The Final Test

Perhaps the single most innovative feature in fundamentals CBT is the use of simulation for a lesson's final exam.

As you would expect, fundamentals lessons have a "final exam" to evaluate how well trainees understand each lesson.

But these are no ordinary tests. There are no multiple-choice questions requiring users to recognize a correct response.

Figure 3: Sample Simulation Set-up Screen

Instead, trainees are plugged into situations--scenarios--that require them to identify problems and apply fundamental concepts to solve them.

The assessments actually function as simulations, requiring users to do more than just recognize correct answers. Trainees must analyze situations, think about possible actions, weigh choices, and then make decisions to "pass" the test.

These "simulated" assessments evaluate the depth of understanding, ensuring trainees apply what's been learned. They expedite skill acquisition. And they provide operating practice and emphasize safety concerns. Perhaps most important, simulation "tests" are fun!

Trainees that successfully complete any of these lessons can understand what the processes do, how they do it, what variables affect it, and how they can impact the operation-before ever setting foot in the field.