Driver Education and Driving Simulators. INSTITUTION National Education Association, Washington, D.C

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 037 019 EF 001 140 AUTHOR Fox, James H, TITLE Driver Education and Driving Simulators. INSTITUTION National Education Association, Washington, D.C. Commission on Safety Education. PUB DATE 60 NOTE 77p.) AVAILABLE FROM National Commission on Safety Education,National Education Association, 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-$0.50 HC Not Availablefrom EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *Driver Education, *Educational Research, *Perceptual Motor Learning, PsychomotorSkills, *Simulators, *Transfer of Training ABSTRACT This study was concerned with--(1) theconditions of transfer of training, (2) armed forces research on the use of synthetic training devices in the learningof complex skills, (3) armed forces research on the use oftraining devices in learning judgmental skills, and (4) trainingdevices used in driver education. A section with a summary,conclusions, and general recommendations is included. (BD) DRIVER EDUCATION and DRIVING SIMULATORS CD reN CD JAMES H. FOX, Ph.D. Formerly Associate in Safety Education National Commission on Safety Education National Education Association Edited by S. A. Aborcrombie and Norman Key Commission Stoll U.S, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECES SARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY O National Commissionon Safety Education 0 National Education Association 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Washington 6, D. C. National Commission on Safety Education National Education Association 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Washington 6, D. C. Copyright 1960 by the National Education Association "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPY RIGHTED MATERIAL BY MICROFICHE ONLY ASSuclaii-tew. TO EaIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE U.S OFFICE OF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PER MISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER To Secure Copies: This publication is for sale at the following prices: Single copies, $1.50; 2 to 9 copies, 10 percent reduction; 10 or more copies, 25 percent reduction. Mailing chargeswill be added to any order for which payment is not enclosed.Make checks payable to:National Education Association,1201Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington 6, D. C. DRIVER EDUCATION AND DRIVING SIMULATORS CONTENTS Section Page I.INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose 2 Organization 3 II.CONDITIONS OF TRANSFER OF TRAINING 5 Introduction 5 Purpose 5 Organization 5 Conditions of Positive Transfer 6 Conditions of Negative Transfer 8 Summary 8 III.ARMED FORCES RESEARCH ON SYNTHETIC TRAINING DEVICESCOMPLEX TASKS 10 Introduction 10 Purpose 10 Organization 10 A Note on Study Design 11 Aircraft Simulators 11 Summary 20 1V. ARMED FORCES RESEARCH ON SYNTHETIC TRAINING DEVICESJUDGMENTAL ACTIVITIES 22 Introduction 22 Purpose 22 Organization 22 Distance Judgment 23 Tracking Behavior 25 Radar Studies 28 Summary 31 DRIVER EDUCATION AND DRIVING SIMULATORS Section Page V. DRIVER EDUCATION TEACHING DEVICES 33 Introduction 33 Purpose 33 Organization 33 Description of the AEtna Drivotrainer 33 The Los Angeles Study 36 Comments on the Los Angeles Study 38 The Iowa Study 40 Comments on the Iowa Study 41 Error Analysis (Iowa Study) 42 Application of the Conditions of Transfer 48 Description of the Auto Trainer 51 The Springfield, Pennsylvania, Study 52 Comments on the Springfield Study 54 The Washington, D. C., Study 55 Comments on the Washington Study 56 Application of the Conditions of Transfer 57 Summary 58 VI. SUMMARY 60 BIBLIOGRAPHY 63 APPENDIX 69 ii DRIVER EDUCATION AND DRIVING SIMULATORS TABLES AND FIGURE Table Page 1. Results of the Iowa Study 41 2.Adjustive and Procedural Response Errors of 77 Control Group Subjects and 70 Experimental Group Subjects 43 3.Steering Errors of 77 Control Group Subjects and 70 Experimental Group Subjects 45 4.Judgment Errors of 77 Control Group Subjects and 70 Experimental Group Subjects 46 5.Hazardous Acts Errors of 77 Control Group Subjects and 70 Experimental Group Subjects 46 6.Significance of Difference and Percent Transfer Between 77 Control and 70 Experimental Subjects for Five Categories of Errors 47 Figure 1. Mean Total Time to Complete Each Block of 20 Trials on Pretest and Post-test 18 iii I. INTRODUCTION In recent years there has been anincreasing interest in the useof training devices in driver education,especially the Drivotrainerand the Auto Trainer.* This interest has beenintensified by the growingpopulation of the United States which, alongwith en increasing number of two-and three- car families, isputting more and more automobiles onthe road. It is impera- tive that those who are learning todrive receive the bestinstruction possible. Time and cost limitations associatedwith dual-control carinstruction may well preclude many eligible highschool students fromparticipating fully in the program. The manifest need toprovide driver education to morestudents has led to the development ofdriving simulators. Several advantages are suggestedfor synthetic training devicesin driver education. A larger number of students canreceive the benefits of the program than is possiblewhen the devices are not used.The per-pupil cost of instruction can be substantially reduced.Fewer teachers are needed. Students can learn the necessarycomplex skills as effectively as inthe dual-control car; and beyond that, they can developbetter attitudes. The students canlearn appropriate responses to emergencysituations without the attendanthazards of actually being in a car on theroad. In addition, electricscoring devices can provide for theimmediate detection of student errorsby the teacher. There have been questions raised, too,concerning the use of synthetic training devices. The basic questionpertaining to the use of anytraining simulator isIs it valid? That is, doestraining on the device increaseskill in the task for which the training isappropriate? Presumably, underguidance, learning will occur on the device, butunless this learning is transferred so that the student can perform theactual task effectively, thesimulator will lack validity. The basic principle ofsimulator validity is directly related tothe concept of transfer oftraining.The questionDoes it work?isbest answered on the basis of the kindand extent of transfer oftraining which occurs. Also, how elaborate do the devices have tobe to provide the student with useful learning experiences? Isit essential that the panel display ofthe device duplicate the dashboard of the car?Would directional signals, forexample, add significantly enough to thestudent's experience to justify theircost? Can a simple, inexpensive device dothe same things for the learner as a complex and costly one? The underlyingthought here is: When, in the construc- tion of a training device, is its optimumvalidity achieved so that additional features would add nothing except costand complexity to the device? Other appropriate questions pertain tomaintenance. How costly are For descriptions of these devices, see SectionV. 1 DRIVER EDUCATION AND DRIVING SIMULATORS major repairs? How much of the driver education teacher's time is taken up with minor repairs on the devicestime which might otherwise be spent in lesson preparation or student counseling. How many of the devices are likely to be inoperative on any given day? In other words, how much maintenance, costly in time and manpower, is required to keep the devices operative? Will the devices be dated? That is, will the task of driving in 10 years be significantly different from what it now is? Manipulating the controls of a car with a standard gear shift is a different task from manipulating those of a car with an automatic or push-button transmission.Modifications of existing devices have been necessary to keep pace with the changed task. An important question then isWill additional changes in the automobile make the existing training devices obsolete or create long delays for design modifications? How is the role of the driver education teacher affected by the use of training devices? Will his teaching skills be as necessary when more and more of the learning experience occurs through the use of motion pictures? Does the teacher become a clerk, noting errors recorded on a mechanical scoring device? With the use of devices, is there enough time for the teacher to build a student's confidence and eliminate his anxiety? Does the instructor lose the opportunity to "teach on the spot"for example, by telling the student to pull over and then analyzing mistakes he has made. These are some of the questions which have been asked; there are un- doubtedly others. The most crucial question is, howeverTo what extent and with what expenditure of time and money does training on a simulator transfer to the real task? If transfer does not occur, there can be no justifi- cation for the use of such training devices. This is true even if the actual task is exceedingly hazardous; for, if what is learned on the device is ofno value to, or interferes with, the performance of the actual task, then such learning may as well not have occurred. Purpose The purpose of this study is to assist those responsible for driver educa- iton to evaluate the effectiveness of training devices which simulate driving. It is hoped that the analysis will prove helpful to those engaged in the manu- facture and distribution of such devices. Finally, students of the psychological processes of transfer of training may also

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