Experts appear to master the art of critical thinking in troubleshooting. It's as if they have a mental model of the system etched on the inside of their forehead. How can this mental model be transferred to the novice? Through carefully crafted multimedia courseware and free-play simulations, novices can match wits with the expert in a delivery environment that doesn't require either expensive expert systems software development nor complex hardware simulators. Preliminary training results from a 200-plus hour program suggest that interactive multimedia courseware may produce results approaching both of those methods, with substantially lower development and delivery costs. Small-group tryout results from 21 courses developed by Allen Communication for Air Force maintenance technicians show a 25% aggregate increase in knowledge, and a striking 79% aggregate leap in the ability to successfully apply expert troubleshooting strategies to simulated problems.
The mental models of experts, the sequence of troubleshooting actions they perform, and their reasoning have been captured using cognitive task analysis methods and used as the basis of courseware design. Experts' mental models form the foundation of the tutorials that comprise approximately 70% of the courseware. Their performance on complex troubleshooting problems is the basis of the simulated troubleshooting scenarios. Combining this detailed cognitive task analysis with high-impact motivational video, focused in-depth tutorials that directly depict the mental models of experts, and extensive free-play simulations, this F-15/F-16 Maintenance Continuation Training Program won the 1993 Nebraska Interactive Media Award for the most significant achievement in the Government/Military category and an Intermedia Invision Bronze Medal.
The author will present an overview of the methods used to design and develop these simulation-focused multimedia courses, including: knowledge engineering, design, programming, and evaluation. Courseware samples will be demonstrated and preliminary results reported.