Effects of Contextual Interference on Retention of Three Volleyball Skills

Abstract

Previous research in motor learning has shown that random practice schedules facilitate retention and transfer of motor skills more than repetitive practice schedules. The purpose of this study was to investigate the generalizability of contextual interference effects. High school students (63 boys, 76 girls) from three physical education class periods were randomly assigned to one of three practice conditions, random, random-blocked, or blocked practice within a class period. Three teachers were randomly assigned to a practice group within a class period and taught a different practice condition each class period. There were nine groups with three practice groups per class period. Subjects practiced the volleyball forearm pass, set, or overhead serve for 30 trials every day for nine class periods. All subjects recorded scores for their practice trials each day during acquisition and were posttested after a 2-day retention interval. Analysis of variance indicated significant improvement in all groups but no significant effects of practice condition during acquisition or retention. These findings suggest that practice was long enough to produce change during acquisition. However, factors characteristic of physical education classes may reduce or mask contextual interference effects commonly observed in other settings.