Professor Keith Davids: why players learn best in ‘safe but uncertain’ practice environments
Player | Learning | Keith Davids | 04.06.2021
Young players need to practice in ‘safe but uncertain’ practice environments in order to learn the game, says Professor Keith Davids.
Learning:
• How to create an enriching environment for players to learn the game
• Why coaches shouldn’t provide players with too much information
• How to manage ‘mistakes’ to a player’s advantage
‘Safe but uncertain’ practice environments are the best way to help young players learn and enjoy the game, says Professor Keith Davids, expert in skill acquisition at Sheffield Hallam university.
“Safety, in this context, means that children or whoever the learners are, feel free to try something, to have a go and to know that they're not going to get shouted out, told off or humiliated,” explains Davids, who has over 30 years teaching and research experience in skill acquisition and learning in sport.
“Certainty refers to the amount of information that's involved in the practice,” he adds.
