Learning Curves in Sports Skills

Students practice a simple sport-related skill in repeated blocks and quantify performance over time to reveal a learning curve (better accuracy, faster times, reduced variability).

1. Select one skill for the whole class (e.g., golf putting, basketball free throws, dart/beanbag target throws, sport stacking, table tennis keep-ups, agility ladder or cone-slalom).
2. Define performance metrics before starting (e.g., percent made, miss distance in cm, completion time, radial error, and trial-to-trial standard deviation).
3. Conduct a brief standardized warm-up (e.g., 2–3 practice attempts that are not scored).
4. Run a Baseline block (e.g., 10–20 attempts) and record metrics for each trial.
5. Implement structured practice:
   1. Use 3–5 blocks of 10–20 attempts with consistent rest (e.g., 60–90 seconds) between blocks.
   2. Keep setup constant (distance to target, target size, course layout).
6. Optionally compare practice schedules by splitting the class: one group uses massed practice (blocks back-to-back), another uses spaced practice (short unrelated activity between blocks).
7. Add a Retention test after a fixed delay (e.g., 10–15 minutes or next class): 10 additional trials under the same conditions; record metrics.
8. Plot and analyze:
   1. Compute block means for accuracy/success, precision (SD), and time.
   2. Graph performance vs. block to visualize improvement rate, consistency gains, and retention.

• Golf putting accuracy: 3–4 blocks of 10–20 putts at set distances; measure % made, mean miss distance, and SD.
• Basketball free throws: 5×10 shots; compare massed vs spaced practice or blocked vs interleaved drills; track % made per block and learning slope.
• Dart/beanbag target throws: use soft-tip/Velcro darts or beanbags; record radial error (cm), score, and variability across blocks.
• Sport stacking (cup stacking): time best of 3–5 attempts per session; expect decreasing times and reduced variability.
• Table tennis keep-ups/basic strokes: count consecutive hits or successes in 60 s; track errors per block.
• Agility ladder or cone-slalom (soccer): time to complete and foot-faults per run; expect faster times and fewer faults.

• Use non-hazardous equipment (beanbags, soft-tip/Velcro darts, plastic cups) and ensure ample space.
• Establish clear lanes/areas; keep bystanders behind a safety line; one active participant per lane.
• Remove tripping hazards; ensure proper footwear on smooth floors.
• No running with equipment; supervise all timed/agility tasks.

• What pattern in your graph indicates learning? (Improved accuracy/success, faster times, and reduced variability across blocks.)
• Did massed or spaced practice produce better retention? (Spaced practice typically supports better retention, even if initial gains look slower.)
• Why analyze both mean performance and standard deviation? (Mean shows accuracy/speed; SD shows consistency—both are essential for skilled performance.)
• Did improvements persist at the retention test? (If yes, learning transferred beyond temporary warm-up effects; if no, gains were transient.)