The Long Term Retention Of Knowledge And Skills A Cognitive And Instructional Perspective

A. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUNDl,2 This report reviews and interprets research on the nature and magnitude of the effects of those factors which influence how well knowledge and skills (K&S) are retained over relatively long periods of nonuse. Our interest lies in the kinds of knowledge domains and skills that military personnel must master to function effectively on their jobs. The practical concern impelling this study is that K&S degradation or loss (which we will refer to as "decay") can and does occur, often and severely enough, to jeopardize military preparedness. There are occasions in all the military services when personnel who have just completed their training do not receive an opportunity to practice or use their new capabilities for weeks or months. In the case of reservists who may be called back to active duty, the period of nonuse of relevant military job skills may be counted in terms of years. B. OBJECTIVES The overall objective is to critically analyze the relevant scientific literature which relates the processes involved in learning to those of memory, taking into account the characteristics of the learner and the learning tasks. More specifically, we have focused on the following sub-objectives: 1. Identify, describe and rank the influence and the interactions of the important major variables that affect long-term retention (LTR); 1 I am indebted to Dr. Jesse Orlansky, Institute for Defense Analyses, for his encouragement and guidance through all phases of this report.

This report reviews factors that influence how well knowledge and skills are retained over relatively long periods of nonuse. A cognitively oriented interpretation is applied to prior findings and beliefs about the nature of long-term retention. The report identifies instructional strategies (conditions of learning) which promote long-term retention and do not have an adverse impact on learning.

"This report reviews what is known about forgetting as it applies to military tasks. It includes research conducted by the Army Research Institute as well as related work performed by the Air Force and Navy and leading academic institutions. The report distinguishes the memory for knowledge and skill related to procedural tasks, cognitive tasks, and perceptual-motor tasks. Memory for task knowledge has been demonstrated to be quite good. Memory for cognitive skills has been demonstrated to be quite good. Memory for psychomotor skills varies, depending on whether the task is continuous, such as riding a bicycle, or discrete, such as executing the separate performance steps involved in disassembling a rifle. Throughout the report, figures depict the relative sustainment or decay of a skill as reported in the research literature. A final section concerns the factors that influence the reacquisition of a skill after extended periods of nonuse, as might occur during a mobilization."--DTIC.

Memory conveys the state of knowledge regarding human memory. This book is composed of seven parts beginning with a discussion on different memory structures and the processes that regulate the flow of information between those structures. A chapter follows on the distinction between explicit and implicit memory. Other chapters address the different aspects of storing information in long-term memory; how information in long-term memories is accessed; and the controlling and monitoring of such storage and retrieval processes. How memory capacities and characteristics vary as a function of individual differences and aging, as well as the implications of memory research for two real-world domains of strong interest: witness interrogation and testimony and the long-term retention of skills and knowledge, are also addressed. This handbook will be an important resource for students of human memory.

This book provides the first comprehensive literature review on the acquisition and retention of complex skills in High Reliability Organizations. Based on this review, it introduces a theoretical model of how skill and knowledge acquisition for complex tasks is accomplished and shows how this model can be used to derive training methods and instructional techniques. Successful acquisition and retention of complex technical skills within High Reliability Organizations requires a full understanding of the learning process, knowledge structure, and skill requirements associated with the effective operation and management of technology. For researchers and for organizations, the understanding of these processes is vital for designing training programs as well as for reducing errors with severe consequences for human lives and the environment. Until now, only theoretical fragments exist on this topic, and only a very limited number of publications actually address complex tasks in vocational/occupational settings. “The Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills for Task Work and Teamwork to Control Complex Technical Systems ” uses its literature overview and theoretical model to formulate training principles, that can be used to develop training experiments for further empirical investigations as well as training methods for applied organizational contexts.

The power and potential of current ITS technology is described here by the designers and builders of major ITS projects. The book illustrates how, in less than a decade, the field of Intelligent Tutoring Systems has advanced from experimental systems in universities to systems that perform practical, real-world tasks. Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Lessons Learned provides a first-hand, detailed account of how these systems were designed and built out of state-of-the-art technology. The essays build on the basic research foundations of the field and define the abilities and limitations of current knowledge. With this critical volume, teachers and industrial trainers have a realistic view of the future of their professions, and students, researchers, and professionals in AI, education, cognitive science, and psychology have both an introduction to the field and a comprehensive reference.