A Knowledge-Based Indications and Warning Toolkit for Mixed-Initiative Information Warfare Analysis

The purpose of this SBIR is to develop and evaluate a Web-based instructional tool (WBIT) that can be used by officers and enlisted personnel to design courseware for traditional classrooms and distance learning environments. The WBIT will be organizedaround the five phases of ISD/SAT (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation), and will provide the user with access to state-of-the-art principles of effective lesson design. The latter will reside in a powerful relational databasemanagement system forming the knowledge engine of the system. The primary products of Phase I will be a well-developed database of instructional design principles, a demonstration module, and the functional requirements for a complete system. For PhaseII, the literature review will be expanded, functionality for the system will be enhanced to encompass all five phases of ISD, and experimentation with various configurations of web-hosting will be employed. The resulting product will be a powerfulweb-based instructional tool that can guide even novice developers through the complex ISD/SAT process.Benefits of the tool will include faster courseware development, more effective and interesting courseware materials, greater standardization and qualitycontrol of courseware, and greater integration of effective classroom techniques with the latest developments in web-based training. These attributes will be combined to produce a more optimized learning environment for student users. Upon conclusion ofPhase II, the tool may be deployed either as an adjunct to MIL-HDBK-29612-2 or as a stand-alone system. The principles embodied in this system may be effectively exploited within any industry where a Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) is employed, suchas Power Generation, Transportation, and Process Control.