Simulation based training has been around forever. It has been used in various capacities to help students of all types to learn new skills, create habits and develop confidence. It has been used in most industries where the tasks are complicated and unpredictable such as emergency services, healthcare practitioners, military applications and flight training.
Simulation based training places students in realistic situations in controlled conditions representing real life to learn new skills, create habits and for evaluation. It includes virtual technologies, role playing and/or physical equipment. Providing students safe learning environments.
It has been found students learn better with a wider understanding and ability to alter thought processes when placed in low stress environments while learning a complicated task. Thel low stress environment allows the brain to consider various options, choose the most likely one and determine the result of the action. If it was successful it will use that option in similar situations, whereas if it was unsuccessful it will discard the option and next time try another.
In high stress situations, such as landing a plane on an aircraft carrier for the first time, if an error is made the student may be seriously injured or killed. In these situations if the student is successful in performing the action the specific actions are imprinted on their memory and are much harder to change.
This can lead to poor learning, inability to alter habits or consider alternatives in high stress situations. In short the student becomes locked into specific habits which are not ideal and could lead to disaster given slightly different circumstances. By using simulation based training the student will have lower stress levels and will be able to make better decisions and have a wider view of similar situations.
Three types of simulation based training
Simulation based training is familiar to most students, sometimes called role-playing, scenarios or game-theory learning. It provides students with a realistic learning and low stress environment. It can be implemented through low tech methods such as students acting out situations (role playing), using mannequins such as the ANNIE doll used in CPR training or high tech simulations which places the student in a simulator which closely replicates the real environment and providing a variety of problems for them to overcome.
Role-playing simulation training
Role-playing simulation training is used in a variety of industries including sales, health and military. They can be as simple as defining roles and a situation the participants are to perform in such as a sales situation (door to door vacuum sales) or as complicated as performing a medical procedure or simulating an enemy attack. This type of simulation training can be used to train students in a low stress environment, test new theories of action within the discipline or for evaluation.
Mannequin represented simulation
Although these are mostly used in the healthcare industry they are also used in military simulations. Mannequins are used to represent patients to allow health practitioners to perform invasive procedures which require practice.
Procedures like taking blood, injecting a syringe or using a scalpel can all be represented using mannequins. The ANNIE doll is a good example of how first aid students can learn how to perform CPR using a simulated victim.
In the military simulated situations can include neutralizing enemy fighters using mannequins setup throughout a simulated environment. The goal is to provide the soldier with a realistic experience of how to make quick decisions of friend or foe, to practice military training and enable teamwork training without endangering the soldier.
High tech simulators
High tech simulators can be anything from a laptop application simulating a simple environment to an immersive environment which simulates a complex training situation. Such simulators are pilot training simulators, surgical operations, cyber security training and operating military equipment.
Many of these simulators are game-based simulations which provide harder and more complicated situations for the student as their skills and knowledge improves. Providing feedback, repetitive actions and instruction for students to become proficient in a skill prior to attempting the skill in real life. This is used in situations where the skill can be dangerous, expensive or highly complex. They reduce the stress on the student providing a better learning environment.
Examples of simulation based training
Pilot training
Pilot training has developed from crude mockups of airplane cockpits to teach where instruments were and what they meant. They added motion by simulating the action of the stick to the position of the mockup.
Today there are full blown cockpit environments which emoerse the trainee in a realistic environment where the instruments provide the appropriate resonance to the position of the simulated plane throughout the task.
Pilot training simulators are high tech simulated environments which provide pilots with situations which are both common such as landing and takeoff as well as emergency situations like engine failure or severe weather conditions. This allows the trainee with the opportunity to try and fail without expensive or hazardous results.
Military Games
The military of every country wants to protect itself from those who are hostile to them. To do that they must have a well trained military which can defend and repulse invaders. There are two ways to have a well trained military.
- On the job training
This is where the soldier is put into battle. This is called becoming battle hardened. The soldier will learn through close calls or loss of personnel how to perform in an effective manner. This is a very expensive and tragic method of learning, one which is to be avoided if possible.
- Military game simulations
During military exercises personnel are divided into sides and given a goal to complete and prevent the other side from achieving theirs.
Military games provide valuable insights into tactical decisions, equipment effectiveness and military personnel training level.
First Aid training
Everyone who has enrolled into a first aid course has experienced roleplaying simulation training. Skills like CPR performed on the ANNIE doll, co-students pretending to be injured and quickly determining who is of higher priority in an emergency situation are used to train and evaluate students.
First aid training has used CPR training dolls for over 50 years which provide the student with visual feedback with printed readouts of their compressions and the timing. This can help the student to understand how they can improve their performance.
Surgery
Simulators which are designed to provide training for surgeons are expensive. They can be anything from simple mannequins to high tech virtual reality environments. If simple mannequins are used they are dedicated mannequins to specific operations whereas virtual reality systems can be configured for a variety of procedures.
Nursing
There are many situations where simulations can be used in nurse training such as installing IV’s, getting blood and bandaging wounds. The simulation can include role-playing by the students, low tech mannequins and high tech virtual reality systems for surgery training.
Advantages and disadvantages of simulation based training
Lowers stress levels while learning new skills
Learning in high stress situations can lead to poor performance later. The technique of throwing someone into the water to teach them to swim does not work for providing them with the best habits later. This situation is repeated in all aspects of skill learning. In low stress situations the trainee will be able to consider options, try solutions and have a better understanding of the environment around them and which aspects to pay attention to for a successful result.
Learning in high stress situations tends to produce myoptic solutions which only succeed in a small frequency of similar cases.
Improves student retention of skills long term
Using simulators to reinforce knowledge provides another modality of learning which helps to cement knowledge learned either through demonstration or lecture. Performing a task after learning the correct response provides the trainee with a physical representation of the learning.
Timely instruction
A simulation can be halted or altered during the simulation in order for the instructor to provide correction or clarification to the trainee without damage to the equipment or student. In real life situations this is not alway possible and can lead to the learning of poor habits which can detract from the trainees efficiency.
Allows repetition to master difficult skills
Skills which have many aspects or complex solutions can be repeated until a base level of competency is reached. This provides the trainee with confidence to perform the skill in real life situations and enables better outcomes.
Skills such as landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier or performing a surgical procedure require practice but are high stress situations where an error can have catastrophic results. Learning such skills in a simulated environment provides the student with an environment to learn progressively harder and varying situations.
Encourages cooperation between students
Teamwork is an important part of most entities’ success. Whether it is a sales team, surgical unit or military company being able to cooperate to successfully accomplish a goal teamwork is vital. By providing simulation training for real life situations trainees can learn what their roles are, what skills they have to contribute and how to work together to complete the task.
Trainees can be trained for specific situations
Training for emergency situations is a good example of why this type of training is valuable. Pilot training for how to deal with engine failure or fuselage decompression is valid and important although few pilots will ever need to deal with either situation. Training in specific situations can be done for a variety of reasons:
- The trainee has a high chance of needing the skill
- The trainee needs to know what to do if something happens
- A specific skill needs to be learned to perform more complicated skills