Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Skill acquisition
  • Motor learning
  • Motor development
  • Physical education
  • Motor control

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Michael Spittle

Michael Spittle is Professor in Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition, in the College of Sport, Health and Engineering. He is also a Research Associate in the Institute for Health and Sport (IHES) at Victoria University (VU).

He teaches and researches in the areas of motor learning, skill acquisition and motor development at VU, and has previously held academic positions at the University of Ballarat (Federation University) and Deakin University.

Michael has an undergraduate degree and honours in physical education and a PhD in motor learning and skill acquisition. He has also completed graduate study in psychological studies and education.

In addition to being an author of numerous journal articles and conference publications, he has written several textbooks on skill acquisition in physical education and sport.

He has conducted a number of funded research projects, contract research, and evaluation projects in exercise and sport science, physical education, and movement contexts with a range of industry partners.

Michael's research focuses on the learning and development of skills, including in areas such as physical education and sport, skill acquisition approaches, game sense, sports pedagogy, practice conditions, player development, mental practice and imagery, decision-making, and feedback.

Qualifications

  • BAppSc Physical Education Honours (VicMelb)
  • GradDip Psychological Studies (Deakin)
  • GradCert Higher Ed (Deakin)
  • MEd (Deakin)
  • PhD (VicMelb)

Key publications

Year Citation
2021 Spittle, M. (210315). Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition Applications for Physical Education and Sport. Red Globe Press.
2021 Breed, R., & Spittle, M. (210101). Developing Game Sense in Physical Education and Sport. Human Kinetics.

doi: 10.5040/9781718215559

Year Citation
2024 Lindsay, R., & Spittle, M. (240601). The adaptable coach - a critical review of the practical implications for traditional and constraints-led approaches in sport coaching. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 19(3), (1240-1254).

doi: 10.1177/17479541241240853

2024 Breed, R., Lindsay, R., Kittel, A., & Spittle, M. (240101). Content and Quality of Comparative Tactical Game-Centered Approaches in Physical Education: A Systematic Review. Review of Educational Research,

doi: 10.3102/00346543241227236

2023 Larkin, P., Spittle, M., Farrow, D., Maximos, Y., & Honer, O. (230101). The golden generation of Australian Soccer: understanding the factors which influenced their development. Soccer and Society, 24(8), (1041-1055).

doi: 10.1080/14660970.2023.2192486

2023 Kittel, A., Stevens, C. J., Lindsay, R., Spittle, S., & Spittle, M. (230101). An overview of Australian exercise and sport science degrees. Frontiers in Education, 8

doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1125259

2023 Lindsay, R., Spittle, S., & Spittle, M. (230101). Skill adaption in sport and movement: Practice design considerations for 360 VR. Frontiers in Psychology, 14

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1124530

2023 Lindsay, R. S., Komar, J., Chow, J. Y., Larkin, P., & Spittle, M. (230101). Is Prescription of Specific Movement Form Necessary for Optimal Skill Development? A Nonlinear Pedagogy Approach. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 94(3), (793-801).

doi: 10.1080/02701367.2022.2054925

2022 Kittel, A., Lindsay, R., Larkin, P., & Spittle, M. (220101). The application of 360VR for training sports officials: a constraints-led approach. Managing Sport and Leisure,

doi: 10.1080/23750472.2022.2126995

2022 Beseler, B., Mesagno, C., Spittle, M., Johnson, N. F., Harvey, J., Talpey, S., & Plumb, M. S. (220101). Validation of a Follow-Through Developmental Sequence for the Overarm Throw for Force in University Students. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 10(2), (309-327).

doi: 10.1123/jmld.2022-0010

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Education Innovation Hub
From: Victorian Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund
Other investigators: Ms Jacinta Ryan, Dr Melinda Van dyke, Prof Anthony Watt, Dr Juliana Ryan, Dr Daniel Loton, Prof Andrew Smallridge, Dr Claire Brown
For period: 2021-2022
$8,841,000

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 PhD Associate supervisor
1 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD Integrated Associate supervisor
1 PhD Integrated Principal supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Principal supervisor
PhD Integrated (1) Associate supervisor
PhD Integrated (1) Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
3 PhD Associate supervisor
2 PhD Principal supervisor
1 PhD by Publication Associate supervisor
1 PhD by Publication Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (3) Associate supervisor
PhD (2) Principal supervisor
PhD by Publication (1) Associate supervisor
PhD by Publication (1) Principal supervisor

Other supervision of research students

Michael has supervised a number of honours and postgraduate research students at Victoria University, and in his previous positions including Deakin University, and Federation University (the University of Ballarat). He is currently an external supervisor of students at Deakin University, Swinburne University, and Federation University. Michael has successfully supervised over 30 honours theses, twomasters, and twelve PhD theses.

Teaching activities & experience

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 2012 - Dec 2013
Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning - Exercise and Sport Science)
Deakin University
Jan 2009 - Dec 2013
Associate Professor
Deakin University
Jan 2002 - Dec 2008
Senior Lecturer
University of Ballarat
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2012 -
Dec 2013
Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning - Exercise and Sport Science)
Deakin University
Jan 2009 -
Dec 2013
Associate Professor
Deakin University
Jan 2002 -
Dec 2008
Senior Lecturer
University of Ballarat

Professional memberships

  • Member, ACHPER
  • Member, Sports Medicine Australia