Computer-based Training Environments Research Articles

Behaving socially with a virtual human role-player in a simulated counseling session

Visual attention is an essential social element in face-to-face conversations between people. The Army is now using virtual environments with virtual human role-players to provide for the development and practice of leader counseling skills. While literature indicates that virtual humans positively impact learning outcomes, this research contributes to the understanding of how people interact with virtual humans. Specifically, the research investigates a person’s social behavior toward a virtual human in a simulated counseling session. Utilizing a computer-based training environment, this research tracked visual attention toward and acceptance of a virtual human role-player by 120 military counselors. Behavior moderators included attentional influences on the counselor from the level of expression and full-body or close-up views of the virtual human. Results indicate trainees do practice appropriate social attention when the virtual human is speaking. Results also indicate counselors attended to an active more than a static full-body view indicating there is value in nonverbal communication channels. Switching from a full-body to a close-up view did not result in significant changes of the counselor’s visual attention. Further, the research indicates switching views may undermine the perception of a natural interaction. Counselors considered the experience useful. The research suggests study and design considerations to enhance future social skills training environments.

Построение автоматной модели обучения в компьютерных обучающих средах

Построение автоматной модели обучения в компьютерных обучающих средах

Modelling environmental and cognitive factors to predict performance in a stressful training scenario on a naval ship simulator

Professionals working in risky or emergency situations have to make very accurate decisions, while the quality of the decisions might be affected by the stress that these situations bring about. Integrating task feedback and biofeedback into computer-based training environments could improve trainees' stress-coping behaviour. This paper presents and assesses a refined version of the cognitive performance and error (COPE) model that describes the effects of stressful events on decisions as a foundation for such a support tool. Within a high-fidelity simulator of a ship's bridge at the Royal Netherlands Naval College, students of the naval college (n = 10) were observed while completing a 2-h-long shadowing and boarding operation combined with a search-and-rescue operation. For every action, variables were measured: objective and subjective task demand, challenge and threat appraisal, and arousal based on heart rate and heart rate variability. The data supported the COPE model and were used to create predictive models. The variables could provide minute-by-minute predictions of performance that can be divided into performance rated by experts and errors. The predictions for performance rated by experts correlated with the observed data (r = 0.77), and 68.3 % of the predicted errors were correct. The error predictions concern the chances of making specific errors of communication, planning, speed, and task allocation. These models will be implemented into a real-time feedback system for trainees performing in stressful simulated training tasks.

Computer Based Training and Multimedia Design: The Role of Spatial Aptitudes in Learning

The present study manipulated both the technology (Microsoft PowerPoint® versus Macromedia Director®) and the design (Text Priming versus No Text Priming) in a computed-based training multimedia environment. The study investigated trainees' spatial aptitude and how it interacted with computer-based training design. The specific computer-based training environment employed in this experiment was based on presenting the principles of flight to naïve participants. A multifaceted knowledge test was developed to assess different levels of knowledge integration. Overall, results suggest that technology type did not play an important role in knowledge acquisition. Priming type also did not show significant effects; however, when factoring trainees' spatial ability, significant aptitude-treatment interactions emerged. We discuss these findings as they relate to computer-based training multimedia paradigms.

Investigating Individual Differences and Instructional Efficiency in Computer-Based Training Environments

This study assessed the extent to which a guided learner-generated questioning strategy could facilitate the acquisition of task-relevant knowledge and improve the instructional efficiency of a computer-based training program for a complex dynamic distributed decision-making task. This study also investigated how individual differences in verbal comprehension ability may interact with this instructional strategy to impact post-training outcomes. Overall, results highlighted the importance of learner aptitudes in complex task training and also showed that the effect of the instructional strategy on knowledge acquisition and the training programa” instructional efficiency was strongest for learners with low verbal comprehension ability. Implications for the design of adaptive learning systems are discussed

Using Guided Learner-Generated Instructional Strategies to Transform Learning into a Constructive Cognitive and Metacognitive Activity

Successful learning outcomes in learner-controlled, computer-based training environments are inherently dependent upon learners' possession of well-developed metacognitive skills, that is, how well learners are able to accurately monitor and regulate their knowledge acquisition process. The present study explored the effectiveness of embedding a guided learner-generated instructional strategy (query method), designed to support learners' cognitive and metacognitive processes, within the context of computer-based complex task training. In terms of cognitive processes, results showed that incorporating the query method into the training resulted in improved integration and application of task-relevant knowledge, as indicated by greater similarity to an expert model of the domain and better performance on an integrative transfer task. With regard to metacognitive processes, the query method may have also assisted participants in more accurately monitoring their comprehension, as indicated by their significantly lower bias scores. Results are discussed in the context of designing adaptive learning systems.

Scaffolding cognitive and metacognitive processes in low verbal ability learners: Use of diagrams in computer-based training environments

This study investigated how instructionalstrategies can support learners' knowledgeacquisition and metacomprehension of complexsystems in a computer-based trainingenvironment, and how individual characteristicsinteract with these manipulations. Incorporating diagrams into the trainingfacilitated performance on measures ofintegrative knowledge (i.e., the integrationand application of task-relevant knowledge),but had no significant effect on measures ofdeclarative knowledge (i.e., mastery of basicfactual knowledge). Diagrams additionallyfacilitated the development of accurate mentalmodels (as measured via a card sorting task)and significantly improved the instructionalefficiency of the training (i.e., higher levelof performance was achieved with less mentaleffort). Finally, diagrams effectivelyscaffolded participants' metacognition,improving their metacomprehension accuracy(i.e., their ability to accurately monitortheir comprehension). These beneficial effectsof diagrams on learners' cognitive andmetacognitive processes were found to bestrongest for participants with low verbalability. Results are discussed in terms ofimplications for the design of adaptivelearning systems.

Lifelong training with Vincent, a web-based pedagogical agent

In this paper, we address the problem of endowing a web-based training environment (TEMAI) with a synthetic pedagogical agent. TEMAI was built to support, via the web, a small part of a training course for workers in the footwear industry. The architecture of TEMAI combines four modules a set of micro-learning environments, a trainee model, learning material and Vincent - the pedagogical agent. To help the trainees, we created a synthetic character whose job is to foster the learning process, motivating the trainees in each session. Vincent combines a set of sensors and actors that establish message-based communication with the micro-learning environments while gathering information about trainee performance. Vincent has an anthropomorphic screen representation featuring four emotional attitudes sad, happy, disappointed and impatient. These attitudes combined with spoken utterances motivate the trainee to achieve better performance. TEMAI was evaluated by trainees in shoe making factories in the North of Portugal (S. Joao da Madeira). The results showed a small improvement in the trainees' performance after just six sessions. These results highlight the importance of pedagogical agents in on-the job computer-based training environments.

Dynamic characteristics of mental models and dynamic visual displays

Mental models are hypothetical constructs for explaining human cognitive processes of understanding external reality, translating the reality into internal representation and utilizing it in problem solving. Three experiments were conducted to investigate important characteristics of mental models, their influence on task performance, and instructional strategies facilitating their formation. The experiments were conducted in computer-based training environments designed to teach troubleshooting electronic logic circuits. The results suggested: (a) dynamic characteristics of mental models are important for solving problems if understanding functional behaviors of the system is required to perform the task; (b) dynamic characteristics of mental models are determined primarily by subjects' understanding of the system features and functions more than by the visually presented training contents of the system; and (c) motion simulating system functions in visual displays is more effective than static visual displays in facilitating the formation of dynamic characteristics of mental models. Consequently, dynamic visual displays are more effective than static visual displays for teaching electronic troubleshooting skills. These findings provide direct implications for the development of training programs.