Good instruction should be effective, efficient, and engaging (e3) and be based on tasks that fit together to solve real-world problems. However, more often than not, only two priorities can be accomplished at the expense of the third. On the other hand, from surgeons to teachers to warfighters, performance is more complex and more scrutinized than ever. While the systematic design of instruction (SDI) supports the creation of training programs that can move many performers to certifiable competence, it has less to offer the progression from competence to proficiency and expertise. Although enabling effective, efficient, and engaging learning is a priority concern for practitioners and researchers in many performance domains, it remains a constant challenge for instructional designers to create training programs that accomplish all three and at the same time accelerate the development of performers to higher levels of expertise.

This tutorial addresses this challenge. It provides an overview of the systematic design of instruction components as well as expertise studies, specifically the findings from Naturalistic Decision-Making research. The presentation will review the cognitive aspects of learning (such as diagnosis, sensemaking, decision-making, and immediate feedback) to facilitate rapid learning and specifically guide mental model development. It will address the application of these cognitive aspects to the design and development of part-task training programs. The presentation will discuss a scenario-based method of training emerged from Naturalistic Decision-Making research that allows trainees to practice some of these complex cognitive skills and learn from an expert without an actual expert being present (effective) and in a highly accessible (efficient) and engaging environment.

This tutorial is for those interested in using systematic design of instruction model to create training programs and learning technologies that will accelerate expertise. Participants will learn about each component of the SDI model and how theories and methods of the Naturalistic Decision Making can be incorporated to build better training. Trainers, learning developers, instructional technology managers, training managers, researchers, educators, commanders, and decision makers should attend. 

Learning Objectives

1. Learning components of the systematic design of instruction model.
2. Learning different types of knowledge and skill development stages.
3. Learning the Naturalistic Decision-Making approach and tools.
4. Appreciating the cognitive dimension and mental model development. 
5. Learning scenario-based method of effective, efficient, and engaging training to accelerate expertise.