Empirical Comparison of Alternative Video Teletraining Technologies

The overall objective of the project was to explore technologically cost-effective ways to train personnel who are geographically remote from training resources. An empirical study was conducted to compare (1) training effectiveness and (2) user acceptance of live instruction and six different alternative Video Teletraining (VTT) technologies: multi-channel 2-way video with 2-way audio, single-channel 2-way video with 2-way audio, 1-way video with 2-way audio, 1-way video with 1-way audio, 1-way video with intermittent 2-way audio, and audiographics. Findings were that VTT in several different forms was effective both in terms of student performance and student and instructor acceptance. The most successful VTT technologies were those allowing continuous 2-way audio communication between classrooms with either 2-way or 1-way video. Using 2-way video does not appear to improve student performance as compared to 1-way video, but instructors prefer 2-way video and students expressed the desire to see their cohorts in other classes, which requires 2-way video. Student test performance was poorer with VTT systems that restricted remote students' ability to converse with or see the instructor and the performance decrement was evident in both local and remote classrooms. Evidence suggests that student acceptance of such VTT technologies was lower than with fully- interactive VTT. Similar results would be expected with video-taped instruction. Students adapted to compensate for the video and audio shortcomings of VTT technologies. The most serious shortcoming of the simulated VTT technologies was audio. Additional work needs to be done to refine the audio systems and procedure used in VTT.