This document provides a listing of findings and issues resulting from an overview of current Army institutional training and, from the perspective and constraints of Army training, an overview of current learning theory and science. Findings and issues are categorized as "policy issues" and "research issues." Policy issues, such as training scheduling and availability or quality of training technology, are presented as items with relatively straightforward, direct potential solutions that can be analyzed and considered for adoption by Army institutional training management. Research issues, such as modifying training to address far transfer or integrating problem-centered instructional approaches into Army training, are presented as items with no direct solutions and that are suitable for further investigation, ranging from basic research in training and education to development and assessment of prototype Army training and education products. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Army institutional training; transfer of training; learning science; learning theories; Army training transformation; Army distributed learning SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF 19.
The purpose of the present research was to inform training developers of the instructional approaches that are most effective in achieving cognitive skill proficiency for problem-based, decision-making/analyzing tasks. Prototype training modules were developed and used in experiments to determine the effects of three different instructional approaches [inquiry-based learning (IBL), direct instruction (DI), and the Invention Framework (IF)] on student outcomes. However, due to the small sample sizes across the three experiments, the results of this research should be considered a pilot effort. Therefore, the contribution of the research is best reflected in the reporting of the instructional design and methodology of each approach as well as an indication of the advantages and disadvantages of using these approaches for US Army training. Further research is needed to determine the validity of the approaches for training a range of tasks under various training and transfer conditions. Future research should draw from the training presented here and develop additional exemplars of each approach that can be further demonstrated and evaluated. The software for the IF approach and full slide packets for the DI and IBL approaches are freely available by contacting the first author of this report at the above address. 15. SUBJECT TERMS problem-centered learning, inquiry based learning, invention framework, direct instruction, training, tactical-level planning, cognitive skill, junior officers SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF 19. LIMITATION OF 20. NUMBER
Publicly available Massive Multi-Player Games (MMPG) allow multiple individuals to work together in simulated situations. To meet complex game objectives, users must exhibit high degrees of coordination. This is similar to the types of interactions required for effective coordination in military team environments, and this resemblance has not gone unnoticed. DARWARS is an initiative that aims to support a diverse array of distributed simulation-based military instruction, including those that allow large numbers of participants to interact in on-line virtual worlds. In effect, MMPGs are being considered as platforms for future training. In this paper, we describe a framework and evaluate a preliminary methodology for training teamwork skills (e.g., information exchange, teammate monitoring) in an MMPG environment. Data collected from a field exercise of 40 infantry soldiers suggests that MMPGs are capable of training teamwork skills in distributed environments. Based on the results of this exercise, we provide practice-oriented guidelines for using MMPGs as a training tool, and offer some suggestions for future research into effective performance measurement paradigms in this environment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.