MST-READI Final System Evaluation

MST-READI

(Medical Simulation TRaining TEchnology EvAluation DesIgner)

Final System Evaluation

The final evaluation is intended to provide evidence of improvements or benefits over current practice. These improvements may take a variety of forms such as increased knowledge acquisition, reduced manpower requirements, lower cost, etc.

Depending largely upon the training evaluation situation�feasibility to support random assignment of participants to different training groups, one of which may be a control training group obtaining current versus �new� training �summative evaluations may include a true experimental design, quasi-experiment or non-experimental design.

Experimental - designs provide the greatest level of rigor. They are characterized by a high degree of control over the research setting to allow for the determination of cause-and-effect relationships among variables. They can only be used, however, when randomization of individuals or groups to conditions (e.g., new simulation group versus traditional training group) is supported by the training evaluation conditions.

Quasi-experimental - designs follow the experimental design but lacks random assignment and/or manipulation of independent variable. Quasi experimental designs such as comparison group pre-test/post-test design, time series, and non-equivalent control groups are used when it is not feasible to control the assignment of subjects to conditions.

Non-experimental - research such as case studies, ethnographic approaches and correlational research is often needed to scope out the experimental one. Non-experimental designs are used when human characteristics or independent variables are not subject to experimental manipulation or randomization, variables of interest cannot ethically be manipulated, or it is not practical to conduct a true experiment.

MST-READI is a collaborative research effort among US Army RDECOM-STTC, OSDi and CWS, funded by RDECOM-STTC