U.S. Army Research Institute How to Train Deployed Soldiers: New Advances in Interactive Multimedia Instruction Mr. Scott Shadrick Dr. James Lussier ARI – Fort Knox

Training Methods: Structured Training & Deliberate Practice are Important Components of Training Strategy. Education Practice Training Often lacks specific task performance Timely and Focused Feedback Many factors affect battle outcome - no clear feedback Full-Scale Unit Exercises Structured Training & Deliberate Practice Schoolhouse & Study Development of Expertise

Proposed FCS Training Types COFT CCTT COFT CCTT One SAF

ET Usage Profile

Training Needs of Deployed Units Training must focus on key activities that are requirements of the operation. Individual and collective training relevant to the environment and to the mission with which the unit is being deployed (language, culture, terrain, weather). Mission specific tactics, techniques, and procedures and responding appropriately to enemy tactics. Emerging threat tactics that cannot be fully anticipated and that evolve as operations continue. Specific training need to behaviorally prepare for specific deployment environments. Training, practice, and rehearsal specifically directed at upcoming missions.

Education Practice Training Full-Scale Unit Exercises Structured Training & Deliberate Practice Schoolhouse & Study How do we address the training need? Simulation Supported Traditional Distance Learning Applications ?

A New Approach What is needed is a flexible form of IMI what can focus on very specific training needs, be readily tailorable, update quickly, and is effective in turning knowledge into action via training.

Cognitive Battle Drills Think Like a Commander Method Case-based Performance oriented Theme-based coaching Probes facilitate observation & measurement Repetitive performance - varying conditions Aimed at ingraining expert habits Allow officers to model their battlefield understandings, plans, visualizations, and decisions after expert tacticians’ thinking patterns.

Students select a vignette. 1 Battlefield situation is presented. 2 Overview of the Training Method

Students list their considerations. Time limit begins at 15 minutes gradually reduced to 3 minutes. 3 Instructor leads group discussion. 4 Overview of the Training Method

Students score themselves on the indicators and receive feedback based on the themes. 5 Overview of the Training Method

Percentage of Critical Features Identified A within-subjects trend analysis yielded a significant linear trend, F(1, 23) = 34.21, p <.05. N = 24 ACCC Captains

Rate of Identification of Critical Features

TLAC in the ACCC-RC Student Comments  “I think TLAC was the best thing I have ever been taught.”  “TLAC would have helped us before our deployment to Bosnia.”  “The TLAC is a great learning tool. I wish we could do more of it.”  “TLAC was a combat leader’s reaction course for the mind.”  “TLAC made us all start to think of what was happening throughout the operation.”  “TLAC is real world and presents us with scenarios that we will face.”  “TLAC is highly beneficial to developing our thought process.”  “I think TLAC helped me focus on details of COA Analysis.”  “The first thing that popped into my head when you mentioned TLAC, oh no a waste of time, I really wanted to get into the lesson. Once we got into TLAC, I found that it made me think about the entire class. It was time well spent.”  “Good class. I can apply this to help me in my staff job in my unit.”  “TLAC is excellent when conducted in a group setting. I was able to learn what others would have done. Very helpful.”  “TLAC made me think of questions I would ask my platoon leaders.”  “TLAC gets you into a decision making mindset.”  “In TLAC, there were many things brought out in the discussion that I did not think of when I worked separately.”

The Way Ahead The challenge is for the government, industry, and academia to investigate new and advanced methods of IMI for training knowledge, skills, and behaviors in a collective environment.