ThePaddlerUK 22
Deliberate practice
Taking this a stage further in being able to improve, then there is research
(Simon & Chase 1973) about how to become an expert, which details how
we need 10,000 hours/ten years to get there. While this may be true, what
we can look at is the work of deliberate practice as highlighted by Gilbert
and Trudel (2012) when looking at defining what makes an expert coach.
Three areas come through from this research and from Ericsson (2003):
1. Clearly defined task designed with the appropriate level of challenge for
the specific learner.
2. Provision of unambiguous feedback.
3. Repeatable to allow for error correction and subtle refinements.
This focus on task and using the feedback to help
focus on any adjustments aids in the quality of what
is happening. By forcing us to always be in a cognitive
and/or practicing stage means that we are constantly
thinking of how to improve what we have. As soon
as we become autonomous this deliberate practice
tasks us to gain feedback and focus on the
improvements means we concentrate on the
improvements. This means that we are asking the
questions of others and re-establishing what we
have. This marks us out on the path to improvement
in performance.
Reflections on activity –
if and then questions
To improve we need to reflect on what we have
been doing. This aids us in critically analysing our
performance. A great way to structure this is the use
of ‘if’ and ‘then’ questions.
G
If I did this then what will happen?
G
If you were to do it a different way, then
what would have happened?
These questions can be posed pre or post activity
and are a great way to start the reflection process.
We are very good at going out and having
experiences but are we good at reviewing them with
a view to learning from them?
The next time you are out paddling before making a
maneouvre ask yourself ‘if’ and ‘then’ questions pre
task and post task. When combined with the
structure or deliberate practice then we are well on
the way to improvement.
Coaching – get some!
Stuck on that plateau and can’t get off it?
Struggling to answer the ‘if’ and ‘then’ questions?
Struggling to know what aspect to vary to see if the
task could be achieved a different way?
Well, coaching can help unlock all of those for you.
If you are a coach, then an interesting area that you
may want to look at is that of using a constraints-led
approach to your coaching. This is based on the
work of Brymer and Renshaw (2010) where they
look at three constraints and how by developing
coaching in these aids the learner in developing skill.
The constraints of:
G
Individual
G
Environment
G
Task
Are worked on as a way for the learner to develop
ways to achieve the outcome. For example if
someone can achieve the task it may be that we
look at reducing the effort. So the outcome remains
the same, the same environment but we ask the
learner to reduce the effort.
Other examples could be going for a wide arc break
in. Once the learner has achieved the task set the
challenge (task) of reducing the size of the arc.
For the environment this could be staying efficient
forward paddling despite going different directions
to the wind.
The critical part here though is the questioning and
reflection afterwards. What did the learner do to
achieve each of the outcomes? They have completed
an outcome and then the constraints are changed to
force the learner into a period of working it out and
coming to a conclusion. This of course doesn’t stop
the coach in helping the learner but allows the
learner the freedom to experiment and develop
variety in their approach and helping shape the
thought that are many ways to achieve an outcome.