be executed in. E.g. A batsman in cricket will have to swing at the ball when the bowler decides to bowl to them, his control over this external factor is minimal.
External factors to the person will determine the time that the skill is going to be executed in. E.g. A batsman in cricket will have to swing at the ball when the bowler decides to bowl to them, his control over this external factor is minimal.