Research Paper Title

Changes in Instructional System Design (ISD): Improving Training Product Delivery to United States Army Soldiers.

Background

The purpose of this study was to identify methods that could speed up the instructional system design process used by the US Army up to this point. The current Army Instructional System Design process is the Systems Approach to Training (SAT), a thirty-year-old process. SAT is an industrial age process being applied to an information age Army.

Methods

This study surveyed Army training development experts about what they see as the significant challenges in the SAT process. This Strategic Research Project describes the strengths and weaknesses of the current process.

Results & Conclusions

The ultimate goal is to give training leaders recommendations that, if implemented, will make a significant impact on the effectiveness of the SAT process. Recommend in the short-term that TRADOC immediately hire and train more training developers. This is regardless of the ISD system that is eventually chosen. TRADOC lacks a sufficient number to accomplish the mission. TRADOC Schools should form the Training Developers into multi-disciplinary teams and use automated tools that will speed the SAT process (e.g. Designers Edge).

Additionally, the report recommends an emphasis on the evaluation of the SAT process as a part of the Quality Assurance Office mission. To develop a long-term solution TRADOC should immediately begin experimenting with Rapid Prototyping in a head-to-head contest with the SAT process.

Document

Changes in Instructional System Design, Improving Training Product Delivery to US Army Soldiers (Swain, 2005)

Reference

Swain, R.W. (2005) Changes in Instructional System Design (ISD): Improving Training Product Delivery to United States Army Soldiers. Strategy Research Project. US Army War College. Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania 17013.