Utilizing an intelligent tutoring system in tactical action officer sandbox

Abstract

The Office of Naval Research Future Naval Capabilities, the Defense Technology Area Plan from 2005 and the Department of Defense Science and Technology Priorities for FY13-17 all share a focus on systems to promote warfighter performance. The goal of these systems is to improve effectiveness across a range of multiple missions, while providing training techniques that enhance fundamental cognitive abilities, institute techniques to reduce training time and training costs, maximize the training impact, as well as to provide tools and techniques to achieve routine and engaging scenario-based training. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) can address these goals. This work describes an ITS created for use in training naval surface warfare officers (SWOs) in air defense. A description of the learning theories applied in the development of the system, as well as a brief history of ITSs and the methodology that was utilized in developing this ITS is provided. A TCP/IP connection was established between this tutor and TAO Sandbox, a simulator utilized by Surface Warfare Officer School to train SWOs. Through a designed experiment, it was demonstrated that this ITS provides statistically significant training to its intended audience.