Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching

In the second of this mini-series on academic engagement, we wanted to explore a little bit on deliberate practice and how this can contribute to a culture of engagement, as well as aspects of guided learning. In this post we’re pleased to be able to share some of the insights from one of our BILT Student Fellows this year, Emma Segal.

We’re interested in any contexts of teaching and learning activities, and offering precise and specific reflections on moments which deepen understanding.

So the starting point for this is a video clip from the England Women’s football team, the Lionesses, in training, with their manager Sarina Wiegman.

Here is the clip – we’d really encourage you to watch it before reading our reflections:

 What are the features of practice which we felt drew our attention?

1) Providing an overview and narrative to the activity

2) In ‘on-stage moments’ the focus is on general guidance, whilst in moments of individual guidance and direction, these are typically ‘off-stage’

3) She’s excited about their work too, even though she isn’t the one playing

4) Taking a step back to observe from a distance   

5) Physical modelling of processes

6) The specificity of the feedback, the timeliness of it, the way she asked them at one point that they thought the outcome would be/ what should’ve been done differently instead of just giving them the answer.

BILT Student Fellow Emma Segal noticed ‘how quickly Sarina Wiegman gives feedback during drills. She frequently pauses play briefly to correct positioning or decision-making before the players continue. It reminded me of the importance of timely feedback in learning. When feedback is immediate and specific, learners can adjust their approach straight away rather than reinforcing mistakes’.   

7) Using dialogue with colleagues to develop evaluation further

8) Emma particularly recognised the way in which ‘the drills in the session appear carefully structured so that players practise specific elements of the game repeatedly, such as movement patterns, passing sequences, or positioning. This feels similar to how we might structure learning by breaking down complex skills into smaller, manageable tasks.’

9) There was lots of positive feedback and encouragement throughout with sprinkles of critique so the whole thing is overwhelmingly positive – particularly finishing in this way.  

What implications does this have for our own practice/experiences?

Although the settings may be different, there are certainly some helpful reminders here.

• Providing a wider-context and relevance adds intrinsic value to learning (1);

• Choosing the appropriate context for feedback makes it more meaningful (2);

• Emma recognised this theory into practice in the way that ‘pre-lab quizzes used in eBiolabs provide students with instant feedback on their answers. Similarly, some H5P media types allow learners to receive immediate feedback while solving problems, giving them opportunities to retry and learn from mistakes quickly and naturally.’

• ‘Shifting the spotlight’ (6-7) recognises that progress can be a collaborative endeavour, rather than an individual burden;

• By focusing on individual components first, learners can build confidence before combining them into more complex performance. For example, if the final assessment of a course is an independent dissertation, smaller assessments earlier in the programme that focus on skills such as designing a methodology or writing a discussion section allow students to refine these abilities before undertaking a full piece of research (8);

• All of these approaches are enhanced by the fostering of a supportive and positive culture.  In a teaching context, this mirrors the importance of creating a supportive learning environment where students feel comfortable contributing ideas, asking questions, and refining their understanding through practice (9).

Although easier said than done, we’ve posed some of these reflection questions to invite further discussion and sharing of approaches.

If you’d like to join the discussion, share your experiences or offer another example for consideration then we’d value your contributions  – please do contact us.