SBIR-STTR Award

To improve operational readiness for USN personnel while simultaneously reducing training cost and time, a need exists to improve training efficiency by improving the human computer interface (HCI) in the Electronic Classroom TECH REACH Inc. will develop and demonstrate a new automated HC1 that assesses an individual's preferred modes of information access (viz., visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) and adapts the training material to the individual student's learning profile. This HC1 represents a true advancement in the state-of-the-art of computer based training (CBT), by emulating the way a skilled instructor efficiently presents material adapted to meet the needs of individual students. New full screen interactive video hardware, under development by Paragon Technologies, Inc., will also be incorporated in a prototype. TECH REACH Inc. will be assisted by consultants from the Pennsylvania State University Computer Based Education Laboratory (CBEL). TECH REACH Inc. has proven experience in developing new computer based training, intelligent computer aided instruction (ICAI), job performance aids/subperformance aids, electronic technical reference (ETR), and individual computer based training courseware for DoD and USN operations and for the commercial sale. TECH REACH Inc.'s team includes experienced CBT researchers, instruction designers, and USN experienced training specialists.

Keywords:
Intelligent Interface Computer Based Training Multimedia Training

During Phase I, a new concept was introduced by Tech Reach, Inc. for improved computer assisted training. The concept involves recognizing and adapting to students information access mode preference to meet the information needs of students (e.g., emphasizing aural, visual, or kinesthetic interaction and termediation). This can be used in either a stand-alone environment involving individual students of in an electronic classroom environment, such as NAVSEA~~~s Automated Electronics Classroom. The objectives of Phase II id to quantitatively test the hypothesis that computer assisted training, which adapts to the information access needs of individual students, will significantly improve training effectiveness while reducing training time and costs. Tech Reach, Inc. will design, implement, test, and evaluate a prototype CBT system which presents material in three formats (emphasizing aural, visual, and kinesthetic presentations of course subject matter). A test instrument will be developed which accurately determined a student~~~s most effective learning mode based on information about a student~~~s preference and personality characteristics. A statistically significant experimental will be conducted utilizing a population of over 300 Penn State University (PSU) ROTC students and 400 other adult learners. Assistance will be provided by consultants from the PSU Statistical Consulting Center and the Department of Psychology.

Keywords:
Computer Assisted Learning Adaptive Learning Multimedia Training Human Computer Interfaces Intellige