Automated Creation, Self-Organization, and Adaptation of Multi-Media Tactical System Training Material for Anywhere/Anytime Delivery Navy SBIR FY2005.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2005.2 Topic No.: N05-090 Topic Title: Automated Creation, Self-Organization, and Adaptation of Multi-Media Tactical System Training Material for Anywhere/Anytime Delivery Proposal No.: N052-090-0275 Firm: Harmonia, Inc. 1715 Pratt Drive, Suite 2820 Blacksburg, Virginia 24060-1282 Contact: Marc Abrams Phone: (540) 951-5901 Web Site: www.harmonia.com Abstract: To reduce the effort of ensuring that multi-media training reflects tactical system operation and actual Fleet use, we propose innovative technology to help automate production of training material, based on emerging standards (Sharable Content Object Reference Model [SCORM], User Interface Markup Language [UIML]). Compared to today's rigid computer-based training, we improve learning effectiveness by dynamically self-organizing a muti-media training sequence to fit the student's knowledge, skills, abilities, past training, role, current demonstrated proficiency, and mission- or doctrine-induced changes to tasks, conditions, and standards. This adaptation incorporates proficiency demonstrated while taking the course, using feedback from online student assessment, student keystroke analysis, and optionally eye tracking. Our architecture is based on lessons learned from our work as a subcontractor on the $100M Army Training Information Architecture-Migrated (ATIA-M) project. We make training interfaces adaptable to display device characteristics - using reverse/forward engineering and transformation technology we developed to deliver U.S. Army Reimer Digital Library documents to handheld devices - and to network bandwidth to deliver courses anytime/anywhere. Our proposed technology integrates with learning content and learning management systems to leverage existing Navy investment, which will be demonstrated live with SAIC's ATIA-M enterprise facility used to host U.S. Army and Department of Homeland Security training. Benefits: The proposed technology solution contributes to reaching several goals outlined in OPNAV Instruction 1500.76 on training systems: enhance Navy's ability to provide deployed individual and team training and increase the breadth of the population that can qualify (through our adaptation of courseware based on student proficiency, pinpointing of areas of student weakness, and providing extra training to address individual weaknesses); develop single point of origin with multi-point trainee receipt (distributed learning) capability (via our anytime/anywhere architecture); develop re-configurable and adaptive training systems (through our compatibility with the Sharable Content Object Reference Model); reduce equipment-unique training requirements (through adaptation of Human/Computer Interfaces [HCI] to display devices); and integrate with tactical simulations to reduce/eliminate training requirements and cost (through use of the User Interface Markup Language). Our approach also partially automates the process of verifying that training matches the actual tactical system, reduces the effort needed to ensure consistency of the training material with the tactical system as updates are made to the tactical system HCI, helps to realize anywhere/anytime training, and leverages the Navy's existing investment in eLearning (e.g., Navy Knowledge Online). These benefits are also important to potential commercial applications of the technology in the transportation and medical industries. Return