With great interest I have been reading everyone's comments on the use (or not)
of interactive courseware for improving aviation worker's "CRM" skills. A few
years ago I had the opportunity to investigate interactive educational
technology and it's possibilities for flight crew training. A fellow employee
related a story to me that I will convey to you.
It seems that a number of years ago a Navy (I was not told nor did I ask which
one) became concerned over the degradation of performance experienced by weapons
systems operators while on extended sea duty. Individuals would loose their
performance edge, becoming hazy on some of the technical details of the
equipment and less quick interpreting the inputs from the various warning
equipment. To address this situation, a comprehensive interactive multimedia
training application was produced for use on laptops while the weapons systems
operators were at sea. The instructors left on-shore became concerned over this
development. For a few years there was the usual events and emotions that occur
when things change. But ultimately, this is what came about. While at sea a
large percentage of the performance degradation previously experienced did not
happen. What's more, overall performance improved to unprecedented levels. How
come? Utilizing the courseware remotely to sustain a high level of proficiency
in some areas, the instructors where now able to capitalize on previously
occupied instructional time by expanding the curriculum into other areas, adding
greater depth and understanding to other elements of weapon system operation.
Interactive educational technology is nothing more (or less) than an enabler
within a larger training/learning system. As surely as there elements of the
system that cannot be addressed properly by courseware, there are most
definitely areas of skill acquisition and practice that are excellent candidates
for interactive technology. Today's economics along with the reality of
educational technology's academic credentials demands a much greater utilization
of courseware in aviation training than exists now. And with over seventy
percent of aviation accidents still caused by human performance failures we
should give a hard look at doing just what that navy did just a few short years
ago.
Regards,
Larry Steele