Kristy Dang

The Effects of Practice Schedule on Motor Learning

Practice is an important process for anyone attempting to learn a new skill. Repeatedly performing the skill has been proven to lead to better learning . However, how should people organize their practice schedule if they want to learn multiple skills simultaneously? Is it more optimal to master each skill separately or all at once in a random order? There are multiple former experiments that show a random-ordered practice schedule actually leads to better retention than a blocked one. However, these studies typically use explicit motor tasks that require working memory and fails to measure implicit learning – the unconscious update of body movements.
My project aims to understand the effect of different practice schedules on implicit learning by using a visuomotor reaching task. I am interested in determining if and how the bodys explicit and implicit systems differ in response to random- or blocked-ordered practice. My findings will hopefully shed light on what is the most efficient way the motor system learns, which can improve rehabilitation methods for patients with movement disorders.