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 individual’s differences and
needs, as well as assessing the validity of various assessment batteries to be used.
Lesson
1
Topics
Human Growth and
Motor Development
Competency-Based
Learning Objectives
Lesson Plan
(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.
 Brief students
expectation and general
coverage of the topics
and assessment mode
(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.
 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)
(iii) To appreciate that there will be individual differences in
terms of age groups and their motor control.
Assessment (%)
Class participation and
presentation
Lab/worksheet (5%)
2
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.
3
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.
4
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 batteriesMccarron & 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 performing a motor skill.




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
test kits and completing
worksheets
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%)
 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
5
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.
6
Reaction Time and
Speed Accuracy Tradeoff
(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.
(iv) To apply the Fitt’s Law in their learning of a rapid movement.
 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
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%)
 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 create awareness of the different learner’s 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).
(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 environment.
 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 class
participation (2.5%)
(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
 1215 to 1300 hr –
Lecture Part II
 1300 to 1315 hr – break
Worksheet and
Participation
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.
 1315 to 1400 hr –
Students attempt quiz
 1400 to 1500 hr –
Lecture Part II
(iii) To conceptualize Newell’s model in explaining changes in
motor behaviour throughout the lifespan.
*Presentation of CA2
assignment – 10minute 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.