I/ITSEC 2006 - EDUCATION

Empowering the SME: Implementing a Sustainable Model of Rapid Content Development for ADL 2006 Paper No. 2488 Major Tony Charles and Major Chris Edwards Directorate of Individual Training (Army) Upavon, United Kingdom The UK Defence e-Learning Strategic Vision and Policy (2003) urged rapid prioritization of courses for e-Learning conversion. Since 2003, Defence has embraced new learning methodologies and the quantity and quality of Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) technologies has increased dramatically. As new training requirements are identified, ADL is often the preferred methodology, however converting appropriate legacy training to more appropriate media has been blighted by inertia, due, in part, to an absence of senior officer 'buy-in', influenced by spiraling development costs. UK Defence is in a 'prove concept phase', where decision makers require convincing that ADL meets training requirements cost-effectively and with agility to react to change. The Army’s strategy identifies courseware provision as a pillar underpinning the required cultural change to embrace learning technologies. To avoid stumbling at this first hurdle, the Army has studied how ADL can be developed cost-effectively, quickly and from within existing assets. This paper is a case study of the Army's in-house courseware development strategy. In particular the role of the SME is analysed with reference to developing high quality content, at speed, using rapid content development tools to deploy courseware quickly and in response to an operational requirement. The process identified is offered as a blueprint for the management of a sustainable rapid in-house capability in the military environment. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Scenario-based Multi-Level Learning for Counterterrorism Intelligence Analysis 2006 Paper No. 2767 Dr. Sowmya Ramachandran, Dr. Emilio Remolina Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. San Mateo, CA Chad R. Barksdale Imedia.it, Inc. Houston, TX Threat analysis is a vital component of homeland security. It is comprised of very complex tasks that utilize the fundamentals of data analysis, pattern recognition, and critical thinking. The US Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca offers the Intelligence in Combating Terrorism (ICT) course as a solid, two week training program for Intelligence Analysts. An entire week is solely devoted to threat analysis exercises based on real-world scenarios. These intense and comprehensive exercises are what make the ICT course a very successful training program. The knowledge and proficiency accumulated through this practice is, measurably, more rewarding. However, a restricted audience and limited instructor resources created a challenge. A self-paced, distance learning solution that preserved the benefits of a hands-on experience was needed. This paper discusses the diverse challenges and breakthroughs of delivering a web-based ICT as the first, SCORM 2004 compliant course for the Army, while implementing an innovative Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) that employs Artificial Intelligence techniques to automatically assess student performance and provide adaptive coaching in the context of realistic threat scenarios. This paper will also discuss how these challenges were addressed in developing the pioneering multi-level web-based training to meet the goals of increasing knowledge and strengthening the skills of Intelligence Analysts. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
The ADL Registry Client: Solving the Currency Issue of Content Reuse 2006 Paper No. 2848 Angela M. Lindsey, Dr. Kenneth Pisel Joint Forces Staff College Norfolk, Virginia William Y. Pike Joint ADL Co-Laboratory Orlando, Florida The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative and its Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) offer the education and training community tremendous potential for content object reuse and concomitant cost savings. Of equal importance is the potential for SCORM to allow for leveraging relevant expertise from multiple sources. Achieving this potential has been an evolutionary process as more content and learning management systems (LMS) become SCORM conformant. Implementing Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1322.26 is the next step; as part of this instruction, DoD organizations will comply with SCORM, register content, and store content in repositories. The ADL Registry (ADL-R) allows users to search and discover information about reusable content, but it does not currently address the long-term sustainment of courseware. For example, if content is used by multiple sources, there must be a mechanism that alerts users to changes in that content to support long-term requirements. Without such notification and readily available updates, shared content may soon become outdated. Since November 2005, the Distance Learning Division at the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC) has taken an active role to solve these issues by developing the ADL Registry Client (ADL-RC) prototype application with support from the Joint ADL Co-Laboratory. The ADL-RC automates the long-term maintenance of learning objects within the SCORM environment. When a change to shared content is noted by the system, ADL Registry… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Technology based training – making the correct choice 2006 Paper No. 2470 John Huddlestone Cranfield University, UK Jonathan Pike Cranfield University, UK There are many factors that must be considered when making instructional media selection decisions, with the suitability of an instructional media to the learning task being the most significant. E-learning as a form of technology based training has many strengths, but is not suitable for the treatment of all learning tasks, and cannot always be considered as a complete instructional solution. To complicate matters certain types of learning task require that certain potentially supported media attributes must be expressed, these may include certain forms of embedded media or specific types of interaction that are supported by computer-moderated communications technology. By analyzing the qualities of the learning task through what is required by the training objectives in terms of learner performance, conditions of demonstration and measurable standards, we can make an evaluation as to the suitability of a form of technology based training from a list of candidate media. Instructional media may support any or all of the following – delivery of instruction, support for practice and assessment of performance. This paper outlines a flowchart based methodology for assessing the suitability of learning task to e-learning treatment, whether as a partial or complete instructional solution; and makes recommendations as to the form of technology based training that is most suitable. These criteria were implemented into a decision flowchart suitable for elaboration into a decision support tool, enabling users to assess the proportion of an extant course suitable for conversion and the type of technology based training considered to be the most suitable for each training objective. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Educational Extensions of Large-Scale Simulations Enabled by High Performance Computing 2006 Paper No. 2562 Dan M. Davis Information Sciences Institute, USC Marina del Rey, California Laurel K. Davis Apple Tree Services Culver City, California Summer L. Allen Science Applications Int’l. Corp. Alexandria, Virginia Large-scale intelligent agent simulations, enabled by high performance computing (HPC), have been effectively used by the Department of Defense for experimentation and analysis. The authors analyze their experiences in these and related areas, then present data and conclusions to support new applications of proven pedagogies to broaden the value of these capabilities across the areas of training and education. Over more than a decade, HPC has shown the ability to enable otherwise unattainable sizes of intelligent agent simulations, growing from small unit, to battlefield, to theater of war, and, finally, to global-scale operations. The techniques necessary to achieve these levels were imported and adapted from early supercomputing research in basic science projects at major universities. Among the insights from that research were the reductions of validity and utility suffered when constrained samples of the subject phenomena were simulated. This paper extends that concept into the discipline of education and demonstrates the putative desirability of having large-scale capabilities in the educational environment as well. The authors describe the available technologies for large-scale simulations,… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Embedded Multi-Modal Unmanned System Training 2006 Paper No. 2698 Dr. Peter Drewes CESI Orlando, FL Tim Roberts, Nicole Coeyman, Troy Dere, and Pat Garrity RDECOM-STTC Orlando, FL Ben Tirabassi Technology Engineering Research Inc. Freehold, NJ The US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Simulation and Training Technology Center (STTC) has been involved in researching tactical behaviors and multi-modal interfaces to control unmanned systems. This allows for higher level training and fielding capabilities. The unmanned systems of tomorrow will be integrated into individual and unit level operations and will require more resources than just tele-operation and remote piloting. This drives the need for advanced unmanned tactical behaviors and innovative command and control methodologies. Since many of the unmanned systems explored are not yet fielded, an embedded training approach was utilized to test the capabilities, limitations and doctrinal implications of the research. This supports not only the training, but potential operational community. The goals of this RDECOM-STTC funded research include multi-unit tactical operations, scalability limitations between the air and ground unmanned system domains, training effectiveness, and overall simulation efficiency to supplement live exercises. This US Army funded research explored the applicability of multi-level training of… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
An Integrated Model for Learning Object Reuse 2006 Paper No. 2469 John Huddlestone Cranfield University, UK Jonathan Pike Cranfield University, UK Learning object reuse is one of the major aspirations of e-learning specifications such as the Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM). Much work has gone into the technical framework for ensuring e-learning content is potentially reusable, however this is not sufficient to ensure that actual reuse can take place. This paper outlines an integrated reusability model which details the major considerations for enabling actual reuse of learning content within organisations. Key factors affecting the viability of learning content reuse are the properties of the learning object itself (structural reuse and contextual reuse); and the organisation’s preparedness to undertake learning object reuse (operational reuse and strategic reuse). Reusability at the structural level is determined by how the object has been technically engineered. Contextual reusability is determined by the applicability of a learning object to new learning events and the audience for those events. Operational reusability has dependencies on organisational culture, personnel, procedures and technology. Strategic reusability is a function of organisational strategy that may favour systematic or opportunistic reuse of objects, as well as how the organisation defines the potential market for learning objects. The integrated four-tier model is designed to aid organisations in evaluating the viability of implementing learning object reuse and determining the potential benefits, so that design for reuse efforts can be prioritised and focused effectively. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
SCORM Reuse: Current Reality, Challenges, and Best Practices 2006 Paper No. 2908 Jennifer Brooks, Paul Jesukiewicz Institute for Defense Analyses Alexandria, Virginia This paper documents the process and challenges with constructing a “patchwork” course comprised of multiple Sharable Content Objects (SCOs) with very different graphical user interfaces from each of the Department of Defense (DoD) Services. SCORM 1.2 SCOs received from the Services were converted to SCORM 2004, aggregated into multiple sample courses with different sequencing strategies, and tested on multiple SCORM 2004 Learning Management Systems (LMSs). The results of this paper will be used to inform the learning community of best practices and lessons learned for aggregating content objects from various organizations and contexts for delivery on any SCORM 2004 conformant LMS. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
SCO Sighs: Why ADL Won’t Say How Big SCOs Should Be 2006 Paper No. 2943 Eric J Roberts, William H Blackmon Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative Alexandria, VA The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative has not directly addressed the question of how big a sharable content object should be. This paper explains why that position has been taken, points out the undesirable consequences of dictating sharable content object (SCO) size, and offers an example of a useful SCO with no visible subject-matter content. Additionally, the paper presents a hierarchy of re-use possibilities and describes their implications for the conduct of instruction, the ADL-Registry, and the acquisitions procedures one might follow when contracting for new instructional materials. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Teaching Simulation to Non-Engineering Undergraduates: Systems Engineering and the West Point Way 2006 Paper No. 2549 MAJ Ernest Y. Wong, LTC Brigitte T. Kwinn United States Military Academy West Point, New York Established in 1802, the United States Military Academy (USMA) is considered to be America’s first college of engineering. Throughout its distinguished history, USMA has prided itself on developing undergraduates with engineering problem solving skills that enable them to thrive in a complex and ever-changing world. Today, however, less than half the cadets at West Point choose to major in the math, science, and engineering disciplines. Inspite of this seemingly critical development, every cadet who graduates from USMA still earns a Bachelor of Science degree. This is because the academic program is organized so all cadets receive a common core curriculum, regardless of their chosen major. Those who do not select an engineering-related major must augment the core curriculum with a three-course engineering sequence. As one of the five engineering sequences offered at West Point, Systems Engineering (SE) prepares cadets in applying the engineering design process towards analyzing, modeling, and solving complex large-scale problems. To acquaint them to the science of decision-making and indoctrinate them with a structured methodology for solving real-world problems, the SE sequence introduces cadets to computer simulations. Aimed to get them to think beyond the simple answers that they have become accustomed to in many of their introductory math and science classes, the simulation block of instruction requires cadets to demonstrate higher levels of cognitive mental functions—namely the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate as described in Bloom’s taxonomy. In this paper, we describe the active learning environment fostered by teaching Monte Carlo simulation, analyze the summative and formative feedback received from students enrolled in the course, and list the challenges associated with teaching simulation to undergraduates who may not view the material as being essential to their chosen…. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Effects of Age and Media Packaging on Designing Training Systems 2006 Paper No. 2705 W. Randall Koons Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) Alexandria, VA In today’s work place there are four distinct generations working side-by-side. Generational differences can be expressed in terms of visual media exposure. There are often disconnects between the Baby-boomers and the “Nintendo” generations. Training programs designed for learners under thirty, are often conceived and funded by decision-makers who are over fifty. During their formative years, these two groups had very different media exposure that shaped their expectations for the packaging of training systems. This paper will explore and contrast generational differences that result from exposure to media packaging when each group was under twenty; and how this influences the design, packaging, and funding of training programs today. For the under-thirty learners, exposure to an expanded array of media options has evolved a more visual and kinesthetic learning style. Understanding these changes and utilizing techniques from the advertising domain should improve the effectiveness of current and future training programs. Blending modeling and simulation with packaging and delivery techniques used in advertising and entertainment may result in the cost-effective creation of more compelling and engaging training, reducing learning time, while increasing comprehension and retention. Developing a better understanding of these generational differences is key in the design and funding of training systems. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
The Boomer-Millennial Convergence: Designing Instruction for the Learners of Tomorrow 2006 Paper No. 2986 Janice Ware and Rosemary Craft Vertex Solutions, Inc. Falls Church, VA The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Federal Government face a daunting challenge in the next decade as the American workplace rapidly changes. Within the next five years, an estimated 45% of public employees in the US will reach retirement age. While many will choose to leave the workforce, research indicates that a certain percentage of this primarily “Baby Boomer” generation intends to remain actively employed on either a full- or part-time basis. Meeting the learning requirements of this aging workforce will create new challenges within the learning community. Likewise, as Boomers leave the workforce, they will be replaced in increasing numbers by individuals from younger generations. And these new generations (known as Generation X and the Millennial generation) are very different generations from those that precede them. Many Gen Xers and virtually all Millennials have never known a world without PCs, computer games, email, the Internet, Instant Messaging, cell phones, PDAs and IPods. Technology has influenced how they learn and how they will function in the workplace. Meeting the learning requirements of these younger workers will add an additional level of complexity to the challenges faced by the learning community. What type of learning will be required in a workplace co-habited by Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials? How can technology be used to bridge the generation gap and meet the learning needs of these very different demographics? … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
COMMUNICATING COMPLEX INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNS TO DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS 2006 Paper No. 2682 Eddy Boot, Ph.D. TNO Human Factors Department of Training and Instruction Soesterberg, Netherlands Jan Kremer, Warrant-officer Royal Netherlands Air Force Royal Military School Air Force Woensdrecht, Netherlands The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) is introducing blended learning for their maintenance training of highly advanced technical systems. Blended learning environments should combine modern pedagogical approaches with state-of-the art e-learning technology. The instructional design for such blended learning solutions is mostly very complex. RNLAF officers that are responsible for the instructional design and managing the subsequent development process face the challenge of communicating this design, with all its pedagogical, technical, and organizational implications, to different stakeholders. Examples of stakeholders are managers that have to approve the design, producers that have to implement the design, or instructors and subject matter experts that want to validate the design and the subject matter information. The first reason of this problem is the need for different kinds of information for particular stakeholders, as these have different interests and therefore different expectations of the design documents. For example, instructors and instructional designers want to be informed about pedagogical implications, by means of textual and schematic descriptions. Also, producers want to be informed about the technical implications, by means of precise, formalized diagrams. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Using the Meaning Equivalence Method to Assess and Enhance Learning Outcomes 2006 Paper No. 2922 Kavita L. Seeratan, Ph.D. Pedagogical Science LLC Columbia, Maryland Training initiatives can be optimized if there is collaborative effort to simultaneously improve models of instruction and assessment design. Unless the content of assessment (what) and format of assessment (how) match what is taught and how it is taught, results are meaningless. Good assessments must mirror good instruction, and vice versa. Gathering meaningful, valid, accurate information about learners’ understanding and competencies before, during, and after training is crucial to planning further instruction. Current methods (e.g., multiple-choice) available for the assessment of learning are plagued with problems and often do not reveal depth of comprehension of the learned material. Frequently criticized for their heavy reliance on memory-based or procedural knowledge, they can also lead to instruction which stress basic knowledge and skills. This paper describes the design, development, application, and various evaluative implementations of a research-based assessment and instructional methodology designed to evaluate and enhance learners’ deep understanding of learned material. Discourse researchers propose that the ability to mentally represent a given meaning in a variety of ways is a pre-requisite for, and a marker of, deep comprehension. This premise underpins the new Meaning Equivalence (ME) Assessment and Instructional methodology. The ME method aims to assess deep comprehension of newly acquired concepts in a given content area by evaluating the learner's ability to recognize and produce multiple representations of content that encode equivalence-of-meaning. In addition, ME is also believed to allow learners to begin thinking in ways that promote deep processing and understanding, prerequisites for successful… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Team Training Task Analysis A Practical Expression of a Complex Problem 2006 Paper No. 3044 David Hutchings and Steve Hartley VEGA Group plc Fareham, Hampshire, UK From an operational perspective, the joining together of functionality across the military enterprise, usually by some form of connectivity such as information flow, is deemed to facilitate military outcomes, as evidence by such initiatives as the UK MoD’s Networked Enabled Capability. However, achieving success is underpinned by the need for an appropriate collective training environment, which flows from an expression of collective training need on which the training design is based. Expressions of individual training are well understood and paradigms for capturing and articulating skills and competencies at the level of the individual abound. However, the same cannot be said for capturing equivalent expressions at the collective or team level. Individuals that come together either as prescribed teams or increasingly in an ad hoc way, require to have the cognitive reference points that enable them, at both the individual and collective levels, to deal with situations as they arise in a way that delivers the required outcomes. The circumstance where individuals form teams by prescription or chance are not limited to a military environment but for the purposes of this paper, the context of capturing team/collective training expression is that pertaining to a military environment. Accordingly, emphasis within the paper is given to the term ‘training’ to accord with the lingua franca of military speak, whereas the term ‘learning’ would be equally valid but is more usually applied outside the military context. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Simulation experience Design Methods for Training the Forces to Think Adaptively 2006 Paper No. 2672 Elaine M. Raybourn Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, NM The present paper discusses the Simulation Experience Design method employed to create engaging learning environments for training U.S. Armed Forces to think adaptively. This design method is based on the notion that one’s total experience in the simulated environment, or crucible, is integral to the learning process. A “crucible” experience is a defining moment that unleashes abilities, forces crucial choices, and sharpens focus. Simulation Experience Design lies in purposefully weaving players’ interactions with all entities and variables in the simulation game environment in order to guide certain communication events to occur. The system of interactions executed in the simulation game guides players to experience the effects or consequences of behaving, responding, thinking, identifying, acting, and feeling in certain ways. The Simulation Experience Design Method focuses on creating problem-solving opportunities in open-ended, culturally relevant environments in which users build awareness of the problem domain, internalize strategic thinking and hypothesis building, discover their strengths and weaknesses, develop intercultural communication skills, and hone the perceptual sensitivity to confidently navigate complex phenomena. The examples referred to in this paper reflect a unique twist on the first-person shooter game engine that is nonviolent and adapted to train communication and interpersonal rapport building skills. In effect, a first-person shooter engine can be used to train non-kinetic engagements. Currently an instantiation of an adaptive training system employing the Simulation Experience Design Method… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Serious Games by Serious Instructional Designers 2006 Paper No. 2779 Jaime Henderson and Valerie Hainley Imedia.it, Inc. Houston, Texas The current buzz-word in the e-Learning community is game-based learning or serious games–games whose primary focus is education not entertainment. Until recently, much e-Learning consisted of page-turner lessons created in an attempt to fill the growing demand for online courses. However, e-Learning is moving beyond merely digitizing traditional classroom course content for online accessibility. These serious games are becoming the new model for e-Learning. A good game, including a serious game, consists of a story, a clear goal, a significant yet not impossible challenge, meaningful actions, and appropriate feedback all rolled up in an attention-getting package. A challenge for instructional designers in creating these serious games is changing our mindset from the traditional presentation of the lesson followed by testing to assess student comprehension. These lessons are typically in text format followed by a multiple choice test. Even when we try to jazz it up with graphics and interactivity, it is still the same old thing. In creating games, we need to move away from putting text on a screen to creating engaging learning experiences. So, how do we make the transition from instructional designers to serious game designers? What do instructional designers need to do differently? This paper describes the challenges and lessons learned in designing two game-based courses for the U.S. Army. We’ve had to adapt everything from storyboarding to the changing roles of the development team members. Instructional designers need to know how games work and how to keep the educational objective from being obscured by the entertainment and glitz of the game. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Harnessing Experiential Learning Theory to Achieve Warfighting Excellence 2006 Paper No. 2974 Dr. Ellen Menaker, Dr. Susan Coleman, Mr. Joe Collins, and Dr. Marci Murawski Intelligent Decision Systems, Inc. Centreville, VA New technologies have invigorated the need to understand and apply experiential learning theory in ways to optimize learning. Large financial investments are being devoted to high-fidelity games and simulations for the purpose of learning. Integration of experiential learning into computer-based learning, games, and simulations for learning offers a powerful strategy to achieve warfighting excellence. This paper contends that this strategy must be more than just offering the learner an environment to experience. This paper provides an overview of experiential learning theories and describes how science of learning research can be incorporated into designs that unleash the powerful combinations of new technologies and new understanding about learning. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Interagency Collaboration Produces Sharable Training 2006 Paper No. 2587 David G. Twitchell, Ph.D. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VHA/EES Salt Lake City, UT Rebecca Bodrero, M.S., M.B.A. Concurrent Technologies Corporation Bremerton, WA The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Employee Education System (EES) has launched a collaborative effort with their counterpart agencies in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy to develop reusable training content that demonstrates effective instructional design, high production quality, and applicability to multiple agencies. This effort is in direct support of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative and is proving the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®) concept. This paper summarizes efforts of the first two pilot training programs developed under this initiative, noting insights applicable to the ADL community and others involved in interagency cooperative efforts. The first course, dealing with the prevention and management of workplace violence, provides learners experience through scenario-based exercises. The second is a training program for Pharmacy Technicians. It is extensive in scope, preparing technicians for certification exams, and providing didactic, laboratory, and clinical training. Both programs are, or will be, developed to the SCORM® 2004 specification. The diversity of these two programs reveals critical success factors for the design, development, and management of SCORM-conformant training. At a course management level, this includes increasing the effectiveness of interactive collaborative efforts. At the course creation level, this includes the design of learning objects … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Distributed Medical Curricula Architecture 2006 Paper No. 2907 Judith Riess, PhD., Eric Allely, M.D. Tekamah Fairfax, VA H. Barbara Sorensen, PhD. US Air Force Research Laboratory Mesa, AZ The demands for tools and methods to strengthen remote medical management capabilities has been accelerated due to new operational threat environments and scarce medical resources. Critical voids in remote operational health care management prompted the development of tools to aid global first-responders in comprehensively evaluating medical situations through a distributive, deployable, protocol-driven training system Tools that distribute knowledge toaid first-responders in comprehensively evaluating a medical situation, guide the uniform collection and reporting of critical information, and provide a telemedicine clinical reach-back to medical experts are essential components of today's medical preparedness and response plans. The DMCA is designed to expand and strengthen existing capabilities by creating a dynamic, interactive, distributed architecture that takes full advantage of current best practices in information science. Designers of online learning systems have a wide variety of software tools and learning platforms at their disposal. However, many different vendor tools and platforms are not able to share learning resources and/or interoperate with each other. Software tools should support the learning objective, the standards, behavior and performance needed. The goal of the DMCA is: • To develop courses, scenarios, simulations and curriculum that provide skill based state-of-the-art training; … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Surgical Educators Incorporating Surgical Simulation Take Lessons from Flight Training 2006 Paper No. 2972 Marvin P. Fried, M.D. and Babak Sadoughi, M.D. Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, New York Conrad G. Bills, Ph.D., CPT Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training and Support Akron, Ohio Surgery and aviation are similar in enough ways that surgical educators developed an intense interest in the aviation paradigm of training. This paper will discuss these similarities and the lessons that surgical educators take for integrating simulation into surgical education and training. Virtual reality training has gained acceptance within the surgical community as a safe and valid method. However, practical implementation of surgical simulation in training programs remains an issue. The most pressing need is to design and validate simulators within many different specialties. The American College of Surgeons is interested in promoting surgical simulators by identifying targets for simulation; researching, writing, and implementing the plan for medical simulation training; and investigating sources of funding. The obstacle to success is bringing together the currently available knowledge and technology that achieve devices robust and fluid enough for the potential envisioned. Creating environments that can be hazardous, as achieved in flight training, is crucial to the training of the surgeon—patients cannot be placed at risk. The surgeon learning and development continuum begins with basic skills and then moves up the path to the most complex procedures, keeping in mind that performance and judgment are critical. An important adjunct to surgical simulation is building the patient-specific case library covering the full range of procedures with the many variations. Experiencing these cases in simulation along with the busy surgical residency exponentially increases the surgeon preparation opportunities within the same timeframe. The … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Implementing an Adaptive Learning Model through Dynamic Content Object Assembly 2006 Paper No. 2702 Cheryl Lowry, Ted Kula and Lee Kraus ManTech Fairmont, WV The focus of this paper is to discuss the application of an adaptive model for learner remediation based on the dynamic assembly of sharable content objects. The fundamental approach is to employ a combination of macro-adaptive and micro-adaptive learning strategies that enable learner control of remediation content in regard to poor-performance. The system leverages a repository of SCORM 2004-conformant content. The solution allows for pre-implementation categorization of learners, by establishing instructor-determined categories based on prior experience such as beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner. The system is designed to allow the instructor to establish a knowledge acquisition threshold based on post-implementation assessment performance. Then the system combines category classification and assessment performance to determine remediation content. If the learner, based on pre-established categorization, performs below the established threshold, the learning management system dynamically assembles a remediation “course” or learning experience based on the learning objects associated with the poor performance. In addition, the dynamically created course, based on learner categorization, embeds additional content objects that provide new context for the learner. This improves the instructional integrity of the new course assembly. Finally, the paper addresses a specific evaluation model for the effectiveness of the remediation model. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Simulation Representation using SCORM 2006 Paper No. 2868 Patrick S.Gallagher and Hasan Altalib SAIC McLean, VA In education, simulations have come to encompass children's simulation-games, curricula based on student modeling, lab simulations for science study to commercial and expensive flight simulators for teaching airline pilots how to fly. When targeted towards learning, well-designed simulations can have a high level of learning transference which is an ideal in education and training. Meaningful learning experiences require a partnership of tools used to represent meaningful problems where learning and activity are considered inseparable and learning is embodied in tool usage. One type of learning environment that supports meaningful learning is the simulation. However, to realize the effectiveness of broadly using simulations for online learning, shareable content objects (SCOs) and resources should support the complex interactions required. SCORM 2004 currently has robust affordances for online learning such as the sequence and navigation model that will allow flexibility in the design of learning interactions. However, it is not being used to support the integration of simulations as learning activities other than at the SCO level or in using external systems. It may be possible, however, to utilize these affordances along with specific SCO and asset typologies to begin designing and integrating simulations. To begin to understand the possibilities of this and other approaches, simulations need to be abstracted into a typology with specific characteristics and analyzed against various aspects of the SCORM to determine the best approach to SCORM-Simulation integration. This paper discusses the results of an initial analysis and analysis protocol development as well as the possible steps forward. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Mapping Intelligent Tutoring System Constructs to SCORM 2004 Data Structures 2006 Paper No. 2982 Michael K. Anthony, Alan R. S. Ashworth SRA International Inc, United States Air Force Research Laboratory San Antonio, Texas Over the last several years, the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) has evolved and improved significantly. Perhaps the most useful improvement to the SCORM is the addition of Simple Sequencing capabilities released with version 1.3 (SCORM 2004). Simple Sequencing has provided courseware developers with the tools necessary to design complex instructional systems such as those found in Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). Specifically, developers can now use Simple Sequencing to design courseware with complex branching to provide individualized instruction to target the learning needs of individual students. The purpose of this paper is to add to the knowledge base of the ADL community by explicitly mapping the constructs of typical ITS to the data structures in SCORM 2004. The mapping will provide a reference for those courseware developers accustomed to building intelligent, adaptive, or individualized training systems by providing an explicit mapping of ITS constructs (i.e. expert model, novice model, instructional approach) to the SCORM data structures. These concepts can be applied to and SCORM 2004 courseware development project. Subsequently, this paper will also address the difference in terminology between SCORM 2004 and that used by cognitive scientists and engineers who typically develop ITS. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Learning and Knowledge Management: Story Telling for Knowledge Capture 2006 Paper No. 2487 Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. National Institute of Aerospace Hampton, Virginia As defined in “The Knowledge Management Puzzle: Human and social factors in knowledge Management” by J. C. Thomas, W. A. Kellogg, and T. Erickson (IBM Systems Journal, http://www.research.ibm.com/journal) story telling can be a way “to foster creativity in individuals and groups, and they also provide a valuable way of presenting and communicating knowledge…particular stories can illustrate a specific point…in teaching the concepts of systems thinking…of mutual impact that people have on each other.” This story about the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Academy will present the systematic approach taken to gather the knowledge from a rapidly “graying” population of expert NESC engineers and scientists that were instrumental in the first NASA aerospace programs, and turn that knowledge, into computer information that is available and accessible to help the current generation with the new lunar program or other new NASA space initiatives. From an educational point-of-view, lessons learned and relayed by scientists and engineers from the past NASA program, help the current personnel with their thinking processes, problem solving on actual space-related technical engineering and scientific approaches, and performance results with those similar, present day events. The Academy has implemented the knowledge capture process for gathering the stories and has put them into several formats for sharing the information. This paper will discuss the use of interviews and story gathering for creating knowledge “snippets” that can be used for research, and supporting technical engineering positions. The paper will discuss application of this technique for other organizations faced with losing pertinent data from a rapidly “graying” population. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Discovering the Invisible: Using Tacit Knowledge to Develop Agile and Adaptive Leaders 2006 Paper No. 2524 Holly C. Baxter, Lisa M. Stevens Klein Associates A Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. Fairborn, OH LTC Joseph Koskey Deputy Director Battle Command Knowledge System Ft. Leavenworth, KS More than ever, the ability to share tacit knowledge and expertise is integral to today’s military. The asymmetric nature of our enemies is such that their tactics are ever changing, making it imperative that Soldiers adapt their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) by exploiting recent observations, insights, and lessons learned from theater to apply to relevant tailored training in order to become agile and adaptive leaders. Without effective knowledge management, these valuable lessons learned, TTPs, and best practices can go to waste, potentially putting lives at higher risk. One of the main problems is that tacit knowledge is difficult to capture. Tacit knowledge often involves skills so well learned and familiar that an expert may not even be consciously aware of using them in the course of performing difficult tasks or reacting to stressful situations requiring near instantaneous decisions. This knowledge is often so deeply embedded that it requires specially trained interviewers to get at the processes that Soldiers have difficulty articulating. Because this technique is costly and time-consuming, many organizations have tried to acquire tacit knowledge through other more affordable, yet less effective means. This study took an in-depth look at the challenges faced by over 50 Soldiers ranging from Squad Leaders to Corps Commanders during recent deployments to either Iraq or Afghanistan. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Training Novices and Experts: A Common Assessment Mechanism for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 2006 Paper No. 2737 Mary Ann Pigora, Theresa Tamash Applied Research Associates, Inc. Southeast Division, Orlando, FL Holly C. Baxter, PhD. Applied Research Associates, Inc Klein Associates Division, Fairborn, OH There are a number of assessment data models that support authoring of objective (question-based) tests. Many of these include an intelligent tutor that can present “hints,” remedial material presentation, or advanced placement, providing tailored feedback in a timely and cost effective manner. Developing effective assessment and decision support models in the “free play” environment of a simulation-based exercise is more difficult, and disparate assessment models can result in inconsistent training. Current research in Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) investigates the strategies people use in performing complex, ill-structured, and high-stakes tasks under time pressure, uncertainty, and in the context of organizational constraints. In many dynamic, uncertain, and fast-paced environments, there is no single right way to make decisions. Thus, the NDM approach typically studies experts to define quality decision making and describe good decision-making processes. This paper outlines an objective system to teach and assess these NDM skills, both for the individual and as a team. The goal of our system is to train an individual from novice level to expert starting with little or no exposure to the target domain. We will define our system in three phases: knowledge, skills, and abilities, to correlate with Bloom’s taxonomy of learning domains. In the knowledge stage, the novice gains understanding of the domain. In the skills stage, the trainee translates knowledge into behavioral demonstrations of the material. In the abilities stage, the trainee applies the skills to make decisions in a real world team environment with uncertainty,… organizational constraints. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Realistic Methods for Automated Coaching 2006 Paper No. 2782 Scott B. Shadrick, James W. Lussier U.S. Army Research Institute Fort Knox, KY Gene Wilson Northrop Grumman Fort Knox, KY The battlefields of the 21st century will rely on versatile, adaptive leaders to achieve situational dominance in highly dynamic environments. Adaptive battlefield thinking is a complex cognitive task that requires commanders to monitor the unfolding tactical situation for unanticipated events, identify key characteristics of the situation, and to determine the proper actions in response. Ensuring effective training will require innovative methods. One very promising solution is focused, deliberate training in the area of adaptive battlefield thinking. To meet the needs of the future battlefield, the Army has developed a theme-based Think Like a Commander training program. The training program utilizes eight themes of battlefield thinking that are thinking behaviors characteristic of high-level tactical experts. Evaluating the training during live, face-to-face instruction revealed significant performance gains even though the amount of time to perform the task was decreased with each exercise. The training method relies on coaching to increases the rate at which participants can improve their performance and to reduce the possibility of negative training. Training in a distributed or an embedded environment will often occur without the benefit of a live instructor or coach. While instructorless coaching has been successful for procedural level skills, it presents a challenge for cognitive skills. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Cognitive Transformation Theory: Contrasting Cognitive and Behavioral Learning 2006 Paper No. 2500 Gary Klein, Ph.D., Holly C. Baxter, Ph.D. Klein Associates, A Division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. Fairborn, OH The traditional approach to learning is to define the objectives (the gap between the knowledge a person has and the knowledge the person needs to perform the task), establish the regimen for practice, and provide feedback. Learning procedures and factual data is seen as adding more information and skills to the person’s storehouse of knowledge. However, this storehouse metaphor is poorly suited for cognitive skill, and does not address the differing learning needs of novices and experts. Teaching cognitive skills requires the diagnosis of the problem in terms of flaws in existing mental models, not gaps in knowledge. It requires learning objectives that are linked to the person’s current mental models. It requires practice regimens that may have to result in “unlearning” that enables the person to abandon the current, flawed mental models. It requires feedback that promotes sensemaking. We propose a Cognitive Transformation Theory to guide the development of cognitive skills. Finally, we present several strategies that might be useful in overcoming barriers to understanding and to revising mental models. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Using Deliberate Practice to Train Military-Civilian Interagency Coordination 2006 Paper No. 2785 Jeffrey M. Beaubien, Michael J. Paley, and Sibyl Badugu Aptima, Inc. Woburn, MA Scott B. Shadrick US Army Research Institute Fort Knox, KY Charles W. Ennis Jr., Steve Jacklin MPRI, Inc. Newport News, VA The Army has recently been called upon to lead numerous Support and Stability Operations (SASOs) to relieve suffering and help local authorities respond to crises. To be successful during SASOs, Army officers must effectively interact with their counterparts from other military, civilian, and non-profit organizations. This holds true for both foreign deployments in the global war on terror and domestic crises such as Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, current methods for training the crisis management skills that are required for success in SASOs are insufficient. Specifically, the Army’s current “train as you fight” focus – with its emphasis on unstructured practice in whole-task environments, and the use of costly, high-fidelity simulation – is an inefficient approach to training. While these types of experiences may help to reinforce the existing knowledge of experienced crisis managers, they will not transform a good crisis manager into an expert one. The Army needs to develop training that incorporates the principles of deliberate practice, especially at lower echelons of command. … This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
A Front-End Analysis Design for a Multi-position, Multi-Function Platform 2006 Paper No. 2899 Wendy R. Weeks and Frederick H. Stafford The Boeing Company Seattle, Washington Precious flight hours are saved when a training system is optimally designed to minimize the amount of training performed on the actual aircraft. This concept reduces the number of aircraft required to support training needs and translates into program cost savings. This is a major goal of the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) Training System. The primary mission of the P-8A MMA, which will replace the aging P-3 Orion, is ASW surveillance. Due to the changing needs of the war fighter, the mission for the P-8 has grown to include many other functions in additional to the maritime patrol duties. This paper highlights three key factors that make the P-8A front end analysis process successful. First, the paper describes how a Top Down Functional Analysis (TDFA) was conducted to identify the mission requirements of the P-8A. The TDFA is important to project success because it created a strong foundation for the training program design. Secondly, the paper describes how the training will be designed to connect the missions of the P-8A MMA to the training curriculum. Included in this explanation is a description of how the task analysis and curriculum development processes are being developed to support pilots, mission system operators, and maintainers. More specifically, the paper illustrates how tasks are selected for training, how learning models are evaluated and implemented, how learning taxonomies are assigned, and how media is selected for a multi-position crew, multi-function, training program. Finally, the paper discusses how a multi-discipline team can successfully engage in a collaborative, spiral… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Instructional Strategies for Exercise Manipulation in Distributed Mission Training 2006 Paper No. 2546 Susan Eitelman, Jerry Owens and Jennifer Fowlkes CHI Systems, Inc. Orlando, FL Melissa Walwanis Nelson NAVAIR Training Systems Division Orlando, FL Beth Wheeler Atkinson Jardon and Howard Technologies, Inc. Orlando, FL Distributed Mission Training (DMT) provides enhanced realism to simulation-based training events by involving numerous friendly and adversary forces. Given the added complexity of this environment, instructors in DMT environments have a cognitively-complex job that involves maintaining awareness of a vast amount of information, making rapid decisions, conducting performance diagnosis, executing actions to control the simulation, and developing AAR materials. The present work was an investigation to determine the strategies used by instructors to manage DMT exercises. The analysis provided insights regarding software tools that might alleviate the cognitive load imposed on instructors during DMT events. Both the scientific literature and current practices of DMT instructors were examined. The literature revealed little useful information regarding specific strategies and tools that instructors use to manage exercises and enhance training value but did provide insights regarding new ways to capture and represent essential aspects of DMT exercise manipulation. To assess current practices of instructors, interviews were conducted with seven instructors at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
THE USE OF AN OPEN SOURCE CMS IN MILITARY MAINTENANCE TRAINING 2006 Paper No. 2644 Dr. W.F.S. (Willem) Hylkema Royal Netherlands Air Force(RNLAF) Head of Training Policy Branch RNLAF The Hague, Netherlands Major Inge Hopland Royal Norwegian Air Force(RNoAF) Head of technology and learning section RNoAF Technical Training center Kjevik The Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Air Force have developed an Electronic Learning Environment for F-16 maintenance training, which takes full advantage of advanced learning technology. Central in the blended learning environment is a course management system (CMS). We will discuss the differences between closed / commercial software source (CSS) and open source software (OSS) for e-learning systems. It appears that OSS has some distinct advantages, the most important are availability of source code, supplier independency and flexibility and freedom. Both Air Forces have chosen to start with a try-out with an open source CMS called Moodle. We have distinguished five key issues to be tested in the try-out. The first issue is related to security: ‘Is it possible to provide military maintenance training safely on the Internet?’ The second issue is related to use of different learning models: ’Is it possible to develop and implement both individual training and team training by means of the Moodle CMS? The third issue is related to the development of didactical templates: ‘Is it possible to use an open, constructivist approach in which learning tasks are central to learning, and still use pre-structured templates to promote efficient content development?. The fourth issue is related to the integration of different training media in the design: ‘Is it possible to combine traditional e-learning modules with the Air Forces synthetic F16 maintenance environment?’… This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.
Understanding Adult Resistance to Learning 2006 Paper No. 2522 Patricia Froggett Unaffiliated Alexandria, VA Under certain circumstances, and with appropriate trigger mechanisms, adult learners may indulge in hostile classroom behaviors through which they resist learning, encourage others to do the same, and even engage in a direct, intentional, hostile attack upon the instructor. Hostile, deliberate, overt resistance to learning is very real, different from motivation, and rarely discussed. It is a significant problem in the field of adult learning, yet has received scant direct attention in the literature, despite its prevalence, high cost, and clear relevance to policy and practice. This paper describes the dynamic interactions among instructor and adult students in classroom learning environments, identifies the major relevant issues in play, and discusses each as potential causes of hostile resistance to learning. Learning is a process of change, and as such involves feelings of uncertainty and ambiguity, which create discomfort. Issues of power and control may arise, accompanied by power plays employed by manipulative people. Perceptual filters are used by the participants as mechanisms to interpret meaning and select appropriate responses are described. These filters vary by such factors as race, culture, gender, and life experiences. The participants react to the challenge of learning, in ways consistent with their behavioral predispositions, the degree of threat they perceive, and their personal views regarding their responsibility and ability to control their own life events. Participants’ responses often include hostile, overt refusal to assimilate or even consider the learning material. The practitioner will be engaging in a dynamic assessment of the learning experience as it unfolds, gauging results so as to be able to adjust factors under the instructor’s control, such as pace and style. The process does not end there, as the practitioner continuously engages in a reflective process of self-questioning concerning the progress and status of the learning activity. This paper is available on the 2006 I/ITSEC CD ROM. Order it from I/ITSEC'S Website.