What does part practice involve in skill development?

Part practice is an effective teaching method in skill development that emphasizes breaking a complex skill into smaller, more manageable components. This approach allows learners to focus on mastering each individual part before integrating them into the whole skill. For instance, in sports, a volleyball player's serve can be divided into different stages such as tossing the ball, the swing of the arm, and the follow-through. By practicing these segments separately, the athlete can focus on refining their technique and gaining confidence in each phase without the overwhelming complexity of executing the entire skill all at once.

This method is particularly beneficial for skills that are intricate or have multiple steps, as it can lead to improved understanding and retention of each component. Once the learner is comfortable with each part, they can then combine them to perform the complete skill more effectively.