'Bringing forth' skills and knowledge of newly qualified midwives in free-standing birth centres: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

AIM

To understand and interpret the lived experience of newly qualified midwives (NQMs) as they acquire skills to work in free-standing birth centres (FSBCs), as well as the lived experience of experienced midwives in FSBCs in Germany who work with NQMs.

BACKGROUND

In many high-, middle- and low-income countries, the scope of practice of midwives includes autonomous care of labouring women in all settings, including hospitals, home and FSBCs. There has been to date no research detailing the skills acquired when midwives who have trained in hospitals offer care in out-of-hospital settings.

METHODS

This study was underpinned by hermeneutic phenomenology. Fifteen NQMs in their orientation period in a FSBC were interviewed three times in their first year. In addition to this, focus groups were conducted in 13 FSBCs. Data were collected between 2021 and 2023.

FINDINGS

Using Heidegger's theory of technology as the philosophical underpinning, the results illustrate that the NQMs were facilitated to bring forth competencies to interpret women's unique variations of physiological labour, comprehending when they could enact intervention-free care, when the women necessitated a gentle intervention, and when acceleration of labour or transfer to hospital was necessary.

CONCLUSION

NQMs learned to effectively integrate medical knowledge with midwifery skills and knowledge, creating a bridge between the medical and midwifery approaches to care.

IMPLICATIONS

This paper showed the positive effects that an orientation and familiarization period with an experienced team of midwives have on the skill development of novice practitioners in FSBCs.

IMPACT

The findings of this study will have an impact on training and orientation for nurse-midwives and direct-entry midwives when they begin to practice in out-of-hospital settings after training and working in hospital labour wards.

PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This research study has four cooperating partners: MotherHood, Network of Birth Centres, the Association for Quality at Out-of-Hospital Birth and the German Association of Midwifery Science. The cooperating partners met six times in a period of 2 ½ years to hear reports on the preliminary research findings and discuss these from the point of view of each organization. In addition, at each meeting, three midwives from various FSBCs were present to discuss the results and implications. The cooperating partners also helped disseminate study information that facilitated recruitment.

Talent development in female soccer: Developmental activities of professional players in England

The activities soccer players engage in during their formative years are thought to significantly contribute to the acquisition of expert performance. Whilst this area has seen great interest in male players, there has been little research in females. The study examined developmental activities engaged in by professional female soccer players in England. 56 female soccer players that had either progressed to professional status in adulthood (professional), or did not (ex-academy), completed the Participant History Questionnaire. Professional players started engaging in soccer at an earlier age than their ex-academy counterparts, resulting in greater engagement in practice and play during childhood. During adolescence, professional players engaged in higher amounts of practice than ex-academy players. Engagement in competition and practice was rated as high in physical and cognitive effort by all, yet ex-academy players reported higher levels of physical effort during early adolescence, and cognitive effort during late adolescence. Findings provide an illustration of the talent pathways of professional female soccer players in England and may inform future talent development systems. Large interindividual variation in soccer-specific and other-sport activity data highlight the importance of further understanding the environments of individual soccer nations and their potential impact on the talent identification and development processes.

Distinct mechanisms for online and offline motor skill learning across human development

The human central nervous system (CNS) undergoes tremendous changes from childhood to adulthood and this may affect how individuals at different stages of development learn new skills. Here, we studied motor skill learning in children, adolescents, and young adults to test the prediction that differences in the maturation of different learning mechanisms lead to distinct temporal patterns of motor learning during practice and overnight. We found that overall learning did not differ between children, adolescents, and young adults. However, we demonstrate that adult-like skill learning is characterized by rapid and large improvements in motor performance during practice (i.e., online) that are susceptible to forgetting and decay over time (i.e., offline). On the other hand, child-like learning exhibits slower and less pronounced improvements in performance during practice, but these improvements are robust against forgetting and lead to gains in performance overnight without further practice. The different temporal dynamics of motor skill learning suggest an engagement of distinct learning mechanisms in the human CNS during development. In conclusion, adult-like skill learning mechanisms favor online improvements in motor performance whereas child-like learning mechanisms favors offline behavioral gains. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Many essential motor skills, like walking, talking, and writing, are acquired during childhood, and it is colloquially thought that children learn better than adults. We investigated dynamics of motor skill learning in children, adolescents, and young adults. Adults displayed substantial improvements during practice that was susceptible to forgetting over time. Children displayed smaller improvements during practice that were resilient against forgetting. The distinct age-related characteristics of these processes of acquisition and consolidation suggest that skill learning relies on different mechanisms in the immature and mature central nervous system.

No effect of whole-hand water flow stimulation on skill acquisition and retention during sensorimotor adaptation

Introduction

Repetitive somatosensory stimulation (RSS) is a conventional approach to modulate the neural states of both the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and the primary motor cortex (M1). However, the impact of RSS on skill acquisition and retention in sensorimotor adaptation remains debated. This study aimed to investigate whether whole-hand water flow (WF), a unique RSS-induced M1 disinhibition, influences sensorimotor adaptation by examining the hypothesis that whole-hand WF leads to M1 disinhibition; thereby, enhancing motor memory retention.

Methods

Sixty-eight young healthy participants were randomly allocated to three groups based on the preconditioning received before motor learning: control, whole-hand water immersion (WI), and whole-hand WF. The experimental protocol for all the participants spanned two consecutive days. On the initial day (day 1), baseline transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) assessments (T0) were executed before any preconditioning. Subsequently, each group underwent their respective 30 min preconditioning protocol. To ascertain the influence of each preconditioning on the excitability of the M1, subsequent TMS assessments were conducted (T1). Following this, all participants engaged in the motor learning (ML) of a visuomotor tracking task, wherein they were instructed to align a cursor with a target trajectory by modulating the pinch force. Upon completion of the ML session, final TMS assessments (T2) were conducted. All participants were required to perform the same motor learning 24 h later on day 2.

Results

The results revealed that whole-hand WF did not significantly influence skill acquisition during sensorimotor adaptation, although it did reduce intracortical inhibition. This phenomenon is consistent with the idea that S1, rather than M1, is involved in skill acquisition during the early stages of sensorimotor adaptation. Moreover, memory retention 24 h after skill acquisition did not differ significantly across the three groups, challenging our initial hypothesis that whole-hand WF enhances memory retention throughout sensorimotor adaptation. This could be due to the inability of whole-hand WF to alter sensorimotor connectivity and integration, as well as the nature of the plastic response elicited by the preconditioning.

Discussion

In conclusion, these findings suggest that although whole-hand WF attenuates intracortical inhibition, it does not modulate skill acquisition or motor memory retention during sensorimotor adaptation.

The role of prediction and visual tracking strategies during manual interception: An exploration of individual differences

The interception (or avoidance) of moving objects is a common component of various daily living tasks; however, it remains unclear whether precise alignment of foveal vision with a target is important for motor performance. Furthermore, there has also been little examination of individual differences in visual tracking strategy and the use of anticipatory gaze adjustments. We examined the importance of in-flight tracking and predictive visual behaviors using a virtual reality environment that required participants (n = 41) to intercept tennis balls projected from one of two possible locations. Here, we explored whether different tracking strategies spontaneously arose during the task, and which were most effective. Although indices of closer in-flight tracking (pursuit gain, tracking coherence, tracking lag, and saccades) were predictive of better interception performance, these relationships were rather weak. Anticipatory gaze shifts toward the correct release location of the ball provided no benefit for subsequent interception. Nonetheless, two interceptive strategies were evident: 1) early anticipation of the ball's onset location followed by attempts to closely track the ball in flight (i.e., predictive strategy); or 2) positioning gaze between possible onset locations and then using peripheral vision to locate the moving ball (i.e., a visual pivot strategy). Despite showing much poorer in-flight foveal tracking of the ball, participants adopting a visual pivot strategy performed slightly better in the task. Overall, these results indicate that precise alignment of the fovea with the target may not be critical for interception tasks, but that observers can adopt quite varied visual guidance approaches.

Family-Centric Applied Behavior Analysis Promotes Sustained Treatment Utilization and Attainment of Patient Goals

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication difficulties and restricted repetitive behaviors or interests. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has been shown to significantly improve outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum. However, challenges regarding access, cost, and provider shortages remain obstacles to treatment delivery. To this end, parents were trained as parent behavior technicians (pBTs), improving access to ABA, and empowering parents to provide ABA treatment in their own homes. We hypothesized that patients diagnosed with severe ASD would achieve the largest gains in overall success rates toward skill acquisition in comparison to patients diagnosed with mild or moderate ASD. Our secondary hypothesis was that patients with comprehensive treatment plans (>25-40 hours/week) would show greater gains in skill acquisition than those with focused treatment plans (less than or equal to 25 hours/week).  Methods: This longitudinal, retrospective chart review evaluated data from 243 patients aged two to 18 years who received at least three months of ABA within our pBT treatment delivery model. Patients were stratified by utilization of prescribed ABA treatment, age, ASD severity (per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), and treatment plan type (comprehensive vs. focused). Patient outcomes were assessed by examining success rates in acquiring skills, both overall and in specific focus areas (communication, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and social skills).

RESULTS

Patients receiving treatment within the pBT model demonstrated significant progress in skill acquisition both overall and within specific focus areas, regardless of cohort stratification. Patients with severe ASD showed greater overall skill acquisition gains than those with mild or moderate ASD. In addition, patients with comprehensive treatment plans showed significantly greater gains than those with focused treatment plans.

CONCLUSION

The pBT model achieved both sustained levels of high treatment utilization and progress toward patient goals. Patients showed significant gains in success rates of skill acquisition both overall and in specific focus areas, regardless of their level of treatment utilization. This study reveals that our pBT model of ABA treatment delivery leads to consistent improvements in communication, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and social skills across patients on the autism spectrum, particularly for those with more severe symptoms and those following comprehensive treatment plans.

Motivation and music interventions in adults: A systematic review

ABSTRACTMusic is increasingly used in a wide array of settings, from clinical recovery to sports or well-being interventions. Motivation related to music is often considered as a possible working mechanism for music to facilitate these processes, however this has not previously been systematically evaluated. The current systematic review considered studies that involved music (therapy) interventions, together with motivation-related measures such as wanting to practise, liking the musical activities, or patient adherence to an intervention. Our objective was to examine whether music is related to increased motivation in task performance and/or rehabilitation settings, and whether this is in turn related to better clinical or training outcomes. Seventy-nine studies met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which (85%) indicated an increased level of motivation with music as compared to without. Moreover, in those studies where motivation was increased, clinical or other outcomes were improved in most cases (90%). These results support the notion of motivation as an underlying mechanism of music-based interventions, but more robust evidence is needed to ascertain which mechanisms are crucial in increasing motivation from a behavioural, cognitive, and neurobiological point of view, as well as how motivational mechanisms relate to other factors of effectiveness in music-based paradigms.

Rest the Brain to Learn New Gait Patterns after Stroke

Background

The ability to relearn a lost skill is critical to motor recovery after a stroke. Previous studies indicate that stroke typically affects the processes underlying motor control and execution but not the learning of those skills. However, these prior studies could have been confounded by the presence of significant motor impairments and/or have not focused on motor acuity tasks (i.e., tasks focusing on the quality of executed actions) that have direct functional relevance to rehabilitation.

Methods

Twenty-five participants (10 stroke; 15 controls) were recruited for this prospective, case-control study. Participants learned a novel foot-trajectory tracking task on two consecutive days while walking on a treadmill. On day 1, participants learned a new gait pattern by performing a task that necessitated greater hip and knee flexion during the swing phase of the gait. On day 2, participants repeated the task with their training leg to test retention. An average tracking error was computed to determine online and offline learning and was compared between stroke survivors and uninjured controls.

Results

Stroke survivors were able to improve their tracking performance on the first day (p=0.033); however, the amount of learning in stroke survivors was lower in comparison with the control group on both days (p≤0.05). Interestingly, the offline gains in motor learning were higher in stroke survivors when compared with uninjured controls (p=0.011).

Conclusions

The results suggest that even high-functioning stroke survivors may have difficulty acquiring new motor skills related to walking, which may be related to the underlying neural damage caused at the time of stroke. Furthermore, it is likely that stroke survivors may require longer training with adequate rest to acquire new motor skills, and rehabilitation programs should target motor skill learning to improve outcomes after stroke.

Training flexible spatial-cognitive estimation strategies using augmented reality

We investigated the potential for augmented reality (AR) as a training aid for spatial estimation skills. Though there are many tools to support spatial judgments, from measuring cups to rulers, not much is known about training spatial skills for retention and transfer. Display of AR was manipulated to train the spatial skill of portion estimation. In Experiment 1, an AR-aided strategy of creating smaller portions out of a larger example amount was compared to a no-AR control condition. This manipulation was based on previous non-AR experiments where amorphous foods were better estimated when divided into smaller portions. There was a significant benefit of estimating using a solid AR shape. In Experiment 2, cognitive anchoring was manipulated. Using meaningful AR anchors resulted in the best performance and most learning. We conclude that spatial estimation skills can be combined with mental strategies and trained via AR.

Music performance as knowledge acquisition: a review and preliminary conceptual framework

To what extent does playing a musical instrument contribute to an individual's construction of knowledge? This paper aims to address this question by examining music performance from an embodied perspective and offering a narrative-style review of the main literature on the topic. Drawing from both older theoretical frameworks on motor learning and more recent theories on sensorimotor coupling and integration, this paper seeks to challenge and juxtapose established ideas with contemporary views inspired by recent work on embodied cognitive science. By doing so we advocate a centripetal approach to music performance, contrasting the prevalent centrifugal perspective: the sounds produced during performance not only originate from bodily action (centrifugal), but also cyclically return to it (centripetal). This perspective suggests that playing music involves a dynamic integration of both external and internal factors, transcending mere output-oriented actions and revealing music performance as a form of knowledge acquisition based on real-time sensorimotor experience.

A unified model for cross-modal plasticity and skill acquisition

Historically, cross-modal plasticity following early blindness has been largely studied in the context of visual deprivation. However, more recently, there has been a shift in focus towards understanding cross-modal plasticity from the perspective of skill acquisition: the striking plasticity observed in early blind individuals reflects the extraordinary perceptual and cognitive challenges they solve. Here, inspired by two seminal papers on skill learning (the "cortical recycling" theory) and cross-modal plasticity (the "metamodal" hypothesis) respectively, we present a unified hypothesis of cortical specialization that describes how shared functional, algorithmic, and structural constraints might mediate both types of plasticity.

Proficiency Barrier in Track and Field: Adaptation and Generalization Processes

The literature on motor development and training assumes a hierarchy for learning skills-learning the "fundamentals"-that has yet to be empirically demonstrated. The present study addressed this issue by verifying (1) whether this strong hierarchy (i.e., the proficiency barrier) holds between three fundamental skills and three sport skills and (2) considering different transfer processes (generalization/adaptation) that would occur as a result of the existence of this strong hierarchy. Twenty-seven children/adolescents participated in performing the countermovement jump, standing long jump, leap, high jump, long jump, and hurdle transposition. We identified the proficiency barrier in two pairs of tasks (between the countermovement jump and high jump and between the standing long jump and long jump). Nonetheless, the transfer processes were not related to the proficiency barrier. We conclude that the proposed learning hierarchy holds for some tasks. The underlying reason for this is still unknown.

The Effects of Differential Learning on the Standing Broad Jump

In this investigation, we examined the influence of two approaches of motor skill learning (differential learning and repetition-based) for an explosive motor skill. Twenty-seven individuals completed four training sessions of a standing broad jump task, presented with either differential training or a repetition-based approach. We collected pre-and post-training assessments that included maximal jump distances used to index performance and the recording of ground reaction forces to determine potential biomechanical changes (normalized vertical ground reaction force - GRFvert, rate of force development - RFD, and horizontal take-off velocity - Vhor). Results showed that differential training exhibited greater jump distances than repetition-based training (p < .001) but no training effect was found for jump distances between pre- and post-assessments for either training approach (p = .15). However, a significant increase occurred for Vhor with greater velocities achieved following training (p = .03). Overall, differential training failed to show the expected performance enhancements for a discrete, explosive motor task; this may be related to limited exposure and task specific demands of the movement. Further research is needed to better understand the task factors influencing skill acquisition from differential training.

Is there such a thing as an indispensable skills profile to be a good doctor? "Life skills" as essential capabilities in the medicoforensic professions

Abstract

This writing aims to convey the essential nature and features of a cultural tool based on a set of skills and capabilities generally referred to as "life skills", which allow for the proper management (in the medical and medical-forensic professional realms) of daily situations in an effective and rewarding fashion. Such a process is based on individual tools such as communication, problem solving, stress management, self-control, the ability to make timely decisions, empathy, creativity and the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary setting. Life skills include everything the professional should rely on in order to minimize the risks of a professional error, through the acquisition of knowledge and behavioral traits which constitute the fundamental, experience-based starting point. The chief objective of this commentary is to outline the scope of a straightforward discussion by specifically defining such skills; that in turn will make it possible to identify all the technical issues to address during the medical-diagnostic assessment, also from a medico-legal perspective, in order to frame the residual life skills and evaluate the possibilities of recovery and any disabilities, based on observation and interactions with each patient aimed at weighing their psychophysical performance.

Changes in Cortical Microstructure of the Human Brain Resulting from Long-Term Motor Learning

The mechanisms subserving motor skill acquisition and learning in the intact human brain are not fully understood. Previous studies in animals have demonstrated a causal relationship between motor learning and structural rearrangements of synaptic connections, raising the question of whether neurite-specific changes are also observable in humans. Here, we use advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sensitive to dendritic and axonal processes, to investigate neuroplasticity in response to long-term motor learning. We recruited healthy male and female human participants (age range 19-29) who learned a challenging dynamic balancing task (DBT) over four consecutive weeks. Diffusion MRI signals were fitted using Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), a theory-driven biophysical model of diffusion, yielding measures of tissue volume, neurite density and the organizational complexity of neurites. While NODDI indices were unchanged and reliable during the control period, neurite orientation dispersion increased significantly during the learning period mainly in primary sensorimotor, prefrontal, premotor, supplementary, and cingulate motor areas. Importantly, reorganization of cortical microstructure during the learning phase predicted concurrent behavioral changes, whereas there was no relationship between microstructural changes during the control phase and learning. Changes in neurite complexity were independent of alterations in tissue density, cortical thickness, and intracortical myelin. Our results are in line with the notion that structural modulation of neurites is a key mechanism supporting complex motor learning in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The structural correlates of motor learning in the human brain are not fully understood. Results from animal studies suggest that synaptic remodeling (e.g., reorganization of dendritic spines) in sensorimotor-related brain areas is a crucial mechanism for the formation of motor memory. Using state-of-the-art diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we found a behaviorally relevant increase in the organizational complexity of neocortical microstructure, mainly in primary sensorimotor, prefrontal, premotor, supplementary, and cingulate motor regions, following training of a challenging dynamic balancing task (DBT). Follow-up analyses suggested structural modulation of synapses as a plausible mechanism driving this increase, while colocalized changes in cortical thickness, tissue density, and intracortical myelin could not be detected. These results advance our knowledge about the neurobiological basis of motor learning in humans.

Using insights from cognitive science for the teaching of clinical skills: AMEE Guide No. 155

Students have to develop a wide variety of clinical skills, from cannulation to advanced life support, prior to entering clinical practice. An important challenge for health professions' educators is the implementation of strategies for effectively supporting students in their acquisition of different types of clinical skills and also to minimize skill decay over time. Cognitive science provides a unified approach that can inform how to maximize clinical skill acquisition and also minimize skill decay. The Guide discusses the nature of expertise and mastery development, the key insights from cognitive science for clinical skill development and skill retention, how these insights can be practically applied and integrated with current approaches used in clinical skills teaching.

Motor control and skill acquisition in pediatric physical therapy: an enactive proposal

Theories of motor control and skill acquisition strongly influence and guide various fields of clinical practice. In last decades, changes in theoretical frameworks related to the conceptualization of brain plasticity, functional structures within the child, and environment have led to a revision of therapy approaches progressing from therapist-driven to child-initiated approaches. Even though theoretical frameworks and clinical practice are closely linked to the child's body, the profession has paid less attention to theories concerning the body's role and status in interpersonal relationships when fostering motor control and skill acquisition in children. In this theoretical paper we discuss the theoretical frameworks of motor control and skill acquisition that currently guide clinical practice. Through highlighting valuable contributions of these theories, we explore theoretical and practical benefits pediatric physical therapy can acquire by taking an enactive approach as a means to bring the child as a subject into focus. We rely on enactive concepts of embodiment, autonomy, and participatory sense-making in our exploration to provide an extended understanding of motor control and skill acquisition shaping our beliefs about what counts in therapeutic encounters in pediatric physical therapy.

Infant Sitting and Multi-Directional Reaching Skill

We tested twenty-one 6- to 10-month-old infants with a wide range of sitting experience in forward and rightward reaching during unsupported sitting on the floor. Sessions were video-recorded for further behavioral and machine learning-based kinematic analyses. All infants, including novice sitters, successfully touched and grasped toys in both directions. Infant falls, hand support, and base of support changes were rare. Infants with more sitting experience showed better upright posture than novice sitters. However, we found no differences in trunk displacement or reaching kinematics between directions or across sitting experience. Thus, multi-directional reaching is functional in both novice and experienced infant sitters. We suggest that trunk and arm stability in sagittal and frontal planes is integral to learning to sit.

Is Prescription of Specific Movement Form Necessary for Optimal Skill Development? A Nonlinear Pedagogy Approach

Purpose: Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP) proposes that skill development is a nonlinear process, advocating the integration of variability into practice to facilitate individualized movement patterns. However, the influence of a NLP for skills that emphasize a specific movement form is relatively unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a NLP approach when learning a movement form based skill. Method: Sixteen beginners in the power clean (PC), were randomly assigned into a linear pedagogy (LP) condition receiving instructions that prescribed explicit movement form, and a NLP condition presented with analogy-based instructions and two task constraints. Both conditions completed seven lessons across 4-weeks. Results: There were no significant differences in the quantity of exploration, with both conditions demonstrating a similar range of movement patterns. These findings were coupled with a significant improvement in performance accuracy (reduced forward movement of the barbell; F × D) for both conditions. No significant differences were detected in the distribution of barbell trajectory types, with type one, three and four trajectories being exhibited to a similar degree in both conditions. Conclusion: Findings from this study suggests both NLP and LP pedagogies can successfully develop movement form based skills. Overall, both NLP and LP approaches appear to positively influence skill development. These findings have important implications for practitioners suggesting that deviations from instructed technique in learners (i.e., LP approach) do not negatively impact performance. However, further research is needed to determine whether these approaches can more effectively facilitate learners' search for movement solutions that "fit" their individual abilities.

Effects of omission and commission errors during tact instruction

The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of omission and commission errors of reinforcement during tact instruction via telehealth with three children, 6 to 7 years of age, who were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. We used an adapted alternating treatment design to evaluate skill acquisition of target stimuli across high-integrity, commission errors, and omission errors conditions. The high-integrity condition produced mastery criteria in fewer sessions compared with the integrity-error conditions in four of six comparisons, and the omission condition reached mastery criteria in fewer sessions than the commission condition in five of six comparisons.

An investigation of feed-forward and feedback eye movement training in immersive virtual reality

The control of eye gaze is critical to the execution of many skills. The observation that task experts in many domains exhibit more efficient control of eye gaze than novices has led to the development of gaze training interventions that teach these behaviours. We aimed to extend this literature by i) examining the relative benefits of feed-forward (observing an expert's eye movements) versus feed-back (observing your own eye movements) training, and ii) automating this training within virtual reality. Serving personnel from the British Army and Royal Navy were randomised to either feed-forward or feed-back training within a virtual reality simulation of a room search and clearance task. Eye movement metrics - including visual search, saccade direction, and entropy - were recorded to quantify the efficiency of visual search behaviours. Feed-forward and feed-back eye movement training produced distinct learning benefits, but both accelerated the development of efficient gaze behaviours. However, we found no evidence that these more efficient search behaviours transferred to better decision making in the room clearance task. Our results suggest integrating eye movement training principles within virtual reality training simulations may be effective, but further work is needed to understand the learning mechanisms.

Expectation of Teaching and Self-Controlled KR in Motor Skills Acquisition: Are There Additive Effects?

Purpose: Recent evidence suggests learning a motor skill with the expectation of teaching it enhances motor learning. The mechanisms underlying this effect seem to be similar to those of another motor learning condition, the self-control of knowledge of results (KR). Considering the similarities between the mechanisms that underlie these conditions, we aimed to investigate the learning effects obtained through expected teaching and self-controlled conditions, and whether these effects would be additive. Methods: Participants practiced a dart-throwing task under one of the following conditions: a) expecting to teach the skill; b) controlling the KR request; c) combining the two previous conditions; and d) receiving KR in a yoked condition with self-controlled participants. In acquisition phase, motivational aspects, strategies for requesting KR and aspects related to the expectation of teaching were assessed according to each condition. Results: Participants with control over KR and/or with the expectation of teaching the skill showed superior learning of the task compared to the control condition. However, the combination of the experimental conditions did not result in additive learning benefits. Increased perceived competence was found in expecting to teach, self-controlled and combined conditions, compared to the yoked group. Additionally, expecting to teach also affected the way and the frequency learners requested KR. Conclusions: Our findings provide important insights toward understanding the effects of expecting to teach, in addition to demonstrating that expecting to teach affects self-controlled KR scheduling and its use during motor skill acquisition.

Students' Perspective on Scientific Training

How should lab heads train their students and what is the role of degree-granting institutions in this process? Chua, Vandana, and Hsieh discuss the needs of graduate students and ways to cultivate purposeful, personalized mentee training in the lab.

Coaching and talent development in esports: a theoretical framework and suggestions for future research

Esports is a growing phenomenon that is capturing the attention of individuals worldwide, and has grown to provide professional and lucrative careers for those who reach the upper echelons. One question that arises, is how esports athletes develop the necessary skills required to improve and compete. This perspective piece opens the door to skill acquisition within esports and how research through an ecological approach can benefit researchers and practitioners as they understand the various perception-action couplings and decision-making challenges faced by esports athletes. We will identify and discuss what constraints look like in esports, the role of affordances, and theorize the implementation of a constraints-led approach in contrasting esports genres. As esports is technology-heavy in nature and generally sedentary, the use of eye-tracking technology is argued to represent an effective method to better understand perceptual attunement between individuals and teams. Future research into skill acquisition in esports is needed to develop a clearer picture of what makes the greatest esports player so great, and how newer players can be developed effectively.