Cognitive Technology Extends the Work Environment and Accelerates Learning in Complex Jobs.
Abstract
Instructional technology that is grounded in cognitive theory is used as the medium to accelerate the acquisition ot complex problem solving skills. The use of an intelligent tutoring system to teach troubleshooting literally expands the learning environment by providing a simulated representation of the actual work environment where trainees work a graded series of troubleshooting scenarios. Scenarios are sequenced t9 promote successive approximations of mature practice as trainees work more and more difficult problems in the 'forgiving' tutor environment, where they learn by doing and reflecting on their own solution vis-a-vis an exemplar master solution. In a controlled experiment, experimental apprentice subjects outperformed their control counterpart on the two Verbal Troubleshooting Posttests (t39= -4.04, p = .000; t39 = -3.72, p = .001) and on the paper and pencil posflest (r39 = -2.77, p = .009). After tutoring, scores obtained by apprentice subjects (having about 3 years' AF experience) rivaled those of Master technicians having over 10 years' experience in F 15 avionics maintenance. The dramatic results are attributed to (a) cognitive models as input to instruction; (b) the sequence of instructional events; (c) situated learning in a constructivist instructional environment, and (d) the sociology surrounding the learning system. Topics (c) and (d) are discussed with special attention. (AN)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA303597
Entities
People
- Sherrie P. Gott
Organizations
- Armstrong Laboratory