Serious gaming for adaptive decision making of military personnel

The importance of improving adaptive decision making for the military is ever increasing, particularly in operational environments that are unfamiliar, complex, and constantly changing. This paper presents the development and testing of a serious game for training military officers in adaptive decision making. Participants were to detect rule changes in the game world, and to adjust their decisions in accordance with these changes. In an explorative study, the effectiveness of the game was tested by using in-game and outgame measures. The findings on the in-game measure suggest that the game helps participants to detect rule changes and to adapt their decision making. Despite this effect, participants' cognitive flexibility did not increase based on the findings on the out-game measures. Discussions, future directions, and training implications for the Defense organization are described

Self-Directed Learning in Adaptive Training Systems: A Plea for Shared Control

In the field of aviation, air traffic controllers must be able to adapt to and act upon continuing changes in a highly advanced technological work environ- ment. This position paper claims that explicit training of self-directed learning skills (i.e. the ability to: formulate own learning needs, set own learning goals, and identify learning tasks that help to achieve personal learning goals) is important for future professionals in aviation. In this paper, we present an adaptive training system in which the system and trainee share control over learning task selection and which can help trainees to develop their self- directed learning skills

Impact of future time-based operations on situation awareness of air traffic controllers

Abstract-A time-based operation, as planned in the ATM future, is assumed to affect the controllers' Situation Awareness (SA) due to a higher priority of meeting a time objective and increasing automation. This paper provides SA requirements on the design of controller support tools in time-based operations, based on a short literature review and an empirical study executed at Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). LVNL´s future ATM system requires an improved punctuality at the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) to enable Continuous Descent Approaches (CDAs) in the Schiphol TMA. A ground-based Speed and Route Advisor (SARA) tool has been designed to help Area Control (ACC) controllers with achieving a higher punctuality. A future follow-up for SARA could be an air-ground agreed Controlled Time of Arrival (CTA). The SARA real-time experiment results showed that this tool definitely decreases the controllers' workload (R/T load, inputs), while the target of a higher accuracy at IAF was met. The findings have also pointed at two major impacts on the controllers' SA as expected from the literature. First, controllers are currently more focusing on distance than on time in forming a mental picture of the traffic situation. This changes their working strategies in sequencing traffic and solving conflicts. Second, increasing automation (cf. SARA advisories) could be in conflict with the controllers' own plan of traffic handling. They could loose a certain 'feeling of control' and ultimately their SA. This refers to the 'out-of-theloop' problem of automation. However, there was a strong learning effect already after a few experimental sessions. This suggests that a gradual implementation and training will certainly help supporting a smooth introduction. Moreover, the impact on SA appears to depend on the specific design (e.g. Human Machine Interface (HMI), separation responsibility, quality of advisories). The resulting set of SA requirements on the design of such controller support tools should be addressed in future developments of time-based operations in ATM

Preparing Residents Effectively in Emergency Skills Training with a Serious Game

Introduction Training emergency care skills is critical for patient safety but cost intensive. Serious games have been proposed as an engaging self-directed learning tool for complex skills. The objective of this study was to compare the cognitive skills and motivation of medical residents who only used a course manual as preparation for classroom training on emergency care with residents who used an additional serious game. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study with residents preparing for a rotation in the emergency department. The "reading" group received a course manual before classroom training; the "reading and game" group received this manual plus the game as preparation for the same training. Emergency skills were assessed before training (with residents who agreed to participate in an extra pretraining assessment), using validated competency scales and a global performance scale. We also measur

Procedural Control in ATC Selection Tests to Predict Situational Awareness

At LVNL we have developed a new selection system, called DATCOSS, which should contribute to a higher output of qualified controllers from training. Two job sample tests are part of this selection system, specifically designed to measure the candidate’s potential for Situational Awareness by using simplified procedural control tasks. Grading takes half a day while AAPRO is a selective training module of five weeks. We examined the psychometric quality of both tests and the predictive validity of Grading for AAPRO. We may conclude that SA is sufficiently measured in the two job samples and that Grading results are rather predictive for performance in AAPRO. We made a start with analyzing predictive validity in relation to training success; this will be further examined in the near future

Analysis of Learning Curves: Evaluation of Assessment in Atc Training

This paper describes the analysis of learning curves as part of the evaluation of a competence-based assessment system designed for air traffic control (ATC) simulator and on-the-job training (OJT) at LVNL. This system should contribute to an increased output from training by making learning processes more effective and efficient. Learning curves were derived from assessment results obtained in training. Patterns and individual differences in learning should be recognized in these (recalibrated) learning curves if the assessment system is well-designed, needed for adequate feedback and interventions. We divided the trainees into three groups and we compared their learning curves with patterns of prototypical learning curves. Next, we analysed differences in development of competences. The results show that the assessment system represents patterns and individual differences in learning adequately

Competence-Based Assessment Design for Air Traffic Control Training

Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulator and on-the-job training (OJT) requires a valid and reliable assessment system. Competence-based assessment results in more effective learning processes, better pass/fail decisions and improved selection criteria which may contribute to an increased output of competent controllers from training. This paper describes the design of the assessment system in use by Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL)

Competence-Based Assessment Design for Air Traffic Control Training

Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulator and on-the-job training (OJT) requires a valid and reliable assessment system. Competence-based assessment results in more effective learning processes, better pass/fail decisions and improved selection criteria which may contribute to an increased output of competent controllers from training. This paper describes the design of the assessment system in use by Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL)

Preparing Residents Effectively in Emergency Skills Training With a Serious Game

INTRODUCTION: Training emergency care skills is critical for patient safety but cost intensive. Serious games have been proposed as an engaging self-directed learning tool for complex skills. The objective of this study was to compare the cognitive skills and motivation of medical residents who only used a course manual as preparation for classroom training on emergency care with residents who used an additional serious game. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study with residents preparing for a rotation in the emergency department. The “reading” group received a course manual before classroom training; the “reading and game” group received this manual plus the game as preparation for the same training. Emergency skills were assessed before training (with residents who agreed to participate in an extra pretraining assessment), using validated competency scales and a global performance scale. We also measured motivation. RESULTS: All groups had comparable important characteristics (eg, experience with acute care). Before training, the reading and game group felt motivated to play the game and spent more self-study time (+2.5 hours) than the reading group. Game-playing residents showed higher scores on objectively measured and self-assessed clinical competencies but equal scores on the global performance scale and were equally motivated for training, compared with the reading group. After the 2-week training, no differences between groups existed. CONCLUSIONS: After preparing training with an additional serious game, residents showed improved clinical competencies, compared with residents who only studied course material. After a 2-week training, this advantage disappeared. Future research should study the retention of game effects in blended designs