Effects of checklist interface on non-verbal crew communications

The investigation looked at the effects of the spatial layout and functionality of cockpit displays and controls on crew communication. Specifically, the study focused on the intra-cockpit crew interaction, and subsequent task performance, of airline pilots flying different configurations of a new electronic checklist, designed and tested in a high-fidelity simulator at NASA Ames Research Center. The first part of this proposal establishes the theoretical background for the assumptions underlying the research, suggesting that in the context of the interaction between a multi-operator crew and a machine, the design and configuration of the interface will affect interactions between individual operators and the machine, and subsequently, the interaction between operators. In view of the latest trends in cockpit interface design and flight-deck technology, in particular, the centralization of displays and controls, the introduction identifies certain problems associated with these modern designs and suggests specific design issues to which the expected results could be applied. A detailed research program and methodology is outlined and the results are described and discussed. Overall, differences in cockpit design were shown to impact the activity within the cockpit, including interactions between pilots and aircraft and the cooperative interactions between pilots

Un-constraining the medium: design software systems to support situated action

This dissertation is concerned with Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) and in particular with ways in which insights from ethnomethodology can be melded into the design of CSCW systems—a relationship that has been labelled technomethodology. The dissertation outlines a number of possible ways in which system design can learn from ethnomethodology and concentrates on one particular aspect—namely that CSCW should look closely at its foundational assumptions and, if necessary, re-specify any concepts which appear problematic in their formulation. [Continues.

Distributed Problem Based Learning in a Low Resources Setting: The design and evaluation of a problem-based, web-based curriculum for training family doctors in Brazil

__Abstract__ This thesis explored the use of distributed PBL in health professional education in a low-resources context. Three central questions were studied in this thesis: (a) Is distance education an acceptable educational strategy to train family health professionals in the State of Ceará under their perspective? (b) How do family health doctors appreciate a dPBL course that was developed for them? (c) How effective is this curriculum to achieve its purposes in terms of enhancement of medical knowledge and diagnostic skills? In order to address the first question we conducted a study with 209 family health professionals. A cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires was carried out. The findings showed that the respondents had positive perceptions and attitude towards DE and were motivated to participate in a DE course. To address the second central research question we conducted a comprehensive programme evaluation study with 42 family doctors who had participated in the course “Clinical Approach for Elderly People with Dementia” from the participants’ perspective. In general, the results indicated that the competence-based approach for curriculum design was adequate for our proposal and that the course was highly appreciated by the respondents. The third research question was addressed by a quasi-experimental study aiming at evaluating the effectiveness of the dPBL course to enhance knowledge and diagnostic skills on dementia. We used a pretest–posttest control group design in the study. The results showed significant effects of the course on participants’ knowledge and diagnostic skills