Job-Specific or General Training: A Quantitative Assessment

Abstract

This work introduces a framework for developing job-specific training as well as training that is useful across operational contexts by combining 2 theories of training design: identical elements and general principles. Thirty-six participants were assigned to 1 of 3 training conditions, 2 utilizing identical elements (pilot training and flight dispatcher training) and 1 utilizing general principles. Training effectiveness was measured by participants' scores on operational tasks completed after training. Participants in both identical elements training groups exhibited significantly higher scores on tasks related to their training, suggesting that identical elements benefit job-specific training. The general principles training group performed well on flight dispatcher tasks, but did not perform well on pilot tasks, a result that suggests general principles are beneficial in some situations but may best be utilized in combination with job-specific training.