Interested in research methodology with a preference for quantitative methods. Area of research: education at all levels (from early childhood through college), most recent focus on foreign language programs in college and the military. Retired for nearly a decade.
This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's s... more This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's scientific or professional standards for publication.
: The Combat Training Centers (CTCs) have two missions: (1) Provide tough, realistic combined arm... more : The Combat Training Centers (CTCs) have two missions: (1) Provide tough, realistic combined arms training in which the unit to be trained must exercise all of the battlefield operating systems (BOSs) in accordance with AirLand battle doctrine; and (2) Provide a data source for training, doctrine, organization and equipment improvement. The BCTP is considered to be a CTC, specializing in training exercises for command staff training at the Brigade, Division and Corps levels. These training exercises, known as Warfighter Exercises (WFXs), and the system that supports them, are described extensively in supporting reports, described in the references section of this report. The purpose of this document is to describe how the data from rotations at the BCTP will be integrated into the databases at the CTC Archive at ARI-POM.
This second volume of a seven-volume study summarizes findings from each of the four programs exa... more This second volume of a seven-volume study summarizes findings from each of the four programs examined--Titles I and VII of the Elementary Secondary Education Act, the Emergency School Aid Act, and Follow Through. Field researchers collected data for this report during the spring of 1980. They lived in the communities studied, 57 in all, and spent 4 months interviewing parents and project staff, observing classrooms and events, and analyzing project documents. The resultant information relates to five avenues for parental involvement in federal education programs: governance, instruction, parent education, school support, and school-community relations. Within each of these five areas, this report presents the findings for the four federal programs individually. Overall, the study revealed a wide range in the level of parental involvement. The researchers conclude that active parent participation produced real benefits for schools, parents, and children. The involvement did not occu...
Abstract : By 1992, information had become available that there were problems In the training rea... more Abstract : By 1992, information had become available that there were problems In the training readiness level of the U.S. Army National Guard (ARNG). Fundamental problems were lack of training time and guardsmen in Forward Support Battalions (FSBs) are not given adequate access to the actual equipment used in performance of their duties. This lack of realism inhibits effective training. Two broad areas for development of training for FSB personnel were identified: (1) Training for individuals in the three operational companies of the FSB: Supply, Maintenance, and Medical. (2) Training for the FSB staff, which is responsible for coordination and synchronization of efforts to support all of the units under the control of the Brigade. Discussion in each area of instruction examines; the selection of topics to train, the steps in developing the instruction, and the formative evaluation of the lessons. A separate section is devoted to the system developed to manage the instruction. A concluding section on lessons learned addresses improvements and efficiencies that could be realized in future efforts of this nature.
Several techniques for assessing differences between least-squares estimators of regression coeff... more Several techniques for assessing differences between least-squares estimators of regression coefficients from group and individual-level data are summarized. The structural equations approach (Hannan and Burstein, 1974) and the X-rule ap-proach (Firebaugh, 1978) generate estimates of predicted bias when individual-level data are available, and it is important to determine the consequences ofgroup-ing according to a known procedure. While the X-rule provides slightly more accurate forecasts, both approaches identify the same methods of grouping as resulting in either large or small bias. An approach based on the statistical signifi-cance of differences between estimators at two levels (Feige and Watts, 1972) is also described along with an alternative test based on a different interpretation of the standard test for significant differences among regression models. The empirical results indicate that both the Feige- Watts test and the proposed alternative signifi-cance test behave wel...
This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's s... more This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's scientific or professional standards for publication.
: This literature review summarizes studies that examined the effects of personnel turnover and t... more : This literature review summarizes studies that examined the effects of personnel turnover and turbulence on tank crew gunnery performance. This literature is compared and contrasted to literature on the performance of flight crews. The findings appear to contradict a widely held belief that it is important to stabilize tank crews during their training. If tank crews are formed of personnel who are skilled in the performance of their duty position tasks, they do not have to be familiar with each other to perform effectively. The flight crew literature suggests that there may be a brief initial period during which performance is reduced, but the length of this period is not well estimated in any of the published studies. Both literatures indicate that there may be reductions in performance if crews are kept intact over too long a period. Again, the point at which this effect takes place and the rate of decline are not well estimated in the literature. Training managers are advised n...
: The purpose of this document is to present a plan to provide field validation trials of the CCF... more : The purpose of this document is to present a plan to provide field validation trials of the CCF Assessment Packages. A preliminary review that should focus on the degree to which the assessment packages reflect current Army doctrine is also suggested. The field trials should focus on practical problems in implementing the assessment packages at CTCs, major simulation centers, and home stations. The first section of this document briefly describes the structure and content of the CCF Assessment Packages. The next section describes the plan for review and field trials. The CCF Assessment Packages have been prepared to complement a function-oriented training program at home stations. These packages may be useful for assessing unit performance in simulated combat at the CTCs and other simulation centers. Before they are adopted widely they should be reviewed for doctrinal content (with some attention paid to areas that are in flux and likely to change soon), and for practicality of ap...
: The purpose of this report is to document the selection of course content and the Beta testing ... more : The purpose of this report is to document the selection of course content and the Beta testing performed on the CBI modules developed to instruct personnel in the FSB companies. The report documents the performance gains (on computer-based tests) attained by the test subjects, and discusses some of the characteristics of the lessons that appear to be related to their relative effectiveness. BDM Federal, Inc. was contracted by the Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Army National Guard to develop a series of computer-based courses to instruct soldier in the supply, maintenance, and medical companies of the Forward Support Battalion (FSB). FSB Training Lanes were used to identify the critical skills that could be taught best by application of computer-based instruction (CBI). Subject-matter expert and instructional designers examined the content and sequencing to determine if they were appropriate on a a-priori grounds. This was followed by a phase of Alpha testing in which th...
A generalizability study of timed observations in primary classrooms found that different teacher... more A generalizability study of timed observations in primary classrooms found that different teachers vary greatly in their use of time for instruction, evaluation of instruction, and classroom management according to the hour and day observed. To obtain a generalizable measurement, researchers should selc:ct a given time period and record events over several days. Highly trained and selected observers account for an extremely small amotat of variance.
This paper describes analytical concepts that can be applied to a comprehensive database containi... more This paper describes analytical concepts that can be applied to a comprehensive database containing information on students, teachers, and schools. The concepts are presented in terms of displays, potential inferences, and possible difficulties. Statistical techniques are mentioned, but not rigorously developed. Focus is on displays that can be produced by some microcomputer graphic programs. Each analysis is discussed in intuitive term., relying on the common sense of the viewer of the display to guide his or her inferences. Topics covered include accumulating data, roster-based data presentations, desirable database system characteristics, analysis of single variables at one point in time, analysis of a single variable repeatedly measured over time, and analysis of the relationship between two variables. Two figures and seven graphs are presented. (TJH)
Abstract : This requirements analysis was performed to determine what issues were of greatest int... more Abstract : This requirements analysis was performed to determine what issues were of greatest interest to the potential community of users of a BCTP database. This information will help to prioritize the incorporation of BCTP data into the ARI-POM Archive and will inform the organization of the data to facilitate access to the relevant data items. Integration of the BCTP database into the CTC Archive will greatly expand the scope of possible analysis, and enable more systematic examination of issues at all applicable echelons. The overall model for performance evaluation and feedback that forms the basis for the CTC Archive at POM incorporates information about both process (tasks performed by units and individuals) and outcomes (results on the battlefield: casualties inflicted and sustained, terrain won or lost, etc.). This model can apply equally to information from BCTP.
This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's s... more This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's scientific or professional standards for publication.
: The Combat Training Centers (CTCs) have two missions: (1) Provide tough, realistic combined arm... more : The Combat Training Centers (CTCs) have two missions: (1) Provide tough, realistic combined arms training in which the unit to be trained must exercise all of the battlefield operating systems (BOSs) in accordance with AirLand battle doctrine; and (2) Provide a data source for training, doctrine, organization and equipment improvement. The BCTP is considered to be a CTC, specializing in training exercises for command staff training at the Brigade, Division and Corps levels. These training exercises, known as Warfighter Exercises (WFXs), and the system that supports them, are described extensively in supporting reports, described in the references section of this report. The purpose of this document is to describe how the data from rotations at the BCTP will be integrated into the databases at the CTC Archive at ARI-POM.
This second volume of a seven-volume study summarizes findings from each of the four programs exa... more This second volume of a seven-volume study summarizes findings from each of the four programs examined--Titles I and VII of the Elementary Secondary Education Act, the Emergency School Aid Act, and Follow Through. Field researchers collected data for this report during the spring of 1980. They lived in the communities studied, 57 in all, and spent 4 months interviewing parents and project staff, observing classrooms and events, and analyzing project documents. The resultant information relates to five avenues for parental involvement in federal education programs: governance, instruction, parent education, school support, and school-community relations. Within each of these five areas, this report presents the findings for the four federal programs individually. Overall, the study revealed a wide range in the level of parental involvement. The researchers conclude that active parent participation produced real benefits for schools, parents, and children. The involvement did not occu...
Abstract : By 1992, information had become available that there were problems In the training rea... more Abstract : By 1992, information had become available that there were problems In the training readiness level of the U.S. Army National Guard (ARNG). Fundamental problems were lack of training time and guardsmen in Forward Support Battalions (FSBs) are not given adequate access to the actual equipment used in performance of their duties. This lack of realism inhibits effective training. Two broad areas for development of training for FSB personnel were identified: (1) Training for individuals in the three operational companies of the FSB: Supply, Maintenance, and Medical. (2) Training for the FSB staff, which is responsible for coordination and synchronization of efforts to support all of the units under the control of the Brigade. Discussion in each area of instruction examines; the selection of topics to train, the steps in developing the instruction, and the formative evaluation of the lessons. A separate section is devoted to the system developed to manage the instruction. A concluding section on lessons learned addresses improvements and efficiencies that could be realized in future efforts of this nature.
Several techniques for assessing differences between least-squares estimators of regression coeff... more Several techniques for assessing differences between least-squares estimators of regression coefficients from group and individual-level data are summarized. The structural equations approach (Hannan and Burstein, 1974) and the X-rule ap-proach (Firebaugh, 1978) generate estimates of predicted bias when individual-level data are available, and it is important to determine the consequences ofgroup-ing according to a known procedure. While the X-rule provides slightly more accurate forecasts, both approaches identify the same methods of grouping as resulting in either large or small bias. An approach based on the statistical signifi-cance of differences between estimators at two levels (Feige and Watts, 1972) is also described along with an alternative test based on a different interpretation of the standard test for significant differences among regression models. The empirical results indicate that both the Feige- Watts test and the proposed alternative signifi-cance test behave wel...
This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's s... more This report is published to meet legal and contractual requirements and may not meet ARI's scientific or professional standards for publication.
: This literature review summarizes studies that examined the effects of personnel turnover and t... more : This literature review summarizes studies that examined the effects of personnel turnover and turbulence on tank crew gunnery performance. This literature is compared and contrasted to literature on the performance of flight crews. The findings appear to contradict a widely held belief that it is important to stabilize tank crews during their training. If tank crews are formed of personnel who are skilled in the performance of their duty position tasks, they do not have to be familiar with each other to perform effectively. The flight crew literature suggests that there may be a brief initial period during which performance is reduced, but the length of this period is not well estimated in any of the published studies. Both literatures indicate that there may be reductions in performance if crews are kept intact over too long a period. Again, the point at which this effect takes place and the rate of decline are not well estimated in the literature. Training managers are advised n...
: The purpose of this document is to present a plan to provide field validation trials of the CCF... more : The purpose of this document is to present a plan to provide field validation trials of the CCF Assessment Packages. A preliminary review that should focus on the degree to which the assessment packages reflect current Army doctrine is also suggested. The field trials should focus on practical problems in implementing the assessment packages at CTCs, major simulation centers, and home stations. The first section of this document briefly describes the structure and content of the CCF Assessment Packages. The next section describes the plan for review and field trials. The CCF Assessment Packages have been prepared to complement a function-oriented training program at home stations. These packages may be useful for assessing unit performance in simulated combat at the CTCs and other simulation centers. Before they are adopted widely they should be reviewed for doctrinal content (with some attention paid to areas that are in flux and likely to change soon), and for practicality of ap...
: The purpose of this report is to document the selection of course content and the Beta testing ... more : The purpose of this report is to document the selection of course content and the Beta testing performed on the CBI modules developed to instruct personnel in the FSB companies. The report documents the performance gains (on computer-based tests) attained by the test subjects, and discusses some of the characteristics of the lessons that appear to be related to their relative effectiveness. BDM Federal, Inc. was contracted by the Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Army National Guard to develop a series of computer-based courses to instruct soldier in the supply, maintenance, and medical companies of the Forward Support Battalion (FSB). FSB Training Lanes were used to identify the critical skills that could be taught best by application of computer-based instruction (CBI). Subject-matter expert and instructional designers examined the content and sequencing to determine if they were appropriate on a a-priori grounds. This was followed by a phase of Alpha testing in which th...
A generalizability study of timed observations in primary classrooms found that different teacher... more A generalizability study of timed observations in primary classrooms found that different teachers vary greatly in their use of time for instruction, evaluation of instruction, and classroom management according to the hour and day observed. To obtain a generalizable measurement, researchers should selc:ct a given time period and record events over several days. Highly trained and selected observers account for an extremely small amotat of variance.
This paper describes analytical concepts that can be applied to a comprehensive database containi... more This paper describes analytical concepts that can be applied to a comprehensive database containing information on students, teachers, and schools. The concepts are presented in terms of displays, potential inferences, and possible difficulties. Statistical techniques are mentioned, but not rigorously developed. Focus is on displays that can be produced by some microcomputer graphic programs. Each analysis is discussed in intuitive term., relying on the common sense of the viewer of the display to guide his or her inferences. Topics covered include accumulating data, roster-based data presentations, desirable database system characteristics, analysis of single variables at one point in time, analysis of a single variable repeatedly measured over time, and analysis of the relationship between two variables. Two figures and seven graphs are presented. (TJH)
Abstract : This requirements analysis was performed to determine what issues were of greatest int... more Abstract : This requirements analysis was performed to determine what issues were of greatest interest to the potential community of users of a BCTP database. This information will help to prioritize the incorporation of BCTP data into the ARI-POM Archive and will inform the organization of the data to facilitate access to the relevant data items. Integration of the BCTP database into the CTC Archive will greatly expand the scope of possible analysis, and enable more systematic examination of issues at all applicable echelons. The overall model for performance evaluation and feedback that forms the basis for the CTC Archive at POM incorporates information about both process (tasks performed by units and individuals) and outcomes (results on the battlefield: casualties inflicted and sustained, terrain won or lost, etc.). This model can apply equally to information from BCTP.
Uploads