Principles and theories of learning and performance: Causes and solutions.

The idea

In this section, causes and solutions refers to the learning plateau: a period when improvement stalls after initial progress. Causes include loss of motivation, fatigue or boredom, poor coaching or feedback, overlearning, incorrect technique becoming habitual, and anxiety or loss of confidence. Solutions include rest and recovery, changing the practice type or presentation, setting new achievable goals, giving fresh specific feedback, revisiting fundamentals, and using variable or distributed practice. For example, a netball passer whose progress stalls may be bored by repetitive drills; the coach can introduce opposed variable practice and new targets. Assessment asks you to identify a cause of the plateau and select the solution that best matches it.

What earns the marks

• Defines the learning plateau as a period when improvement in learning or performance levels off after initial progress.
• Identifies a valid cause of the plateau, such as loss of motivation, fatigue or boredom, poor coaching or feedback, overlearning, habitual incorrect technique, or anxiety and loss of confidence.
• Explains how the identified cause leads to the plateau, linking it to the learner's stage of learning or to information processing.
• Justifies why the chosen solution is appropriate for the learner's stage and the demands of the activity.
• Rejects solutions that do not match the cause, for example adding more repetition when the real issue is fatigue or boredom.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Discussing general errors instead of the learning plateau.

  Put it right: Define the plateau as a levelling off of improvement and keep causes and solutions tied to it.

• Choosing a solution that does not match the stated cause, such as prescribing more repetition when the real issue is fatigue.

  Put it right: Link every solution explicitly to the identified cause.

• Assuming all plateaus are caused by lack of motivation.

  Put it right: Consider cognitive, physical and emotional causes before deciding.

• Ignoring the role of feedback.

  Put it right: Recognise that delayed, vague or absent feedback can cause a plateau to persist.

Exam tips

• Read the stem carefully to identify whether the question asks for a cause or a solution before selecting an option.
• Eliminate options that address a different cause from the one described in the scenario.
• Use your knowledge of stages of learning to judge whether a solution suits a cognitive, associative or autonomous performer.