Various Theories of Motor Development
Maturational Theory: This is the perspective that ascribes motor development to genetic factors and CNS maturity, that is, assuming children will attain motor skills automatically in the course of growth by following simply a sequence of skills appropriate to their age group (Haywood, 2021). For example, a child may start by crawling and then go walking and, from there, can improve on style while walking.
This perspective views development in motor skills as essentially problem-solving and processing of information. It brings into focus the contribution of cognitive processes to the acquisition and performance of movement. Take, for example, a child at some age catching scarves by seeing them fly through the air and then reacting with movements appropriate to catching.
Dynamic Systems Theory: This theory views motor development as an interaction among many systems (muscle and skeleton, nerves, environment), not mere linear development. It must address all dimensions of constraints and the dynamical nature of motor skill acquisition (Haywood, 2021). Factors of catching the scarf could be due to physical abilities (muscle power, coordination), environmental factors (speed of the scarf, range), and also due to some task demand (accuracy, speed).
Child’s Performance Relative to Dynamic Systems Theory
Generally, let us consider Isbella’s performance in catching scarves and analyze it through the lens of Dynamic Systems Theory:
Environmental Constraints: Isbella’s capacity to catch scarves may be heavily influenced by the environment like the speed, the angle, the distance which the scarves fall from, and the surface where she is standing (e.g., grass or pavement) (Ismail, 2021).
Individual Constraints: Isbella’s own physical and intellectual weaknesses limit her as well. This is illustrated by the individual limitations in Isbella’s hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and understanding of the fundamental principles involved in catching the scarf.
Task Constraints: The activity itself (catching scarves) limits things like movements of the hands, timing, and awareness of space. Isbella’s ability to adjust and adapt reflects dynamic character of motor skill learning (Ismail, 2021).
Isbella’s progress in catching scarves shows that Dynamic Systems Theory (DST) proposes more intricate combination of constraints than previously thought. First, Isbella’s work shows a hint of cognitive constraint when grasping the task and formulating a cognitive scheme. Such cognitive stage is reflected in the movements that look uneven and have extensive use of visual corrections (Ismail, 2021). However, in the completion stage of the practice, Isbella works on the associative stage. The most noticeable personal limitation to Isbella is changed hand-eye coordination since it enables to master movements and decrease errors. Yet, with time, she is able to curb environmental constraints by effectively predicting scarf trajectories and adjusting movements depending on the speed, the level, and direction of the scarf. This adaptability showcases the switching nature of motor learning, where environmental variables constantly form and impact motor skills (Ismail, 2021). More so, Isbella develops with task constraints, as she attempts again and receives feedback. In this continuous loop of trial and error alongside mental adjustments, basic skills will begin to take shape. Finally, Isbella’s transition from the cognitive stage to the evolved skill execution indicates the interplay between the person, the environment, and the task in movement training.
Fitts and Posner’s Three-Stage Model
Fitts and Posner’s Three-Stage Model describes the stages of skill acquisition as follows:
Cognitive Stage: During this stage, students concentrate on getting the main idea of a task and constructing a very first concept. Movements are not necessarily smooth, learners using visual aid to track their progress while there is a lot of lengthy deliberate thinking required.
Associative Stage: It is this stage that by seeking improvement in every attempt, students reinforce the quality of the movements in their practice (Salehi, 2021). They serve as the guide of tasks performance accuracy, and then guide getting into better movement patterns. Just like when you move from practice mode to a real game, the feedback then plays bigger role in fine-tuning the skills.
Autonomous Stage: In the last phase when someone does something without thinking every time (automatically), it requires less concentration. Students can master the skill through deliberate practice and sometimes can follow it with precision and consistency, without any significant input from others (Salehi, 2021).
Given the previous descriptions, Coletrain fits being in the Cognitive Stage of Fitts and Posner’s Three-Stage Model. At first, Coletrain displays the attributes of this stage as he concentrates on the task and building a mental model. From this point on, once he understood the nature of the task and the way the preparation was done, he commenced improving, showing a change towards the Associative Stage where actions are being adjusted according to the practice and the feedback (Salehi, 2021). Moreover, Isbella’s action implies that she was in the Associative Stage. Despite fear of falling down her face, she showed determination and quick adaptation when she reached up quickly to grab a lost scarf. This phase is marked by correction of movements with practice which leads to loss of error, which is noticeable by sb’s progress as they overcame their fear and improved their catching technique.
References
Haywood, K. M., & Getchell, N. (2021). Life span motor development. Human kinetics.
Ismail, H. (2021). A review on dynamic systems theory and the children’s motor development. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(3), 418-427.
Salehi, S. K., Tahmasebi, F., & Talebrokni, F. S. (2021). A different look at featured motor learning models: comparison exam of Gallahue’s, Fitts and Posner’s and Ann Gentile’s motor learning models. Movement & Sport Sciences, (2), 53-63.
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