Nonlinear pedagogy: an effective approach to cater for individual differences in learning a sports skill

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 20;9(8):e104744. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104744. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Learning a sports skill is a complex process in which practitioners are challenged to cater for individual differences. The main purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a Nonlinear Pedagogy approach for learning a sports skill. Twenty-four 10-year-old females participated in a 4-week intervention involving either a Nonlinear Pedagogy (i.e.,manipulation of task constraints including equipment and rules) or a Linear Pedagogy (i.e., prescriptive, repetitive drills) approach to learn a tennis forehand stroke. Performance accuracy scores, movement criterion scores and kinematic data were measured during pre-intervention, post-intervention and retention tests. While both groups showed improvements in performance accuracy scores over time, the Nonlinear Pedagogy group displayed a greater number of movement clusters at post-test indicating the presence of degeneracy (i.e., many ways to achieve the same outcome). The results suggest that degeneracy is effective for learning a sports skill facilitated by a Nonlinear Pedagogy approach. These findings challenge the common misconception that there must be only one ideal movement solution for a task and thus have implications for coaches and educators when designing instructions for skill acquisition.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Athletic Performance / physiology*
  • Biomechanical Phenomena / physiology
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Individuality*
  • Learning / physiology*
  • Motor Skills / physiology*
  • Sports / physiology*
  • Tennis / physiology

Grants and funding

This paper was funded by a research grant from the Office of Education Research (OER 15/09 CJY), National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.