INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA EFFECTIVENESS IN MILITARY SCIENCE EDUCATION

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EMPLOYING INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION
IN MILITARY SCIENCE EDUCATION AT THE U.S.
MILITARY ACADEMY
MAJ CHRISTOPHER M. FARRELL OPERATIONS RESEARCH
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE UNITED STATES MILITARY
ACADEMY, WEST POINT, NY MAJ BILL
WILLIAMS DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY
INSTRUCTION UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST
POINT, NY MR. ELLIS A. MOSELY LOGISTICS TEST
DIVISION PEO SOLDIER/PM SOLDIER WARRIOR FORT
BELVOIR, VA
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AGENDA

• BACKGROUND
• INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION (IMI)
• OVERVIEW OF MS102 GROUND MANEUVER WARFARE I AND
  IMI COURSEWARE
• HYPOTHESES
• EXPERIMENT
• RESULTS ANALYSIS
• CONCLUSIONS
• SUMMARY
• QUESTIONS

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BACKGROUND
Original research objective was to study the
use of simulation in the computer based training
(CBT) methodology of PM-Soldier Systems Land
Warrior combat system. Research objective
evolved into a study of the use and effectiveness
of IMI for military training and education via
the development of a distance learning prototype
for USMA that might be employed by institutional
units and operational forces alike.
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INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION (IMI)

• IMI refers to course materials which use
  multiple requirements for student responses as a
  primary means of facilitating instruction and
  learning
• (TRADOC Reg 350-70).
• IMI links a combination of media to enhance the
  learning process, including
• - programmed instruction - slides - film
• - television - text - graphics -
  animation
• - digital audio - full motion video

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INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA INSTRUCTION (IMI)
Four levels of interactivity Level 1 low
simulation presentation taxonomy is in cognitive
domain using memorization. Level 2 medium
simulation presentation taxonomy is in cognitive
domain using exercise solving. Level 3 high
simulation presentation taxonomy is in cognitive
domain using problem solving. Level 4
real-time, full (virtual) simulation
presentation training taxonomy is in cognitive
domain using analysis.
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OVERVIEW OF MS103 GROUND MANUEVER WARFAREAND
IMI COURSEWARE
MS102 35 course hours/27 lessons focusing on
warfighting principles and basic military
skills. USMA Class of 2006 evaluated on
four lesson blocks dealing with map reading and
land navigation fundamentals. Evaluation
vehicles were web-based end of lesson writs and
land navigation practicum in Americas Army
(the Army Game).
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Earn your stripes, Click on the Chevron to
continue
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Blue 1 this is Black 6. An Air Force aircraft
has been forced down in our sector. They are up
on freq 62.345. Make contact with them. Provide
them an azimuth to move to a link up point. You
will never find them mounted in that dense and
hilly terrain. I want contact before dark.
Contact me as soon as you have the crew secured.
Out Black 6 this is Blue 1 Rodger, out.
Based on the instructions that you have received
from the company commander what actions will you
take to accomplish the mission.? Will
you, Determine the downed planes location and
provide the aircrew and azimuth and direction for
link up. Determine the azimuth and direction
that the platoon will have to take to reach the
linkup point? Skills Determine a grid and
magnetic azimuth Basic Map Reading Orient your
map to identify the key terrain features, Plot
the general direction to the link up site and
refine your location and direction using the GPS
as you move? Skills Basic Map Reading Operate
a GPS
Situation Uzbekistan
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Blue 1 this is Black 6. I know that your GPS is
not functioning properly but tonight I want your
platoon to conduct a night patrol along a
designated route in our defensive sector. Stay
on the designated route. We have remote sensors
emplaced and you will cover the gaps. Stand by
for the grids for the route. Black 6 this is Blue
1 Rodger, out.
Based on the instructions that you have received
from the company commander what actions will you
take to accomplish the mission.? Will
you, Designate members of the platoon to lead the
patrol. Plot the route on your map. Ensure that
all members of the platoon have blue flashlight
filters. Skills Determine a grid and magnetic
azimuth Basic Map Reading Plot the route on your
map. Determine the azimuth and distance to each
way point. Plan to execute the patrol under
blackout conditions? Skills Basic Map
Reading Operate a lensatic compass Operate
night vision goggles Determine a grid and
magnetic azimuth
Situation National Training Center
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HYPOTHESES

• Overall
• - IMI is more effective than traditional methods
  (i.e. pre-reading from printed course materials)
  in educating cadets on map reading and land
  navigation tasks, and
• - Higher IMI levels are more effective than
  lower ones, contingent on task selection and
  presentation.
• Metrics (six hypothesis tests)
• - Performance on web-based GO/NO GO pre- and
  post-tests,
• - Number of points found on virtual land
  navigation course in Americas Army,
• - Elapsed time (E.T.) to negotiate course, and
• - Elapsed time between points using terrain
  association.

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EXPERIMENT
Large sample size ensures applicability of
Central Limit Theorem. Due to nature of the
tests (based on student ability/preparation
versus an arrival or other process), mean and
variance are normally distributed.
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H1
H0(1) ?IMI2-post ?IMI2-pre Two-tailed
t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned p0.000
? Level 2 IMI contributed directly to improved
cadet performance between pre- and post-tests.
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H1
H0(2) ?IMI3-post ?IMI3-pre Two-tailed
t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned p0.000
? Level 3 IMI contributed directly to improved
cadet performance between pre- and post-tests.
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H2
H0(1) ?IMI2-post ?CG-post Two-tailed
t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned p0.000
? Level 2 IMI produced better post-test scores
than control group (programmed text only).
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H2
H0(2) ?IMI3-post ?CG-post Two-tailed
t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned p0.000
? Level 3 IMI produced better post-test scores
than control group (programmed text only).
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H3
H0(3) ?IMI2-post ?IMI3-post Two-tailed
t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned
p0.000 (MAP) and P0.001 (DA) ? Level 2 IMI
produced better post-test scores than Level 3
IMI for both Basic Map Reading and Determine
Azimuth modules.
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H4
H0(1) ?WP1 ?WP2
Two-tailed t-test w/ 5 Trimmed Mean, H0(2) ?WP1
?WP3 ? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned
p0.013 (WP 1/WP 2) and P0.166 (WP 1/WP 3) ?
Course sequence WP 1 produced better land
navigation times in Americas Army than WP 2
and WP 3 (not statistically significant).
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RESULTS ANALYSIS H5
H0(1) ?WP1 ?WP2 Two-tailed
t-test w/ 5 Trimmed Mean, H0(2) ?WP1 ?WP3
? 0.05, plt0.05 Test returned
p0.000 (WP 1/WP 2) and P0.008 (WP 1/WP 3) ?
Course sequence WP 1 produced better times than
WP 2 and WP 3 on most inherently challenging
portion of Americas Army land nav course due
to IMI-rich (enhanced) Basic Map content.
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RESULTS H6
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ANALYSIS H6
H0(1) ?CG-Above ?CG-Below , H0(2)
?IMI2-Above ?IMI2-Below , and H0(3)
?IMI3-Above ?IMI3-Below , for Basic Map
Reading. H0(4) ?CG-Above ?CG-Below
, H0(5) ?IMI2-Above ?IMI2-Below , and H0(6)
?IMI3-Above ?IMI3-Below , for Determine
Azimuth. Two-tailed t-test, ? 0.05, plt0.05
Test returned p0.006 (CG BM), p0.001 (IMI
3 BM), p0.041 (CG DA), and p0.03 (IMI 2 DA). ?
Above average performers in IMI for BM and DA do
better than below average performers in the
virtual land navigation course. Result is
statistically significant and attributable to
various IMI combinations of BM and DA in course
sequences WP 1, WP 2, and WP 3. Consistent with
experimental results in H4 and H5.
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CONCLUSIONS
Cadets who executed Level 2 IMI courseware
performed unilaterally better on web-based
post-tests than control group (programmed text
only) and Level 3 IMI cadets. Cadets who were
control group for either Basic Map Reading or
Determine Azimuth and in level 2/3 IMI group for
BM or DA performed better in Americas Army
virtual land navigation course than cadets who
did IMI for both. IMI effectiveness is linked
to (1) task selection, and (2) level of
presentation/fidelity. Sound, fiscally-based
decisions should be made concerning application
of IMI to achieve desired educational
objectives.
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QUESTIONS?