Facilitating and Quirks

I'm in the middle of facilitating several classes. I'm one of the lead facilitators and I'm involved with judging and training others. It's one of the more challenging aspects of my position, and it's about to get a lot harder. 

Why?

Heutagogcial Metacognition

I never thought it would happen, but today I wrote a script where I used the term heutagogical metacognition. 

What is heutagogical metacognition? Basically it's self-directed learning with reflective practice. I would never ever use the term heutagogical metacognition, but I needed an obscure crazy term for a script. I was writing for Tommy.

Self Authorship Between Groups

At work, self-authorship is easy. What do I mean by this? I mean the ability to see other sides of issues, the opportunity to see multiple perspectives and gain understanding, the chance to understand challenges rather than deal with them and be overwhelmed by them. 

At work, this has become somewhat regular. Kegan's and Baxter Magolda defined self-authorship as "the internal capacity to define one's beliefs, identity, and social relations"  . . . in this case it is distinct from the socialized mind, the one where groups and herds dominate. Self-authorship is the ability to know our own beliefs and not allow them to change based on these challenges. 

Another Chance to Self-Author

 I hit a moment the other day . . . a true test of my self-authorship journey. Remember, self-authorship is defined by among other things an ability to see others' perspectives, to be able to understand. Well, the other day, I was not "understanding" in any way . . . I was livid!

Why?

Candidate Now

I’m a PhD Candidate now. No longer just a student. I have to say . . . That was super hard. Like Super Hard. SUPER HARD! How’s it rank? Let’s see . . .

Pre-Ranger and Ranger School

Ranger School was hard because of hell week, no sleep, minimal food, all work.

Leading Virtual vs Real-World Teams

Comparing Chapters 8, and 13, how do virtual teams differ from temporally separated teams and how are they similar?

I really enjoyed parts of the essay by Cohen and Alonso (2013) and how they discussed leading virtual teams. With the ubiquotousness of virtual meeting capabilities within our business world and the need for a greater understanding of how to fully utilize the tools and capabilities to work as well away from the office as we do in the office, I thought the messages were timely and provided some good guidance. 

I found myself relating to a lot of what they advise, if only because there are times when I find myself leading virtual teams as well as on-site teams, and both need to be as effective as possible in completing projects and being productive. I especially liked the table presented that provided tips for overcoming process challenge to virtual teamwork (Cohen and Alonso, 2013, p. 260). I do not have as much experience leading temporally separated teams. The closest I've come is a few hours time differences, usually, Texas compared to California. Still, there are aspects of that team leadership that I had to be cognizant of and take into consideration, much like Espinosa (2013) discusses in his chapter. However, I thought one oversight that was not discussed as much as was needed to be was the aspect of cultural difference in temporally separated teams.

Espinosa (2013) discusses not just temporatlly separated teams but also teams separated by distannce but within the same time zones. Espinosa (2013) writes "spatial distance does not necessarily change the pattern of team interaction," (p. 420) which is true but does not necessarily cover what I feel is a predominant issue of cultural differences. My wife, working as a software project manager has had to lead offsite teams in Honduras and in India. The Honduran team was in the same time zone as she and the team and India was a twelve-hour difference. In both cases, she has had more challenges with cultural differences, those regarding the speed of work product, expectations, and role of females in business and society, than mere time differences caused. Then I look at my time in the military, when we were spread out as a battalion over different continents, the fact that we were all from the same unit, that we understood the expectations, the mission, and had a similar language and standards, all benefitted us despite a time difference. 

At no point does Espinosa (2013) nor Cohen and Alonso focus enough time and effort on the problems that cultural differences cause but focus instead on just the aspects of physical difference. The physical difference is a challenge to be sure, but the cultural differences can serve to make virtual team-leading several degrees harder if they aren't understood and addressed from the very beginning. 

References

Cohen, D. J., and Alonso, A. (2013). Virtual teams; The how to's of making "being virtually there" successful. In E. Salas, G. Latham, D. J. Cohen, & S. I. Tannenbaum (Eds.), Developing and enhancing teamwork in organizations: Evidence-based best practices and Guidelines (pp. 239–267). essay, Jossey-Bass.

Espinosa, J.A. (2013). High performance in temporally separated team work. In E. Salas, G. Latham, D. J. Cohen, & S. I. Tannenbaum (Eds.), Developing and enhancing teamwork in organizations: Evidence-based best practices and Guidelines (pp. 406 - 438). essay, Jossey-Bass.

Career Development Community of Practice

I had a long discussion with Aileen, a colleague and classmate, about a committee and community of practice she is involved in revolving around career development. It's a group of folks all working in career development and she is leading several efforts in that community such as organizing their national conference and leading several committees.

I wish I had read this post ten years ago. Back then I was a Dir. of Recruiting and Career Development and was involved with not only bringing in new folks to our organization but also helping those folks I brought in, and all of our existing employees, into a career development track appropriate for their work life. I made a lot of this up from scratch. 

I created all sorts of career tracks and training and tried to institute the program myself. Sadly it all fell apart when our organization merged with a larger organization, but there is definitely a need for better career development solutions in the industry I support and it would have been great to have a community of practice, online or not, that I could have leaned on to get help, advice, or trade ideas!

I'm also impressed with how you have taken a leading role in the community you mention. Stepping up to organize and lead different efforts shows that you have not only embraced the group, but you're taking an active leadership role. You ask about other communities, and I'm a part of several committees that could be considered communities of practice. 

Sadly, I've also found that I'm much more active in projects where I work alone rather than in groups, so being a part of communities or committees, is never my first option. Still, it's nice to have others around and to have support and ideas from similar and like-minded people. 

What I find interesting about your question is one committee I am a part of and Industrial Cleaning Committee. In this committee, we try to push out training, promote our craft, develop more effective ways to develop workers, and promote the industry. This is a committee of like-minded folks and could definitely be called a community of practice. 

What's funny is that during Covid we had to go to a zoom monthly call, so we started going "digital." Now, this group is trying to claw back our membership by reversing the digital trend. It's a tough task. I find it interesting that in this community of practice we are seeing a reversal of the digital trend that was highlighted in our module's readings and seeing instead a need for working together in person. 

More on Virtual Classrooms

The other day I wrote about my background in virtual classrooms from early 2010. My classmate Susan and I had a long discussion about this the other night. Her thoughts on a hybrid training approach resonated with me because of my history with zoom classrooms. 

We started a network of 50 zoom classrooms in 2011 using Google Hangout and ran them every day for over three years providing safety and skills training. Each class, every day, lasted 8 hours and we had a new class start each week. It was rigorous to keep up with that much training and in that style. We learned a lot very quickly. We made sure everyone had a participant handbook, we had lockers in each of the 50 training rooms that had real-world implements that the learners could touch and feel and try on as we went over the tools, and we had a variety of media to keep them engaged and entertained; lecture, PowerPoint, videos, case studies, interviews with experts, and we made sure everyone had a tablet or smartphone for intermittent quizzes with immediate feedback. 

In terms of technology, it was this last addition that seemed to have the greatest impact. That ability to utilize a smartphone to take spaced practice quizzes and see immediately how they did and how they performed in terms of the rest of the class, was a game-changer. I think it might have been the blend of being a part of the class and still being in their training room. It helped to break that 5th wall. 

To bring this around to your thoughts on a hybrid approach . . . We started this project with the thought of having an instructor teaching to a group of students in a classroom and working with the networked classrooms at the same time. We thought this would make the best use of the instructor's time and talent AND give the remote, networked classrooms the feeling of being more involved. It quickly became apparent that this was not going to work as we hoped. We abandoned it after a few months of practice and went to two models for new hire training, . . . One that utilized the networked classrooms a with an instructor speaking just to these zoom roomed students, and live classes were instructed by one live instructor. 

Since that time, and having had a bit more experience, and a few more opportunities to try networking in zoom classrooms, I have not changed my mind about this possibility. We were on the cusp of trying it again for a series of classes and during rehearsals, we saw more and more of the same issues that stalled our efforts in the early 2010s still cropping up. 

Despite the problems, I still think it’s a worthy goal and I hope that this class takes me a step closer to realizing how to achieve it. 

Digital Natives vs. Network Natives

My colleague Melynda wrote a paper about microlearning and learning delivered via smartphone to the learner. This is something we have looked into ourselves, (see HERE, HERE and HERE for a sampling of what I mean). I'm glad she saw in microlearning what I see, an incredibly useful and capable tool that isn't used enough. 

I'm a huge advocate of this. I think it hits a lot of the adult learner needs, convenience, ability to take at any time, anywhere, and if they can share it, then it's more valuable too. I was just reading about "digital natives", and how millennials will expect more digital access, but this article yesterday was more about expectations coming up due to gen Z. Instead of digital natives they will be "network natives."

Hoffman (2022) writes, "My takeaway from all this? Unlike the Millennials who preceded them, members of Gen Z aren’t just digital natives. They are “network natives” who get, implicitly and explicitly, the power of connection. Far from being passive and isolated, they lead lives characterized by participation and community. They know that social media lets them share their voices directly with the world even as it situates them in vast but tightly woven networks of their peers" (p. 2). 

I wonder how a generation of workers who are more attuned to "networks" like Tik-Tok, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc react to learning and the work world. We've been trying so hard to meet the needs of "digital natives" how will we meet the needs of "network natives." Hoffman (2022) goes on to write, "network-driven concepts like crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, the sharing economy, and collaborative workflow apps like Slack and Figma aren’t major paradigm shifts for this generation. They are just how the world works" (p. 3).

I see a time when instead of sending learning like you've mentioned to a smartphone, it's accessed through networks of learners who are looking for the same things. It's an interesting article, see the link below.

References

Hoffman, R. (2022, May 20). Welcome to the ‘network generation.’ Wall Street Journal (Eastern Ed.). https://www.wsj.com/articles/welcome-to-the-network-generation-11653053050?mod=Searchresults_pos2&page=1

Semper Paratus

My classmate Amber had a great discussion with the group the other night. It's so fun to see the inner workings (even with broad, general strokes and no detail) of other industries and other types of work. Amber is former military, and now is a military mom whose husband is still in. They have to move every two years and despite that and homeschooling her kiddos, she is still working as a contractor for the government, in an administrative role. Still, it's fun to peak behind the curtains. 

It reminds me of the show Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe. Every time I watched that show I would think to myself "Wow, there's a job with someone actually doing that!" I knew that someone was working with classified information and keeping the computers humming and lights on in different ways, but to hear it directly from the source is unique.

What she discussed about prepping to keep her administrative systems up and running during a pandemic, I think, is similar to what I've been focused on in terms of being ready for whatever next adventure we may run into, I remember the word Amber associated with herself was "adventurous." I like the idea of being adaptable and prepared. Semper Paratus, is the Coast Guard motto right? Always Ready? I remember in her intro she wrote, "I am conditioned to accept that I have little to no control over outcomes no matter how I try to manipulate or influence changes." I liked this line of thinking, and with a quick reading it might seem to run counter to being always prepared, but it's not. One can accept that they have little control over the vicissitudes and challenges of life but be prepared and ready for them nonetheless. 

When I think about digitally preparing for the next pandemic or cultural interruption I think about the "two weeks to slow the spread" and the lockdowns and how horribly it affected the economies of not just the US but of the world. I think History will show that that was not a prudent measure that might have helped control outbreaks, marginally, but at a cost that will take decades to overcome. Having been an essential worker, and having stayed open the entire time . . . AND having not laid off nor cut hours nor pay of any of our staff, I'm quite proud of the way that our organization performed during the pandemic and would have liked to see the measure we took to remain open be the model for others. I looked at my former colleagues at other organizations and saw the businesses close up, pay being slashed, and people laid off, and realize how much that affected their lives. I'd like to see that measures we employ to be digitally prepared for the next cultural or business interruption might not be so drastic as completely shuting down. I hope that the lessons learned from this Covid experience (which I pray is in the rearview and not in the front) are that we need to not only be prepared for any situation but that we need to be flexible and adaptable. 

I'm reminded of a behavior-based safety motto that a previous organization I worked for used. Before every job, the entire crew had a job walk and a safety meeting and during that safety meeting everyone was supposed to ask, "What can go wrong on this job?" and "What is the worst thing that can happen if something does go wrong?" These two questions were supposed to aid not only in identifying dangerous areas and dangerous activities, but also set the worker's mind in a place where he wouldn't put himself into a dangerous situation. By identifying the hazard and vocalizing it and describing it and the solution to the group, subconsciously and consciously, he would be less apt to put himself into that danger or others. I think about using that motto now. "What can go wrong in the future? And what's the worst possible thing that can happen?" By asking that of our organization maybe we can be better prepared for interruptions in our future. 

Army 365

I really enjoyed reading a paper by Scott about Army 365. As anyone knows who reads this blog, I'm a former Army (2/75 RGR) and have a passing familiarity with Fort Benning. I also just got a sample of a Tradoc document on “red teaming,” (see HERE). I was just talking to a colleague about creating a software package that does many of the same things you seem to say A365 does. Obviously reading his paper came at an apropos time. 

The software I was discussing with Mark was more of project management and campaign tracking tool that worked with training and learning as well, . . . And as I come from a smaller training organization, reading about how large organizations like yours are working complex projects and communicating well is intriguing. 

What I really liked though was Scott's final statement on a Deloitte article we read and the difficulty he saw in asking executives to predict and be ready for the future when there are so many unknowns. I felt the same sense from the article that what they were measuring and reporting on was a bit shallow and worthless because of those unknowns. I also wondered how many of these executives might not be as upfront in their responses as they might otherwise be if only because the questions (I’m assuming) seemed pretty ambiguous. 

Finally, I think Scott is right that the future is quite unknown regarding technology and innovation, and worse for these leaders it’s happening so quickly. I think the best thing a leader can do is be as knowledgeable as possible to stay on the cutting edge of any and all of these advancements, and have an organization that is as open to change and quickly adaptable to positive changes as possible. This would allow them to be early adopters of beneficial innovations, unlike organizations that are hard-wired into staid or slow to change processes. 

I hope Scott writes more about Army 365. I wonder if there are tie-ins for what we are doing. 

Extraversion and Conscientiousness

Will and I read an article about leadership and women and he and I saw similar things in it. Will works as a leader in a national sorority. I saw the same things in the articles that he did. Like him I found a touchpoint in my own life. 

In his discussion, he talked about the characteristics of extraversion and conscientiousness and the benefits of each to leadership or working in general. 

My wife is a very successful businesswoman. She is the director of application development for Microsoft Teams app. She's been in business, internet boom, software development, project management, and business administration for a software organization. It was this last one, just prior to the application development position, that she found the most challenging. She was asked to perform roles that were closer and closer to the C-level suite . . . working more and more as a COO. 

She despised this aspect of work. The more she provided these higher-profile leadership positions, the more she disliked her work. She's always been incredibly conscientious so when I read your quote about these two types of women, I naturally thought of her as the "conscientious" one. My wife has an MBA, a PMP, has been through career coaching and leadership coaching, and is incredibly successful in her career. 

As good as she might be at leading, as much as many people might ask her to, the more she realizes that she doesn't enjoy it. She and I are of like minds. I was a COO for a small construction company and when I look back on my career, that's the position that I disliked the most. Even now, if someone asked me to lead here at my present organization I would do it out of loyalty, but not because it is something I would like to do. We've come to terms with our being introverts. We eschew the cocktail parties and the dinner parties, but more than that we also fade away from the spotlight instead of seeking it out. 

So, yep I saw these two same things from my own wife's career and enjoyed that article for the same reason. I think to bring this back to your post, I think that there is a balance that can be struck and potential trained for conscientious workers to become more extraverted. However, I also believe that in some cases people, like water, find their level and enjoy the positions that suit their personalities most.  

Transformational Learning Experiences and DiSC

Elle asked us in class if we had any experiences with transformational learning experiences. Anyone who reads this blog will know that that answer is a hard YES.

The most starkly relevant experience I have had that I would classify as a transformational experience came about as a part of a leadership course our entire organization's executive leadership had to be a part of following a very contentious merger. I've written about this before. It was my first experience with DiSC personality profiles. I was blown away not only by my own similarities with other S's, but also how wrong I was about how to talk to D's!

Our organization of 3500 employees suddenly merged with our largest and staunchest competitor. We went from being bitter enemies to have to be friends. It was a tough transition, to say the least. The training course that we worked through explored how best to interact with each other and move the newly merged organization forward. I still remember that course and what we as a group learned. It was very worthwhile and we found that as a group it helped us move forward. 

I know for me it was transformational and I learned a ton about myself, my coworkers, and about leadership through a business combination. I know too from the others in the course that they found it just as insightful. I think it was a perfect opportunity for this type of transformational experience. The disorienting dilemma was everyone going through a similar disruption of their work life and organization. Overall it was extremely beneficial.  

Mindfulness and Acting

My classmate, Megan, had a really interesting post on mindfulness. I'm really digging this module on mindfulness, and Megan has, apparently, a background in some mindfulness exercises.

She mentioned several exercises that she uses to help the actors she coaches in their ability to become and maintain focus and mindfulness in her theater classes. 

There have been a couple of jobs I've been on where before starting work the entire worksite had to get together and take a few moments to stretch, breathe, relax, think about their work, and hear from others. 

We work hard to identify dangers on the worksite and discuss and understand the worst-case scenarios. The idea is that if a worker knows the "worst-case" then they'll inherently and subconsciously stop themselves and others from doing things that will lead to that worst case.  Those jobs where the client enforces a moment of mindfulness and stretching muscles, then it seemed like the work progressed better. I don't have the KPI's on hand, but I would imagine that the metrics prove the feeling. 

So often when we root cause injuries and losses it has to do with rushing. Mindfulness, understanding that safety comes first, living in the moment instead of worrying about this deadline or the next job, would certainly seem to benefit this and I wonder if finding ways to be more "mindful" might influence the behavior even more. 

Chapter 3: Methodology for Proposed VR Study in Experimental Design

The purpose of this study is to examine virtual reality (VR) learning exercises as an addition to a traditional computer-based training (CBT) course in an industrial contractor safety training organization. The Health and Safety Council (HASC) delivers an average of more than 1,500 CBT courses a day to contractors working in the energy industry, primarily focused on safety and skills training. This study is designed to determine if CBT’s could be made more effective in helping learners retain information for longer durations with the addition of VR exercises. 

This study is designed to determine the effectiveness of VR exercises in relation to: (a) the impact on learners' long-term memory development of learning objectives, (b) learner acceptance of VR technology by demographic makeup of the learner and (c) identify effective VR strategies to develop a model of best practices for the learning community that the organization supports. The overarching question that guides this study is how will the use of VR technology influence the long-term memory development and memory resilience among HASC’s learners. 

Research Design and Rationale

This study is designed to follow a quantitative research method using: (a) a CBT course on an aspect of industrial fieldwork, (b) VR exercises, (c) ungraded quizzes to reinforce learning objectives, (d) a survey to capture learner demographic data, and (e) a chatbot style quiz delivered to the learner one week after the completion of the CBT course. 

The data acquired from the student responses to the chatbot-style quiz and survey will be used to gain insight into the impact VR technology has on learner retention of procedures and course information. The research questions that were developed to help guide this study were designed to gain insight into learner retention, learner engagement, and learner motivation. 

Research Questions

Research Question 1: What is the relationship between learner retention of the material in the long term using CBT with VR exercises compared to learners without the opportunity to take VR exercises?

Research Question 2: What is the relationship between learner motivation when using CBT’s with VR exercises?

Research Question 3: What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to VR exercises?

3a. What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to learner age?

3b. What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to learner experience in industry?

3c. What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to learner gender?

3d. What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to learner level of education?

3e. What relationships exist among learner retention and motivation in relation to learner race or ethnicity?

Null Hypothesis

The null hypothesis used for this experiment is that learners who take a CBT class with VR exercises will not have higher scores on the chatbot quiz as the learners who take a CBT course without VR exercises. 

Sample Design

The sample population for this study includes contractors from four different industrial service contractors visiting HASC in Pasadena, Texas who are assigned to take either confined space awareness course (19CS) or confined space awareness course with VR exercises (19CSVR) by their contracting organizations. The course codes, 19CS and 19CSVR, are unique to HASC and are used to help identify the courses by the researcher and the contracting organization when learners register for classes. Learners who take 19CS during this time period will be assigned to the control group, while learners who take 19CSVR will be assigned to the experimental group. The courses are the same price and take approximately the same amount of time. Additionally, the courses contain the same material presented in the same manner and style, except for the addition of VR exercises in 19CSVR. 

Because HASC is a contractor training organization, the researchers working on this project had no control over who was assigned to take either course nor in influencing the contracting organization to select or use the two different courses. This registration process helped to influence an experimental design that focused on a random sample from learners who registered for and completed either 19CS or 19CSVR during one month from the selected contractor organizations. 

Usually learners taking either 19CS or 19CSVR come from a variety of different contracting organizations who support a variety of different industrial processes, therefore they could have a variety of different experiences in the procedures trained in 19CS and 19CSVR. Although the learner population for this experiment all will have previous experience with the confined space awareness concepts provided within both 19CS and 19CSVR course, the degree of that experience might differ; from brief conceptual, theoretical understanding, to deep experiential understanding. Some of this variability comes from the type of work the contracting organization focuses on. To limit this possibility, the sample population will consist of learners who take the course in July, 2022 and complete: (a) either 19CS or 19CSVR, (b) the follow up demographic survey, the (c) follow up chatbot exam, and (d) were employed by Evergreen Industrial Services (EIS), CleanHarbors Industrial Service (CleanHarbors), PSC Industrial Cleaning (PSC), or HydroChem Industrial Services, (HydroChem). 

All four of these contracting organization work within the same sector of industrial cleaning. All four contracting organizations work in and around confined spaces, but do not have a sole focus on confined space work as other organizations’ might. Having four contracting organizations as the supply line for learners for the sample will ensure that the sample population isn’t marred by variability of confined space knowledge or expertise that could sway the analysis. All four contracting organizations also subscribe to basic confined space awareness training which will ensure a baseline understanding by the entire sample population. This will ensure at some point in the learners’ past training/work experience, regardless of contracting organization, the learners have taken the exact similar confined space awareness training. 

Experimental Design

In 2020, HASC performed a study that was similar to this one except for two factors (Health and Safety Council, 2020). The first difference between this study and the 2020 study is that HASC did not capture learner demographic information for their 2020 study. Secondly, the learner sample population consisted primarily of self-selected learners. Learners were asked if they wanted to take a VR course or the CBT course. According to Keppel “the assurance that each member of the population has an equally likely chance of being selected for the experiment. If these conditions are met, we will be able to generalize the result of our experiment to the population” (p. 17). This 2022 HASC study is focused on creating a stronger experimental design both by capturing learner’s demographic information and analyzing it, but also by ensuring that the sample population is a true random sample from a group of unique organizations in one sector of the energy industry. 

Both 19CS and 19CSVR courses include industry standard information provided via articulate storyline files with narration, an unscored pre-test to inspire engagement, animations, interactive scenarios, unscored in-course knowledge check quizzes with remediation for incorrect answers, a scored 20 question final exam, and a chatbot style quiz delivered one week after the course completion. All of these assests have been developed by HASC’s eLearning Development team which has over ten years of experience working these subjects and HASC’s learning community. 

The scores in the final exam will not be analyzed as a part of this study. The scores on this chatbot quiz that are delivered seven days after the course completion will be used as a point of quantitative comparison for this study. This will help to focus the analysis on “long-term” memory development in a manner similar to other studies on long-term memory development (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008). The chatbot quiz will be delivered to the learner’s smart phone seven days following the completion of either CBT course. All participants within this study will also provide demographic and contact information via a survey to solicit demographic information. 

As stated previously, both 19CS and 19CSVR include the exact same CBT content delivered the exact same way. However, 19CSVR includes two, 3-5 minutes VR exercises designed to allow the learner the opportunity to practice procedures learned in the CBT course in an immersive virtual world using an HASC VR headset. The VR exercises are developed within the CBT so that they occur near the theoretical information that the exercises support. The learner will not have to leave the testing area or leave the CBT workstation to take the VR exercises. The questions in the demographic survey will consist of the following:

• questions to determine the learner’s motivation, expectations, and satisfaction level with the course

• questions to determine the learner’s age, race, gender, years of experience in the industry, years of experience working with confined spaces, academic achievement level, and technical expertise. 

The 19CS course is approximately 60 minutes in length. The 19CSVR course that includes VR exercises is an additional ten minutes for a total approximate course length of 70 minutes. The chatbot quiz is seven questions and takes less than five minutes to complete. 

Variables

The independent variables for this study are: (a) the confined space awareness CBT course, (b) the VR exercises, and (c) the demographic information of the learners. The dependent variable for this study are the grades from the follow-up chatbot style quiz that the learners took one week following the completion of the course. 

Instrumentation and Procedures

Learners, regardless of condition will use similar computer terminals for delivery of the CBT. HASC has over 800 computer terminals for CBT course delivery. All are similar and proctored by HASC proctors at all times during the delivery of the CBT courses. All subjects regardless of condition will be proctored by HASC’s proctors and will be allowed the opportunity to ask questions regarding delivery of the CBT courses. 

Learners who take 19CSVR will be proctored and assisted in the use of the VR equipment. During the month-long data collection period, proctors will be trained and monitored by the primary researcher to ensure that the information provided to the learner will be the same regardless of which proctor might interact with the learner. HASC proctors are trained to provide oversight, enforce lab rules, and aid learners in the use of the CBT delivery PC and the use of VR equipment, without giving benefit to the learner that could change how they might answer questions within the CBT, within the VR exercise or after the course is complete when the learner completes the chatbot quiz. Proctors also help ensure that learners do not benefit from other learners’ information or courses. 

The HASC CBT lab has individual PC workstations that are isolated from neighboring PC workstations by partitions. Learner integrity is monitored by an established and audited “HASC learner verification process” which verifies learner identification against a picture and other biometric data located in the HASC learning management system (LMS). The HASC LMS was developed by HASC and the HASC researchers will have access to all test and course information through this application. The HASC learner verification process includes three standard identification checks and spot checks throughout the learner’s completion of any CBT. The three times throughout the process of completing the course include: (a) at the registration desk when the learner enters HASC's building, (b) when the learner arrives at the CBT workstation, and (c) when the learner completes the CBT. There are also spot checks by proctors throughout the course delivery process where proctors check that the learner and who checked in and started the course is the same learner who takes the course by comparing the learner at the workstation to the picture of the learner in the stored in the LMS. 

The VR exercises that are a part of the 19CSVR course will be administered at the same workstation that the CBTs are taken. Learners in the VR condition will take the VR exercises through an Oculus Quest VR Headset provided by HASC. Demographic surveys will be provided in Articulate storyline after the CBT course is completed regardless of condition. Follow-up chatbot quizzes will be provided via SMS text directly to the learner’s smart phones using an established chatbot technology HASC has used in previous studies.  The chatbot quiz will consist of seven multiple choice questions that are designed to judge learner’s long-term memory resilience of the learning objectives regardless of which condition the learner participated in. 

Learners will give consent to be a part of this study by accepting a consent form at the beginning of the CBT course delivery regardless of the condition. 

Study Measures and Data Collection

The primary measure used for this study will be the chatbot quiz provided one week following the completion of the CBT. The data HASC collects as a part of this study includes both demographic data by way of a learner completed survey delivered via the HASC LMS, and a chatbot quiz delivered via a third-party vendor, MobileCaoch. Learners will also provide consent to use their smart phones for delivery of the chatbot quiz through the use of that same consent form. Learners telephone numbers will be gathered through the use of the demographic survey form. No fields in the demographic survey will be optional. HASC’s researchers have access to all of the data that learners provide via the MobileCoach chatbot test through a secure MobileCoach table that can be accessed via password. 

Ethical Considerations

Data collection will not begin until the study is approved by the executive leadership team of HASC. No data collected from this study or from any of the surveys will be disclosed to the public nor to the contracting organizations that the participants work for. Learners names will not be used during the collection, only the demographic data, phone numbers, and chatbot quiz scores will be used during data analysis. 

Data Analysis

Upon acquiring data from this study and the study participants, various measures will be used to address the research questions and identify areas that will help provide insight to help answer the research questions. Data from both the survey and the quiz will be imported into SPSS software to analyze and address the research questions. The unique identifier that will be used to analyze the data will be the learner’s phone number. A between subjects factorial design will be employed to help analyze the data. The data will be imported into SPSS and the analysis will include the following:

• descriptive statistics

• Levene’s test of equality of error

• test of between-subjects effects

• estimated marginal means test (without more like video, this may not be necessary)

• Bonferroni comparison (without more like video, this may not be necessary)

The analysis also will also include a summary of demographic and descriptive statistics such as: (a) the mean score on the chatbot quiz, (b) standard deviation, and (c) ranges. To complete this analysis we will use a factorial ANOVA that focuses on comparing the mean score of learners who took 19CS and the mean score of learners who took 19CSVR. Focusing on these two factors will help HASC reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis. Using a factorial ANOVA will allow HASC to determine if demographic characteristics might significantly interact with the learners score on either course.

Limitations of the Research Design

In this study the limitations include the registration process from the contracting organizations. Although HASC has limited the sample providing organizations all work within the industrial services industries, there could be slightly different specialties and different company specific training standards. These different company specific training standards could provide a greater degree of baseline knowledge to the learners in the sample population. Additionally, some of these organizations may have employees who work with and around confined spaces more often than others. 

Expected Findings

HASC expects that this proposed study will yield results similar to the 2020 study that compared results from a fire watch CBT to the results from a fire watch CBT with VR exercises which showed almost 10% better recall by the VR condition (Health and Safety Council, 2020; Krokos, et al., 2019). The studies are modeled in a similar manual. The opportunity that this proposed study provides is to determine if the results found in the 2020 study, which relied on self-selection, are found in a study with a stronger experimental design that enforces a random sample population. Additionally, the opportunity that this study provides is the chance to determine if there are any additional interactions between the main effect of long-term memory development with any demographic information provided by the sample population. HASC expects that there will be a significant interaction between "technical experience" and "years of experience" and long-term memory development shown by the learners' grades on the follow-up, chatbot style quiz. HASC expects this interaction effect due to the ubiquity of the material being covered, and the expertise of those learners with greater technical experience and years of experience in the industry. 

Ethical Issues

There was no possibility for financial gain for either HASC or the contractors who took part in sending their employees to HASC for training. The learners who took 19CSVR are expected to show better results in long-term memory development after taking the follow-up, chatbot style quiz, but whether taking 19CS or 19CSVR the learner will be fulfilling the compliance and regulatory training demands necessary for safework in the field as mandated by their contracting organization, the refinery site, and federal work safety standards.  The researcher and HASC do not have a personal or professional relationship with any potential study participants in the study. The researcher did not have a personal relationship with the authors of the survey instrument used for this study. HASC hopes that the data from this study will reveal practical implications for engaging learners by applying constructivist theory to the instructional design for 3D VR exercises and spaced practice quizzing. 

For validity of research, the adherence to ethical protocols is an important consideration. Prior to the data collection phase for the purpose of this study, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained from Kansas State University and the research institution. This step will be taken to ensure participant confidentiality and ethical procedures are reviewed for the protection and storage of data collected for use in this study. All participants in this study will receive informed consent forms prior to their survey participation as a part of the course. The informed consent form will state:

1. purpose and description of the study;

2. participant expectations and participation requirements of the study;

3. participant rights, risks, benefits, confidentiality protection; and

4. participant option to leave the study at any time.

Participants were provided details of the precautions implemented to protect their confidentiality during and after the study. Participants were not asked nor provided a means to give information that would identify them except for providing a phone number which will not be linked to their name. Participants electronically signed the consent form prior to participating in the survey collection of data.

Summary

This chapter described the research design and methodology implemented for this proposed HASC VR study. An overview was provided describing an overview of the technology used in this research as well as the setting of the study, participants, data collection tools, data collection process, and data analysis. There was also a section on the limitations of the study as well as information regarding ethical considerations concerning this study and how they were addressed.

References

Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L., 3rd. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science (New York, N.Y.), 319(5865), 966–968. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1152408

Health and Safety Council. (2020). Gauging effectiveness of 3D VR for memory retrieval. Retrieved October 10, 2021, from https://hasc.com/uploads/digital/VR/HASC-VR-in-Industry-White-Paper.pdf

Keppel, G. (1991). Design and analysis: A researcher’s handbook (3rd ed.). Pearson.

Krokos, E., Plaisant, C., & Varshney, A. (2019). Virtual memory palaces: immersion aids recall. Virtual Reality, 23(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-018-0346-3

Improving Learner Self-Efficacy Through Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is quickly gaining momentum as a possible tool for safety training and skills training in the energy sector at the Health and Safety Council (HASC). As a non-profit contractor training organization, HASC has been studying ways to integrate VR training into its delivery models in ways that help provide more effective learning outcomes for the learner. 

To determine if VR is effective as a training tool for the contractors and trainees who come to HASC for safety or skills training and whether VR is effective compared to traditional eLearning or Computer Based Training (CBT) tools, HASC has completed several investigations. HASC's studies have shown that VR effectively creates lasting, retrievable memories for HASC's trainees (Health and Safety Council, 2020). In addition, being exposed to theories, learning procedures, and understanding information are aspects that CBT at HASC can benefit their learners. VR offers the opportunity to practice and try the procedures in an immersive, virtual world. However, finding ways to improve worker self-efficacy could have deeper, more meaningful effects on the learner and their teams. 

Stop-Work Authority

The understanding and use of personal stop work authority is ubiquitous and fundamental to safe work activities in the energy sector (Gaddis, 2019; Mlynek, 2021). Providing training that helps learners, particularly newer workers, understand stop-work authority and how to use it effectively and promptly. The proper use of stop-work authority by workers can also create a safer work environment for all workers on the job site. Stop work authority is a safety policy designed to keep workers personally safe and allow them to stop any work they may see that is unsafe. According to Gaddis (2019), "the goal behind such a plan is to encourage workers to speak up without fear of retribution when they see a potential at-risk situation unfolding" (p. 2). When used correctly, stop work authority is a powerful tool for keeping workers safe. When it is not used, it can place employees, worksites, and communities surrounding energy manufacturing facilities at risk of dangerous releases, explosions, or fires. 

In many cases, new workers are hesitant to use their stop-work authority due to factors such as diffusion of responsibility; or a "situation in which a person is less likely to take responsibility for action or inaction, when other workers are present" (Mlynek, 2021, p. 1). Counting on others rather than being assured of your own knowledge, training, and capabilities could lead to injury or fatality for the field workers and contracting organizations' that HASC supports. 

Another issue with new employees feeling empowered to use their authority to stop work is the bystander effect. According to Furst (2015), the bystander effect "occurs when the presence of others hinders an individual from intervening in a situation that may cause injury to others or the environment" (p. 5). Like the diffusion of responsibility, the bystander effect can affect new employees inserted into work teams with other, more experienced workers. Being the newest employee can influence a greater chance for the bystander effect to occur. Even if they see something dangerous, new employees might be less apt to stop work because they believe another, more experienced member would stop the hazardous act if it were dangerous. Conversely, experienced workers can get complacent and bad habits can cause them to miss procedural steps. When newer employees rely on these experienced workers due to the bystander effect, stop-work authority will not be used effectively. 

Self-Efficacy

For HASC learners, self-efficacy can be described as a learner's belief in the abilities and capabilities for a task or procedure and their perceptions of themselves in society (Bandura, 1977). Having higher regard for their capabilities and understanding can lead to greater self-efficacy and a greater sense of independent agency, the chance to make independent changes. As Lindley (2006) points out, Bandura believes that "self-efficacy is closely linked to individual human agency" (p. 144). These have positive benefits as providing learners with greater self-efficacy and agency will be more confident in their decisions. In terms of stop-work authority, having the confidence to speak up and stop a job, especially as a newer technician, is a hard challenge. Having greater agency, self-efficacy, and confidence can help newer workers potentially overcome those challenges sooner in their career development. 

Citing several sources, Artisco et al. state in Hoare (2011) that self-efficacy and self-worth are linked to one's abilities. Citing Ehrlinger and Dunning, Artistico, Berry, Black, Cervone, Lee and Orom write that "the knowledge that one is succeeding or failing at a task has substantial implication for ongoing and future actions related to task performance and sense of mastery” (Hoare, 2011, p. 217). Developing skills and feeling that they can meet future challenges successfully is the essence of self-efficacy and can impact learners' future success. 

Virtual Reality and Self-Efficacy

Many studies show how VR training can improve worker self-efficacy for industrial workers (Colombo, 2014; Makransky & Klingenberg, 2022). These studies have shown that workers who took VR training were more apt to identify and fix problems they found on the worksite and showed higher levels of motivation and behavioral changes. Bandura (1977) suggests that self-efficacy comes from four primary sources; of those four, two are: (a) personal performance and accomplishments, (b) vicarious experiences. The VR exercises that HASC provides allows learners to perform procedures in a safe and controlled environment. Learners have the opportunity to perform procedures and experience the results of that work in an immersive environment. 

An immersive VR environment also allows learners to practice these procedures in significantly more dangerous situations than what could be provided in live training simulators. Holbrook and Cennamon (2014), citing several studies, write that one beneficial aspect of simulators is that "they provide a safe environment in which to learn and fail" (p. 40). Their study on emotion and self-efficacy in simulators for police officers found that learners in an immersive learning environment were: (a) more emotionally invested, (b) found the training situations realistic, and (c) found the learning memorable and realistic. In a similar study, Nissim and Weissblueth (2017) found that when providing VR simulator training to teachers,  the participants' self-efficacy or belief in their ability improved following the simulator training. Additionally, Shu et al. (2017) found that learner motivation and enjoyment of the training course improved when using high definition immersive VR as the tool for delivery. 

Career Development

A greater sense of self-efficacy can also have positive benefits for the learner's career and the learner's fulfillment from their career. Bandura (1997) writes that the "stronger the sense of self-regulatory efficacy, the greater the improvement in work involvement" (p. 189). This can not only lead to greater worker involvement but can have positive benefits to the worker in the form of being more involved to use stop-work authority more effectively. Additionally, this willingness to "own" their own and others' safety at the job site can lead to quicker career growth and promotion. Holbrook and Cennamo (2014) write about how individuals with "high perceived self-efficacy about a certain task can lead to positive performance outcomes" (p. 38). And Bandura (1997) writes that "individuals who have a resilient sense of self-efficacy perceive greater employment opportunities and are more successful in finding employment" (p. 188). Finally, Bandura (1986) quotes Brown and Inouye that "when people are fully assured of their capabilities, they remain unshaken in their perceived self-efficacy and persevere doggedly, even though they fail repeatedly" (p. 364).

Multiple studies show that self-efficacy can be improved for students through the use of VR exercises (Colombo et al, 2014; Holbrook & Cennamo, 2014; Makransky & Klingenberg, 2022; Nissim & Weissblueth, 2017). Improved self-efficacy, or a greater sense of self-efficacy in a shorter time can help field workers supporting the energy sector perform their work more safely and speak up quicker and use their stop work authority when they see something dangerous (Burke, et al., 2006; Furst, 2015; Gaddis, 2019; Mlynek, 2021). For an organization like HASC that is looking for ways to improve contractor safety in the energy sector, finding training techniques that can help learners quickly gain a sense of self-efficacy, VR could be a worthwhile investment. 

References

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.84.2.191\

Bandura, A. (1986). The explanatory and predictive scope of self-efficacy theory. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 4(3), 359–373. https://doi-org.er.lib.k-state.edu/10.1521/jscp.1986.4.3.359

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W H Freeman/Times Books/ Henry Holt & Co.

Burke, M. J., Sarpy, S. A., Smith-Crowe, K., Chan-Serafin, S., Salvador, R. O., & Islam, G. (2006). Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods. American Journal of Public Health, 96(2), 315–324. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.059840

Colombo, S., Nazir, S., & Manca, D. (2014). Immersive virtual reality for training and decision making: Preliminary results of experiments performed with a plant simulator. SPE Economics & Management, 6(04), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.2118/164993-pa

Furst, P. G. (2015). Stop work authority and the bystander effect. IRMI. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://www.irmi.com/articles/expert-commentary/stop-work-authority-and-the-bystander-effect

Gaddis, S. (2019). Stop work authority: A principled-based approach. Occupational Health & Safety. Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2019/12/02/Stop-Work-Authority-A-Principled-Based-Approach.aspx

Health and Safety Council. (2020). Gauging Effectiveness of 3D VR for Memory Retrieval. Retrieved October 10, 2021, from https://hasc.com/uploads/digital/VR/HASC-VR-in-Industry-White-Paper.pdf

Hoare, C. (2011). The Oxford Handbook of Reciprocal Adult Development and Learning. 2nd Edition. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0199736300

Holbrook, H. A., & Cennamo, K. S. (2014). Effects of high-fidelity virtual training simulators on learners' self-efficacy. International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 6(2), 38–52. https://doi-org.er.lib.k-state.edu/10.4018/ijgcms.2014040104

Lindley, L. D. (2006). The paradox of self-efficacy: Research with diverse populations. Journal of Career Assessment, 14(1), 143–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072705281371

Makransky, G., & Klingenberg, S. (2022). Virtual reality enhances safety training in the maritime industry: An organizational training experiment with a non-WEIRD sample. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 1– 14. https://doi-org.er.lib.k-state.edu/10.1111/jcal.12670

Mlynek, J. (2021). Stop-Work Authority: Empower Employees to Watch For Hazardous Situations, Take Action. Grain Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2022, frhttps://www.grainnetsafety.com/article/243934/joe-mlynek-stop-work-authority-empower-employees-to-watch-for-hazardous-situations-take-action

Nissim, Y., & Weissblueth, E. (2017). Virtual reality (VR) as a source for self-efficacy in teacher training. International Education Studies, 10(8), 52. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v10n8p52

Shu, Y., Huang, YZ., Chang, SH. et al. Do virtual reality head-mounted displays make a difference? A comparison of presence and self-efficacy between head-mounted displays and desktop computer-facilitated virtual environments. Virtual Reality 23, 437–446 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-018-0376-x

Getting through Swamp Phase

My study buddy Andrew wrote about how hard it is to be "mindful" and in the moment regarding his students in his Master's classes. So often the students get disappointed by the core course work and prerequisites. I can understand that. Still having to get through my own core courses before I can get to the dissertation. 

Again, I can empathize, and I can understand how students might feel this way. I see the same thing with our newly hired workers as Andrew sees with his students. They come into the energy industry,... They are eager to do new and exciting work then they find that so much of it is drudgery. 

Regarding how to help learners be more mindful and live in the moment rather than being disappointed by what they thought, I liked what the chapter had to say about "attentional blink," "they describe attentional blink as an effect whereby two stimuli are presented in close succession and an individual fails to attend the second stimulus due to attentional focus on the first stimulus" (Hoare, 2011, p. 349).

Along those same lines, I liked the idea of "reperceiving" as well; "a process that helps reduce reactivity to situations by adopting a mode of awareness in which one is less identified with one's experience," (Hoare, 2011, p. 350). I like what they state about how people should train their minds to step back from the problem and see it from afar with their mind's eye. There are times when I tell my managers, especially when they are on the verge of being overwhelmed by work or politics, that they need to get "out of the trenches" and see the entire battlefield. So often I remember being in their position and not being able to see the forest for the trees. Heck, there are times now that I have trouble with that. "Repercieving" would definitely help with that. 

Finally, when I think about your specific problem with students, I think about delayed gratification. There needs to be an understanding of being able to wade through the difficult times to get to the finish line. Not to belabor the "army" point, but I remember in Ranger School, a three-month-long slugfest, that there were days and days and nights and nights of walking through swamps, of laboring under a rucksack, of misery and muck. Why? To earn a little tab that we got to put on our shoulders. Whenever I wanted to quit, I just thought of that tab and pressed on. I think this type of goal orientation vision quest is useful for getting through the rough patches and getting to the finish line. 

References:

Hoare, C. (2011). The oxford handbook of reciprocal adult development and learning (C. Hoare, Ed.). Oxford University Press.

Wisdom and Reflective Thinking

We are reading a chapter on wisdom and I got to tell ya, I really enjoyed it. Maybe it's because my mind enjoys procedures or definitions, but I liked the way that Bassett laid out the different definitions of wisdom and what makes up wisdom. 

For me, the definition I liked the most was the one he quoted by Ardelt that expressed wisdom as having three dimensions, where Bassett writes, "for her wisdom includes three dimensions; cognitive, affective, and reflective. Of the three according to her the last is the most important because it informs the other two" (Hoare, 2011, p. 303).  

We are doing a lot of work with reflection recently in our work. I'm not so bold as to say we are inspiring our learners to become wiser per se, but I will say that I like Ardelt's definition for that aspect of reflection. We have clients who want training in such and such a manner, and usually want it as quickly as possible. Quick delivery rarely includes reflective moments for the learner. We have a class that takes a full day where we build in those reflective moments. A client asked that we make it 4 hours instead of 8. We argued and lost and were forced to deliver the 4-hour rushed version. They enjoyed the opportunity to learn and I was happy to hear in their feedback that every learner wished that they had had more time to consider and think about the concepts rather than be rushed through. Even the learners know that wisdom and learning come with reflection and can't be rushed. 

I also enjoyed the five principles laid out in the same chapter on wise leadership; "wise leaders must have cognitive complexity; they must be rational and deep thinkers while at the same time being able to draw on the nonrational and subjective as appropriate; they must think creatively; they must display long-term vision and virtue (caring for humanity), and finally they must be articulate" (Hoare, 2011, p. 310). Again, maybe it's that I enjoy lists or that I've got a very black and white mind but having these listed in this way appealed to me and I enjoyed reading about it. 

References:

Hoare, C. (2011). The oxford handbook of reciprocal adult development and learning (C. Hoare, Ed.). Oxford University Press.

Job Hopping

I had a long meeting with Jemalin the other day to discuss career development and self-efficacy. This is such an interesting topic. I’m considered a “hopper.” I’ve bounced around from job to job and from position to position, trying in most cases to move up with each hop, and definitely trying to get 15-20% more with each hop too. When I was in contracting, this was the norm. People jumped constantly. It was almost an expectation. Why do I say that? Because the programs to try and keep people were non-existent. The rationale seemed to be, that if you don’t like it, feel free to leave, rather than promoting health and welfare employee programs to get people to be loyal. It’s not a good or bad thing, it just “was.” And in many cases having all that hopping helped create a sense of community within the industry and kept things fresh at the organization level. 

Within the past 3 or 4 years, I moved to go to work with a non-profit that focuses on training. This is a great “hop” because this helps me fine-tune and specialize my skill as well as support the community. What’s interesting is that this organization has a completely different attitude toward employee loyalty. This is a place with most people down my hallway having easily 10+ years with the company. Many have 15 or 20 years. 

Unlike in the contracting world where you had to petition your boss for a raise and prove why you deserve it, “what more are you doing to justify me paying you more” . . . Raises at the non-profit are annual and automatic. The difference? At the contractor, you would get 10% or 15% raise. At the non-profit . . . 2.5 or 3% max. When my employees come to me for more, I hesitate because I always want to say, the best way to move up fast, . . . “Hop.” So, it’s an interesting dynamic. 

What I find interesting, and to bring it back to your post, is that the social dynamic of a 401K and an IRA have made it easier to hop than to stay. Pensions? Who has those anymore? I wonder though if they may not make a comeback. 

As my final position at the contracting company, I was the Director of Career Development. We had 7000 employees and what I kept seeing is that kiddos who saw their parents suffer through the 2010s etc were more apt to want “solidity” from their jobs rather than fulfillment or high pay. They wanted to know it wasn’t going to be pulled out from under them. I wonder if kids who saw their parent laid off through Covid will want the same thing but more so. Will a retirement savings account that helps them feel more invested in the organization, like a pension, become the norm for these next working generations. Where our generation wanted the freedom to hop, maybe they’ll be looking for an anchor to tie them in place. It will be interesting to see. Nice to know there are fellow “hoppers” out there!

Kobayshi Maru

Like my college Megan, I was intrigued by the concept of self-efficacy and success - both success in or on the job and success in a career. Anyone who has talked to me for even 5 minutes will know that I can't go even that long without discussing what my organization is trying to do with VR. Well, I think VR provides a great opportunity to increase a learner's self-efficacy and feeling of accomplishment, far more than our typical “power point” style training delivery. 

We have three types of training, CBT (computer-based training), instructor-led or seminar-type training, and hands-on training where the learners get to work with the equipment and on simulators to help them understand their equipment. 

Naturally, everyone believes in and sees the value of hands-on, but there are reasons it’s more useful, classes are generally smaller and have a more beneficial instructor to student ratio for learning, theory can be integrated into the hands-on instruction and reinforced, the learners get to work with their hands and practice procedures. The challenge is that it is more expensive and not as scalable. On the other end of the spectrum is CBT, which is imminently scalable and cheaper, just less effective at promoting sustainable knowledge transfer to the field. 

Our VR classes bridge this gap nicely. They take theory and elements of hands-on and provide it to the learner in a scalable manner that allows them the opportunity to practice safely on simulators that replicate a field environment. In some ways, I think that VR might be more beneficial than traditional hands-on for the reason that we can provide opportunities for the learner to practice emergency-type procedures without endangering themselves or others. Recently we released a VR course that simulates an excavation cave-in and asks the learner to initiate an emergency procedure. A cave-in of a trench is something that a typical, real-work, hands-on excavation training would never be able to simulate. 

What does this have to do with self-efficacy? By giving the learner opportunities to practice these situations in the VR world, our hope is that when or if those situations occur in the field they are better able to handle and react to them. Additionally, if the emergency never occurs in the field, by having practiced for the situation in the VR world, the learner is more apt to feel confident in his abilities. This can have benefits to the learner’s on-the-job performance, confidence in his abilities, and career. There is a myriad of ways I see VR can help with self-efficacy for adult learners. 

To bring this back to Megan's thoughts on choreography, dance, and self-efficacy, she mentions failure. In the cases I list above I see that failure acts not as a demotivational moment but rather as a chance to learn, understand and grow from the failure. We have one course where the learner cannot succeed. Failure is baked in. They must react to the failure. For any Star Trek fans out there it is similar to the Kobayashi Maru training, where no matter what choice you make, the end result is a failure. Sort of like the ill-structured problems we have been working on within self-authorship. There may not be true black and white solutions to grey problems, just the least bad options. But from this, our learners get to learn about the experience, and hopefully grow and understand their capabilities better.