Purposes and effectiveness of feedback

Overview

Feedback as motivation, reinforcement and error correction, its timing, amount, accuracy and specificity, over-reliance on the coach, the feedback sandwich, correcting a young swimmer's breathing, and letting the performer try again soon after.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is feedback in skill learning?

   Model answer

   Feedback is information a performer receives about a movement, during or after it. Feedback is used to improve the next attempt.

2. 2

   How does feedback motivate a performer?

   Model answer

   Praise and evidence of progress give a performer satisfaction and a reason to keep practising. Motivated performers practise for longer and with more effort.

3. 3

   How does feedback act as reinforcement?

   Model answer

   Feedback that confirms a correct movement strengthens the stimulus–response bond. The correct action is then more likely to be repeated.

4. 4

   How does feedback help a performer detect and correct errors?

   Model answer

   Feedback shows the performer what went wrong and why. The performer can then adjust the motor programme on the next attempt.

5. 5

   Why should feedback be given soon after a movement?

   Model answer

   The movement is still fresh in short-term memory, so the feedback can be linked to how it felt. Delayed feedback is harder to relate to the action.

6. 6

   Why can too much feedback make it less effective?

   Model answer

   Too much information overloads the limited capacity of short-term memory. A coach should give one or two key points at a time.

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