Improving decision-making skills through on-the-job training: A roadmap for training shipboard trainers.

Abstract

As the size of the active Navy changes in response to the evolving world situation, and as force structure is realigned in response to new visions of the Navy's missions, readiness becomes increasingly important. Readiness for the Navy's missions depends largely on effective training.In the future, more training will be accomplished afloat (i-e., shipboard) than has been the case in recent decades. The capability of shipboard personnel to conduct training will become increasingly critical.Much afloat training is conducted using a team approach. Organized shipboard training teams, such as damage control training teams (DCrlYr), engineering casualty control training teams (ECC'M'), and combat systems training teams (CSTT), are responsible for preparing ships' personnel to accomplish their roles under all conditions (see SmithJentsch, Zeisig, Acton, & McPherson, chap. 11, this volume). Highly qualified watchstanders or supervisors are normally assigned as members of training teams.Afloat training teams are responsible not only for ongoing training of current team members but also for integrating new team members into shipboard teams. Newly assigned personnel-who may or may not have previously received team training-must be prepared to fill their roles on teams.Whereas training team members are generally highly qualified technical experts in their occupational specialties, they may not have all of the skills needed to conduct training for a team, as a member of a training team. Many skills acquired in other instructional settings may transfer to the afloat team training situation, but added skills are often needed for personnel to function effectively as afloat trainers.The main goal of this chapter is to summarize research that identifies critical skills for shipboard trainers. A secondary goal is to describe desirable characteristics of training to develop afloat trainers in their roles as trainers. Finally, the characteristics of a candidate training program to 345

Training for Effective Human Supervisory Control of Air and Missile Defense Systems

“…It worked for me, and it'll work for them." Roth (1998) remarks emphatically that job performance and unit experience do not imply instructional competence. Training and learning are serious, technical activities.…”

“…Consideration must also be given to the teaching ability of potential instructors. Roth (1998) cautions, for example, that system experience is not a guarantor of effective instructional capability. Also, Norman (1993) cites results indicating that a course's reputation is a major determinant of trainee motivation.…”