Since 1990, the attrition rate of U.S. Navy recruits has increased significantly. While psychological disorders are the most significant cause of attrition for females, males separate primarily for disciplinary and legal offenses. Naval training experts have long realized that academic difficulties are often manifested in problem behaviors that lead to separation. The Navy also recognizes that their operational and training environments are male-dominated, and there is a growing concern that gender integration in training has not been appropriately addressed. To stem attrition, maximize the acculturation process, and align training to address Fleet requirements, the Navy is developing and testing new instructional strategies and pedagogical practices.

The objective of this research effort was to increase the academic success of female recruits in a technical aspect of recruit training, where historically female recruits have performed less satisfactorily than male recruits have. A multimedia Interactive Courseware (ICW) instructional intervention called the Advanced Organizer (AO) was developed and tested in the context of firefighter training, to provide a structure for acquiring and storing technical material. The AO utilizes an intelligent tutoring strategy, where behaviors which reflect a student's cognitive learning style are identified and accommodated.

Data was collected at the Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, with over 1,000 recruits participating in the study. Results indicate that the AO decreased stress and made a significantly positive impact on the academic success of both male and female recruits.

This project was funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland.