Student Motivational Skill Training Package: Evaluation for Air Force Technical Training

This technical paper summarizes the historical background of the Pre-Course Student Skill Training Project and describes results of the development and evaluation of the Student Motivational Skill Training Package in a selected Air Force technical training course: Precision Measurement Equipment (PME). The findings from an evaluation of this package indicate that it provided relevant pre-course skill training that was positively received by students, instructors, and training managers. Most students who completed the motivational skills training liked the package and reported it was helpful in both their coursework and their personal lives. These students also scored significantly higher than a control student group on tests at the end of PME blocks I and II, and they had significantly fewer failures than did the control student group on these block tests. These findings offer evidence of the feasibility of modifying students' pre-course skills and strategies such that motivation to perform well is enhanced. This paper discusses additional implications of these findings, suggested areas of future research, and concludes with recommendations for implementing the training package. (Author)