Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Children in preschool are at an optimal time for the development of gross and fine motor skills. Children who enter into preschool with developmental delays struggle to keep up with their peers. These developmental delays often perpetuate into later school years, with negative effects. Visual-motor integration (VMI) is a hugely important skill that children need to develop before formal schooling commences. It forms the basis for academic skills like reading and writing, as well as many sport skills. Having a VMI and/or gross motor development delay can affect a child’s academic experience greatly. When referring specifically to reading and writing, many underlying gross motor processes occur simultaneously to enable the child to perform tasks successfully. Success in the classroom depends a great deal on developed VMI and gross motor skills. Research shows investigation into various factors that account for differences and delays in motor skills. Socio-economic status is mentioned as a factor that can negatively affect VMI and gross motor skills development. Gender differences have also been known to be a reason for varying success in VMI or fine motor skills and gross motor skills. It is most important that delays and differences in VMI and gross motor skills success should be the focus of preschool education curriculums. The purpose of the current study was to improve the VMI skills of children who presented below average VMI skills scores. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th Edition (DTVMI) was used to measure the participants VMI skills, and the Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition (TGMD-2), was used as a measure of gross motor skills. The supplemental tests of the DTVMI, as well as the subtests of the TGMD-2, were performed. Two preschools were conveniently selected to participate in the study, one from a high socio-economic background and one from a low socio-economic background. Of the total participants initially tested (N=77), only a small number (N=23), scored below average VMI scores and continued to participate in the study. From these participants (N=23) an experimental (n=12) and a control group (n=11) were randomly selected. The experimental group participated in a 14-week intervention programme, two sessions per week each with a duration of 45 minutes, that focused on the underlying gross motor processes that relate to reading, writing and VMI skills. After the 14 weeks the participants were tested again to measure the effects of the intervention programme. All data collected were statistically analysed.The most relevant result found in the current study showed that participants from the low socio-economic school showed significantly lower VMI skills than participants from the higher socio-economic school. No differences in VMI skills were found between the genders. Overall in both VMI and gross motor skills the intervention programme was beneficial to the participants, although these results were not found to be statistically significant. This study emphasises that the disparities in VMI skills between children from low- and higher socio-economic backgrounds should be addressed before they enter school. This will ensure that these differences become minimised. This study suggests that gross motor activities can be beneficial to VMI skills of preschool children. More research is needed to fully determine the potential of gross motor intervention programmes in improving academic skills such as VMI. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voorskoolse kinders bevind hulle in ʼn optimale periode van groot- en fynmotoriese ontwikkeling. Kinders van hierdie ouderdom met ontwikkelingsagterstande sukkel om op skool by hulle eweknieë by te bly. Hierdie ontwikkelingsagterstande duur gewoonlik voort tot in latere skooljare met negatiewe implikasies. Visueel-motoriese integrasie (VMI) is ʼn baie belangrike vaardigheid wat kinders voor hulle formele skooljare in aanvang neem, moet ontwikkel. Dit vorm die basis vir akademiese vaardighede soos lees en skryf, asook vir baie sportvaardighede. ʼn Kind se akademiese ervaring kan baie nadelig deur ʼn VMI en/of groot motoriese ontwikkelingsagterstand beïnvloed word. Met spesifieke verwysing na lees en skryf, moet baie onderliggende groot motoriese prosesse gelyktydig plaasvind om die kind in staat te stel om take suksesvol uit te voer. Sukses in die klaskamer is grootliks van ʼn ontwikkelde VMI en groot motoriese vaardighede afhanklik. Navorsing toon ondersoeke na verskeie faktore wat vir verskille en agterstande in motoriese vaardighede verantwoordelik is. Sosio-ekonomiese status word beskou as een van die faktore wat VMI en groot motoriese ontwikkeling negatief kan affekteer. Dit is ook bekend dat geslagsverskille ʼn rede vir variërende sukses in VMI- of fyn motoriese- en groot motoriese vaardighede is. Dit is van uiterste belang dat agterstande en verskille in VMI- en sukses met groot motoriese vaardighede die fokus van voorskoolse opvoedkundige kurrikulums moet wees. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die VMI vaardighede van kinders met ondergemiddelde VMI vaardigheid tellings te verbeter. Die Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th Edition (DTVMI) is gebruik om die deelnemers se VMI vaardighede te bepaal en die Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition (TGMD-2) is gebruik om hulle groot motoriese vaardighede te bepaal. Die aanvullende toets van die DTVMI, asook die sub-toets van die TGMD-2, is uitgevoer. Twee voorskoolse skole, een uit ʼn hoë sosio-ekonomiese- en een uit ʼn lae sosio-ekonomiese omgewing is met ʼn gerieflikheidsteekproef geselekteer om aan die studie deel te neem. Van die totale aantal deelnemers (N-77) wat aanvanklik getoets is, het slegs ʼn klein aantal (N=23) ondergemiddelde VMI tellings behaal om met die studie voort te gaan. Vanuit hierdie deelnemers (N=23) is ʼn eksperimentele- (n=12) en ʼn kontrole groep ewekansig geselekteer. Die eksperimentele groep het aan ʼn 14-week intervensieprogram, twee keer per week, wat elk 45 minute geduur het, deelgeneem. Die intervensieprogram het op die onderliggende groot motoriese prosesse wat net lees, skryf en VMI vaardighede verband hou, gefokus. Na afloop van die 14 weke is die deelnemers weer getoets om die effek van die intervensieprogram te bepaal. Al die ingesamelde data is statisties verwerk. Die mees relevante resultaat wat in die huidige studie gevind is, dui daarop dat die deelnemers van die lae sosio-ekonomiese skool beduidende laer VMI vaardighede as die deelnemers van die hoër sosio-ekonomiese skool getoon het. Geen verskille in VMI vaardighede is tussen die geslagte gevind nie. Alhoewel die resultate nie statistiese betekenisvol was nie blyk dit dat in geheel beskou die intervensieprogram, in beide VMI- en groot motoriese vaardighede, voordele vir die deelnemers ingehou het. Die huidige studie beklemtoon dat die verskille in VMI vaardighede tussen kinders vanuit lae- en hoë sosio-ekonomiese agtergronde aangespreek moet word voordat hulle in skole toegelaat word. Dit sal verseker dat hierdie verskille tot die minimum beperk word. Hierdie studie suggereer dat groot motoriese aktiwiteite voordele vir die VMI vaardighede van voorskoolse kinders kan inhou. Verdere navorsing is nodig om die potensiaal van groot motoriese intervensieprogramme op die verbetering van akademiese vaardighede soos VMI ten volle te verstaan.

This study investigates the use of response guidance for errorless learning of a perceptual motor task in normal elderly. It provides normative data for a study with stroke patients using this technique for cognitive rehabilitation. While errorless learning has been shown to be more effective on most tasks than trial and error learning for people with memory impairments, its use with normal individuals has received limited attention. The questions of interest were whether errorless training of the perceptual motor task was more effective for improving and retaining accuracy; and whether both accuracy and response speed were more resistant to the effects of increased cognitive demands. A sample of 43 normal elderly in the United Kingdom, ranging in age from 60 to 77, completed an assessment of intelligence, memory, and attention. They then received training, over two sessions one week apart, to mark the midpoint of Judd Arrows presented on a computer screen using a cross cursor moved by an active force feedback joystick (AFF). During training the errorless group received AFF guidance to the correct midpoint, while the errorful group received none, and both received auditory and visual knowledge of results. There was no AFF during baseline or post test measures. Training was to criterion in each session with a discontinue rule if accuracy did not improve. At the end of session two both groups were given a cognitively challenging task concurrent with the arrow bisection. Results revealed that both groups improved their accuracy through training with the errorless group being significantly more accurate and tending to be faster in the final post tests of both sessions. The errorless group was significantly faster than the errorful group under the cognitive challenge, without sacrificing accuracy. These results suggest not only that AFF is an effective means of implementing errorless perceptual motor learning, but elderly individuals trained in this manner do not sacrifice accuracy for speed. Implications of these results are discussed.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by debilitating impairments in motor control arising from pathophysiological alterations in basal ganglia circuitry and function. In this research thesis two main approaches, namely electrical recording and stimulation, are combined in order to better understand motor performance in Parkinson's disease and ways it might be improved. Three main types of motor behaviors are studied: discrete ballistic movement, repetitive movement, and motor adaptation. <ul><li>First, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) was shown to improve the velocity of discrete, ballistic movements in PD. The neural correlates of ballistic movements were then studied by recording from the STN of PD patients, revealing onset of beta-range desynchronization prior to, and gamma-range frequency synchronization during, performance of fast arm reaches. To determine a causal role for these oscillatory frequencies in motor behavior, the motor cortex of healthy humans was stimulated at either beta or gamma frequency during a 'go/no-go' grip force task. Beta stimulation resulted in slower force generation on 'go' trials but enhanced inhibition during 'no-go' trials, whereas gamma stimulation resulted in faster force generation on 'go' trials.</li> <li>Second, STN DBS resulted in improved repetitive tapping performance in PD patients through a reduction in variability. Recordings from the STN demonstrated that repetitive movement was accompanied by a substantial and persistent suppression of beta oscillatory activity.</li> <li>Third, Parkinson's patients were tested on a motor adaptation task, revealing intact learning but impaired retention of a visuomotor rotation. Application of direct current stimulation of the motor cortex resulted in enhanced adaptation during both learning and retention in PD patients and healthy controls.</li> <li>These results causally implicate the basal ganglia and oscillatory activity in motor control, provide insight into the neuronal mechanisms of motor performance and adaptation, and demonstrate promising new avenues for enhancing motor control in Parkinson's disease.</li></ul>

The problem of this study was to determine the effect of a modified form of Kephart's perceptual-motor training program on the performance of kindergarten pupils on Metropolitan Readiness Tests. This program was made up of certain perceptual-motor activities which were utilized during the regular school play periods.

The problem of this investigation is to survey the total programs of selected kindergartens. Major emphasis on the program for the development of large muscle skills and activities will be carried out in the analysis.

This investigation examined the development of young children's behaviors on swings in the outdoor play environment and their emerging understanding of the physics principles associated with those behaviors. The children's language interactions were also examined in an effort to determine the relationship between language and cognitive development in their construction of physical knowledge. The procedures involved observing the children's behaviors and collecting samples of their spontaneous language interactions during their swinging activities. Informal interviews were also conducted with individual and groups of children. The findings indicate that young children's swinging behaviors develop in eight hierarchical stages. As these behaviors develop, children experiment with the physics principles of balance, gravity, force, resistance, and resonance. Children's swinging behaviors develop in a social context. Many early behaviors are acquired through observing and modeling other children. Language provides the medium for more-experienced peers to assist novice swingers through encouragement and direct instruction. The stage development of swinging behaviors is compared to Cratty's Theory of Perceptual-Motor Development and Harrow's Taxonomy of the Psychomotor Domain. Children's cognitive processing and language interactions are discussed in the context of Piagetian and Vygotskian theories of development. Implications for instruction and suggestions for further research are discussed.

The purposes of the study were (1) to validate five selected supportive and five selected non-supportive nonverbal movements, and (2) to determine the effects of the nonverbal expressions upon subjects' learning of a gross motor skill. Subjects were twenty-eight college women who met the established criteria. The testing instrument was the Bachman Ladder. Fourteen subjects received the supportive-- non-supportive nonverbal treatment sequence; fourteen subjects received the reverse treatment sequence. Subjects numerically ranked the degree of treatment following each experimental session. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance method. Alpha was .05. Conclusions of this study were (1) that nonverbal supportive and non-supportive treatments do not significantly affect gross motor learning, and (2) the selected expressions are valid techniques for nonverbal communications.

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a aprendizagem do passe do rúgbi com base na prática de diferentes estruturas funcionais. Os participantes foram 31 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, entre 18 e 30 anos de idade, sem experiência com o rúgbi. O delineamento envolveu três grupos experimentais: 2 vs. 0, 1 + 1 vs. 1 e 2 vs. 1. A fase de aquisição foi realizada em três dias com a execução de 60 tentativas do passe para o lado direito e 60 tentativas para o lado esquerdo. A fase de transferência foi realizada no último dia com a execução de 20 tentativas. O desempenho foi acessado por meio das seguintes medidas: (i) direção do passe, (ii) precisão do passe, (iii) direção da corrida, (iv) zona do passe e (v) desempenho global. Estas medidas foram calculadas através de um índice de desempenho considerando a taxa de sucesso em blocos de 10 tentativas. Os resultados mostraram que o grupo 1 + 1 vs. 1 foi o único que melhorou o desempenho global na fase de aquisição e o manteve no teste de transferência. Este grupo também foi o único que mostrou melhora em relação à direção e precisão do passe. E, em conjunto com os demais, o fez em relação à direção da corrida. Por outro lado, verificou-se que o grupo 2 vs. 0 piorou os desempenhos relativos à precisão à zona do passe e de passe.Pode-se concluir que a estrutura funcional 1 + 1 vs. 1 possibilitou a aprendizagem do passe do rúgbi / The aim of this study was to investigate the learning of rugby passing based on the practice of different functional structures. Participants were 31 individuals of both sexes, between 18 and 30 years of age, with no experience with rugby. The design involved three experimental groups: 2 vs. 0, 1 + 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 1. The acquisition phase was carried out in three days with the performance of 60 trials of passing to the right side and 60 trials to the left side. The transfer phase was held in the last by performing 20 trials. Performance was accessed through the following measures: (i) passing direction, (ii) passing accuracy, (iii) running direction, (iv) passing zone and (v) overall performance. These measures were calculated by a performance index considering the success rate in a 10-block trial. Results showed that the group 1 + 1 vs. 1 was the only one that improved overall performance in the acquisition phase and kept it in the transfer test. This group was also the only one that showed improvement in relation to the direction and accuracy of passing. In addition, along with the others, it did so in relation to the running direction. On the other hand, it was verified that the group 2 vs. 0 worsened performances related to accuracy and zone of passing. It was concluded that the functional structure 1 + 1 vs. 1 made it possible the learning of rugby pass

Orientadora: Lígia Maria Presumido Braccialli / Banca: Rita de Cássia Tibério Araújo / Banca: Gerusa Ferreira Lourenço / Resumo: Cada vez mais, o computador tem sido um recurso de tecnologia assistiva utilizado para possibilitar a participação de alunos com deficiência física severa nas escolas comuns. Porém, há a necessidade de prescrição de dispositivos de acesso ao computador, não convencionais, para que esses alunos consigam utilizar o computador com independência e autonomia. Considerando os comprometimentos motores e a fadiga muscular decorrentes das doenças neuromusculares, um dispositivo que ofereça o acesso e uso do computador com menor demanda muscular e menos gasto energético é essencial para esse alunado. Dentre os dispositivos ofertados, o rastreador ocular vem se destacando como um recurso de acesso eficaz para pessoas com deficiência física severa, entre elas as decorrentes de doenças neuromusculares. Contudo, o uso desse dispositivo demanda de um controle oculomotor preciso para que atinja os objetivos a ele alçados. O controle oculomotor, para tal finalidade, se encaixa na teoria da aprendizagem motora, a qual não pode ser diretamente observada, mas pode ser inferida pela melhora no desempenho motor. O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar o efeito de um programa de treinamento para uso de rastreador ocular no desempenho motor de crianças com doenças neuromusculares. Caracterizou-se por uma pesquisa experimental com delineamento de sujeito único do tipo A-B-A. Participou desse estudo uma aluna com 9 anos, diagnóstico de distrofia muscular. As variáveis pesquisadas foram acurácia, tempo de... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Increasingly, the computer has been a feature of assistive technology used to enable the participation of students with severe physical disabilities in ordinary schools. However, there is a need to prescribe non-conventional computer access devices so that these students can use the computer with independence and autonomy. Considering motor impairments and muscle fatigue due to neuromuscular diseases, a device that provides access and use of the computer with lower muscle demand and less energy expenditure is essential for this student. Among the devices offered, the ocular tracer has been highlighted as an effective access resource for people with severe physical disabilities, including those due to neuromuscular diseases. However, the use of this device requires precise oculomotor control in order to achieve the objectives set forth. Oculomotor control, for this purpose, fits the theory of motor learning, which can not be directly observed, but can be inferred by the improvement in motor performance. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of a training program for use of ocular tracer on the motor performance of children with neuromuscular diseases. It was characterized by an experimental research with a single subject design of type A-B-A. A 9-year-old female student with a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy participated in this study. The variables studied were accuracy, reaction time, movement time and error. To evaluate the motor performance, the software Di... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

I investigated how two types of rhythmic complexity, syncopation and tempo fluctuation, affect the neural and behavioral responses of listeners. The aim of Experiment 1 was to explore the role of attention in pulse and meter perception using complex rhythms. A selective attention paradigm was used in which participants attended either to a complex auditory rhythm or a visually presented list of words. Performance on a reproduction task was used to gauge whether participants were attending to the appropriate stimulus. Selective attention to rhythms led to increased BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent) responses in basal ganglia, and basal ganglia activity was observed only after the rhythms had cycled enough times for a stable pulse percept to develop. These observations show that attention is needed to recruit motor activations associated with the perception of pulse in complex rhythms. Moreover, attention to the auditory stimulus enhanced activity in an attentional sensory network including primary auditory, insula, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex, and suppressed activity in sensory areas associated with attending to the visual stimulus. In Experiment 2, the effect of tempo fluctuation in expressive music on emotional responding in musically experienced and inexperienced listeners was investigated. Participants listened to a skilled music performance, including natural fluctuations in timing and sound intensity that musicians use to evoke emotional responses, and a mechanical performance of the same piece, that served as a control. Participants reported emotional responses on a 2-dimensional rating scale (arousal and valence), before and after fMRI scanning. During fMRI scanning, participants listened without reporting emotional responses. Tempo fluctuations predicted emotional arousal ratings for all listeners. / Expressive performance was associated with BOLD increases in limbic areas for all listeners and in limbic and reward related areas forthose with musical experience. Activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate, which may reflect temporal expectancy, was also dependent on the musical experience of the listener. Changes in tempo correlated with activity in a mirror neuron network in all listeners, and mirror neuron activity was associated with emotional arousal in experienced listeners. These results suggest that emotional responding to music occurs through an empathic motor resonance. / by Heather L. Chapin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.