Deliberate Practice

Throughout the P&O program, you will practice specific tasks with deliberate practice.

Deliberate practice involves learning a task with well-defined goals (i.e., performance checklist), intentional practice (your focus), immediate feedback (from instructors), self-reflection on performance (after-class reflections), and repeated performance to refine skills. The figure below illustrates the “what, so what, now what” self-reflection model and associated reflective questions for the after-class assignments.

Additional items to help you reflect more deeply

• Physical skills and body mechanics: coordination skills, effort/force applied based on sensory feedback (visual, tactile and proprioceptive), finesse (precision and control), timing (rhythm and tempo), body posture (alignment and balance), self awareness of posture, appropriate location of body relative to machine/tool
  • If you play sports, it’s similar to specific things you might do to improve the way you throw or catch a ball.
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills: identified problems, considered various solutions and their consequences, demonstrates perseverance thoroughness and self-direction and sought feedback when necessary.
• Safety skills: Preparedness, proper use of PPE and appropriate dress in lab attire, cleans up after self, and awareness of how own actions affect others (e.g., letting other know that you will be creating loud noises, cleaning up messes, maneuvering large objects)
• Lean skills: considers material usage and the entire fabrication process to reduce waste and facilitate a sustainable practice
• Communication and Teamwork skills: respectfully listen, discuss, ask clarifying and probing questions, share in responsibility of the team, demonstrate a positive attitude about the task and work of others, supported team members when they needed assistance, acknowledges mistakes.
• Performance: applied P&O principles, used appropriate tools and methods, ensured device meets the quality standards expected of a professional, and validated fit and function using outcome measures. Went beyond the minimum requirement when appropriate. Attention to details to improve the appearance, e.g., clean materials, aesthetics
• Project management: prior planning and time management, able to describe technical and performance goals (able to see the “big picture”), able to consider alternative approaches
• Learning and adaptation: recognize when additional knowledge or skills are needed, sought resources to fill taps, learn from mistakes and adjusted approach, reflected on what-so what-now what, connected this project to concepts/skills from other courses.

• If you were happy with your performance, state something that went well. E.g., I was happy with my body posture and ability to feel the compression of the foam against the shoe machine to create a smooth bevelled pad.
• You do not need to address all of the items! These are suggestions to help you reflect more deeply.