Computerized Psychological Techniques to Teach Knowledge and Increase Skill Levels Quickly

The Chief of Naval Operations, in his “Design for Maintaining Superiority,” calls for the implementation of High Velocity Learning (HVL) at every level to accelerate learning as individuals, teams, and organizations. HVL demands that sailors be provided with real opportunities to acquire and master skills as well as opportunities to refresh and practice highly perishable skills. HVL also must address the mental state of the trainee, since a sailor who is primed for learning will acquire and retain skills more rapidly and completely than a sailor who is ruminating, distracted, or otherwise unengaged. Thus, HVL is comprised of two primary components: accelerating the learning pathway and accelerating the learning process. In-Depth Engineering Corporation proposes the Curriculum for Accelerated Learning through Mindfulness (CALM), a training paradigm introduced in Phase I, which addresses both components of the HVL equation by combining adaptive training with techniques to objectively measure and increase learner engagement using mindfulness. This Phase II SBIR proposal applies our Phase I SBIR HVL research to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and in particular to the active sonar skill acquisition and retention problem on DDG-1000 (Zumwalt) class destroyers and DDG-51 (Arleigh Burke) class destroyers.