The field of "motor skill learning" encompasses numerous areas of research. Typically, the term, "motor skill," refers to any skill which involves movement and the outcome of some action. The ability to engage in such behaviors generally comes through dynamic exploratory activity. This process is well illustrated by an analysis of typing skill acquisition.
Many activities in daily life require a significant degree of speed, precision, and forcefulness (Young, 1988, p. 1). Moreover, several of these abilities are not generally possessed by novices. Therefore, the more complex human behaviors require skill acquisition, or learning. Learning can be defined as a "process that results in a relatively permanent change in behavior brought on by experience" (Higgins, 1991, p. 134). The two learning stages include both primary and later learning. With primary learning, new environments take on meaning. This phase is characterized by a high degree of cognitive conscious involvement, as the learner attempts to understand what is expected. In contrast, during the later learning stage, new associations and concepts are formed.
Skill can be thought of as a person's competence in dealing with their world; it's the individual's ability to "consistently achieve a goal under a wide variety of conditions" (Higgins, 1991, p. 125). With motor skills, these goals are realized through the "execution of organized movement." Learners must control their actions in a manner which suits the demands of the specific task. The more a person can apply movement as a problem solving tool, the greater is their degree of skill. The skill, typing, is considered to be a "keyboard task." Most models of this activity describe a process involving the following 4 components: input, parsing, translation, and execution (Holding, 1989, p. 234). During input, text which will be typed is perceived and coded into manageable units. The second ph...