As instructors, coaches, and teachers provide instructions and drills on various subjects, students already have previous knowledge. Some students have previous knowledge that is a misconception. Thus, misconceptions are a normal part of learning. Everyone naturally forms ideas from experiences they have every day. As a concept is difficult for some students to grasp, their understanding is difficult to absorb.
Practice – Good or Bad
While repetition doesn’t make perfect, students must rehearse in a particular order to get better. Students of all grade levels benefit from repetition. It deepens their understanding of a skill. Through drill, students apply knowledge through interaction with others. They connect the skills with concepts.
Drills for a particular skill connect with a regimented approached of instruction. They teach technique that lead to a more difficult concept. However, students must be able to relate what they are doing to a particular concept. If the concept is not clear, understanding the repetition is not clear. Thus, a chaotic climate happens. Drills are for basic knowledge, not for abstract concepts.
Strategies For Skill Repetition
- Consider different learning styles.
- Provide meaning to the drill.
- Practice and include breaks between drills.
- Break down the skill set.
- Identify problem areas.
- Provide constructive feedback.
The more you do something, the easier it becomes. However, there is not a relationship between the amount of practice and the execution of a skill. Learning a skill incorrectly produces a bad habit. Good or perfect practice provides corrective feedback for students to stay on the right path to learn.
Repetition of a skill helps toward mastery of an exercise, activity, or task. Talented students need only about three repetitions for learning to occur. The average students need up to 18 repetitions.
Incorrect practice becomes difficult to replace with the correct method. To replace the wrong, show or explain why it is wrong. Students must understand why it is wrong to change their belief or action.
There are advantages and disadvantage of drill for a skill. Educators, instructors, and coaches use drilling to help students solidify a new skill. The drawback is that students may only learn things to get to the next step. Thus, they do not gain a complete understanding of the purpose or goal.
