Trainer time and resources were conserved by reducing hands-on practice in training-team protocols without reducing computer-based learning. During one-hour sessions, young adults learned Space Fortress, a video task that has been employed during pilot training. Observers in Experiment 1 learned more in three sessions than did test-only trainees. Individuals, dyads, triads, and tetrads in Experiment 2 learned in three sessions with no differences in learning or interaction between learning and protocol. Individuals, dyads, and tetrads in Experiment 3 learned in 10 sessions with no differences in learning or interaction between learning and protocol. As predicted by social learning theory, observational learning seems to compensate for hands-on practice efficiently and effectively. Applications of this research have been developed for computer-based group training of airline and air force pilots.
Abstract