Backward versus Forward Chaining in the Acquisition of a Keyboard Skill
Abstract
Although backward chaining has been found superior to whole-task training, the effect might depend on the ordering of difficult and easy segments of the task, and forward chaining requires investigation. The experiment uses a musical keyboard task to test these possibilities, counterbalancing difficulty order with direction of chaining in a comparison with whole training. Performance was scored for melodic errors and for rhythmic accuracy and consistency. Both of the part-task methods proved superior to the whole method during training trials, in criterion trials on the whole task, and during retention after one week. However, forward chaining conferred a greater advantage than backward chaining on most measures. The results weaken several explanations for the superiority of backward chaining but confirm the advantages of segmentation methods in part-task training.
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Part-task training is only helpful with sequential material, not concurrent tasks.
“Meta-analyses have found parttask training is only helpful with sequential material, such as playing sequential notes on a piano (e.g.[3]), rather than concurrent tasks, such as playing two hands on a piano at the same time [52,53].”
From Learn Piano with BACh: An Adaptive Learning Interface that Adjusts Task Difficulty Based on Brain State (2016) · cites this paper as [3]
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Yuksel, B. F., Oleson, K. B., Harrison, L., Peck, E. M., Afergan, D., Chang, R., & Jacob, R. J. (2016) · Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/2858036.2858388 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
“[3]), rather than concurrent tasks, such as playing two hands on a piano at the same time [52, 53].”
Background
- Authors
- Ash, D. W., & Holding, D. H.
- Affiliations
- University of Louisville (US)
- Venue
- Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1990-04
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 139-146
- ISSN
- 0018-7208 (ISSN-L)
- 1547-8181
- OpenAlex
- W2154171154
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Human Resource Development and Performance Evaluation
- Keywords
- backward chaining, forward chaining, part-task training, skill acquisition, music performance, task segmentation, retention, rhythmic accuracy
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