Visual Recognition of a Gymnastics Skill by Experienced and Inexperienced Instructors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teaching experience and selected factors involved in skill analysis, namely, perceptual recognition and visual inspection strategy. Specifically, the study compared three groups with different levels of gymnastic teaching experience in the ability to recognize components of previously presented gymnastic performances. The nature of the recognition task also made it possible to test certain tentative hypotheses regarding strategies employed by the groups. The recognition accuracy of 20 gymnastic coaches (Specialists), 20 veteran physical education teachers (Generalists), and 20 pre-service physical education teachers (Novices) were assessed using a unique film/slide testing technique which permitted variation of the information load imposed upon the observer. Results indicated that Specialists were significantly more accurate than Generalists and Novices, but that Generalists were not different from Novices. There was no statistical indication that Specialists allocated attention to the components of the gymnastic performances differently than the less experienced groups, although there were indications of a unique visual profile for Specialists when observing under the largest information load condition.