Training team problem solving skills: an event-based approach?
Training problem solving teams presents a unique set of challenges to instructional designers. Given the criticality of teams to the performance of many organizations, it is important to develop training systems to support coordination and problem solving. While recent technological advancements, such as computer-based performance assessment, hold considerable promise for training, the introduction of technology alone does not guarantee that the training will be effective. This article focuses on three important questions that must be addressed when developing coordination and problem solving training: (1) How can technology best be used to provide an environment in which learning can take place? (2) What knowledge, skills, and attitudes need to be learned and trained to facilitate expert problem solving teams? and (3) How can the development of problem solving expertise be fostered through a systematic instructional strategy? A naturalistic decision making paradigm will be used to provide a theoretical framework for describing the problem solving task domain. An event-based approach to training will then be offered as a practical application for training teams to perform in naturalistic environments. Finally, conclusions are drawn regarding the provided framework for team learning.
teams problem solving instructional strategies team training scenario design