Book Description

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether providing performance feedback can improve the effectiveness of simulation in imparting shiphandling skills. Further, the relative effectiveness of two different levels of performance feedback was examined. Two groups of six subjects made eight simulator runs through the Valdez Narrows Channel. The 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th were training runs and the others were used as test runs. During the training runs one group called the augmented feedback group, was given a simulation display which highlighted the perceptual cues available to the subject. The other group, called the supplemental feedback group, had the same situation display and in addition was coached by an instructor after reach training run. During the test run, no feedback was provided. As a control, the data from six subjects who had performed the same task in a previous study were used. These subjects had received no enhanced feedback and were called the intrinsic feedback group. Learning was evaluated by comparing three groups on the test runs over a battery of shiphandling measures. Differences found between the groups prior to training were covaried out. A clear superiority in learning was exhibited by the augmented and supplemental feedback groups over the intrinsic feedback group using a one-way ANOVA procedure. The difference between the augmented and supplemental groups on individual performance measures were not significant. Keywords: Performance Feedback; Shiphandling Skills; Simulator Training; Training Technology.