24-10-2012, 12:26 PM
Designing Assessments of Microworld Training for Combat Service Support Staff
ABSTRACT
We propose new methods for evaluating learning outcomes from Combat Service Support (CSS) microworld training.
RAND developed and piloted microworld training for distribution management skills as a part of a larger project that entailed
making changes to the current structure, content, and methods of CSS training. Microworld models are small-scale simulations
of organizations and operations. They are useful for training distribution management processes because they give the learner
an opportunity to postulate changes and rapidly simulate the modified or new processes. Immediate feedback helps trainees
understand how their actions affect the operation and how system components are interrelated. Consequently, trainees can
learn proactive management of assets with realistic planning horizons and develop an understanding of the dynamic
complexity affecting the organization. We conducted pilot studies using a microworld model for U.S. Army Reserve (USAR)
soldiers in Distribution Management Centers. The degree to which trainees learned training content was measured with a
knowledge test in a pretest-posttest design, including a control group that received only the training and posttest. Results
showed a statistically significant increase in trainees’ knowledge of distribution management processes, although the gains
appeared to be modest. The observed small increment in performance could have been due to the content and structure of the
test, which may not have fully captured learners’ knowledge or the factors that account for learning. Consequently, we propose
a comprehensive set of evaluation measures to better assess learning and pinpoint areas for improvement in training content
and processes.