An Operant Model for Skill Acquisition

Despite the familiar claim that participation in the Olympic sports is broadly educational and developmental, a growing body of empirical evaluation suggests otherwise—so much so, that at the very least, beneficial results can no longer be left to chance. However important, most of what is called Olympic education addresses other concerns. This paper, written by an active participant in the Olympic Movement, argues for a formal, outcomes-based pedagogy of the Olympic sports and the Olympic Games, and offers several proposals on how it may be realized.