Interaction Designs Impact on Knowledge Acquisition With Unmanned Aerial System Teams Performing Complex Tasks

The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the effects of interaction design variations in an automated feedback system to impact knowledge acquisition. The context was a system developed for teams controlling remotely piloted unmanned aerial systems in a simulation training environment. Two groups were exposed to experimental feedback interactions which were developed from elements of engagement theory while the third group was exposed to traditional feedback interactions not aligned with engagement theory. Participants conducted a series of Close Air Support (CAS) missions of varying difficulty with knowledge acquisition measured both after initial and final missions. If the knowledge acquisition of team members could be impacted through different feedback interaction designs of the system, then a opportunity for advancing learning in training teams controlling unmanned aerial systems may result. An Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was the primary analysis performed to assess if there were differences in adjusted means after completion of the final mission controlling for initial differences in knowledge. There were no significant differences detected between experimental groups. Furthermore, a two way mixed ANCOVA was conducted to investigate if their was an interaction between different roles of team members and feedback designs but none was detected. The potential reasons why differences were not detected despite the engagement theory literature suggesting a different result are explored in the discussion.