I__. - International Military Testing Association

that differed from ongoing courses in that it accommodated students previously
considered unqualified in terms of aptitude scores and education. Training was oriented
towards job skills and minimized nonessential math.ematics and electronics theory. The
results showed that the X-ETs were taught to required levels of proficiency in a
substantially shorter time than in the conventional course. In follow up studies of job
performance it was found that, in general, the X-ETs were performing their duties
satisfactorily in comparison with a control group and on the basis of ratings by
supervisors and peers. They were superior to control ETs in troubleshooting, even
though they scored lower on paper-and-pencil tests of electronics knowledge.
The fifth project, SUPPORT, applied JOT to the Army’s medical corpsman’s course
(Ward, Fooks, Kern & McDonald 1970). (This was not a BETI’ revision.) The course
was changed from a lectured based, theory oriented course to a more job oriented course
where the content was organized so the relevance of each new topic was readily
apparent. The evaluation revealed that JOT students performed better than
conventionally trained corpsmen in 21 out of 26 tests, including both paper-and-pencil
tests and extensive job-sample, simulated performance tests. In addition, JOT students
were faster than conventional corpsmen in attending to serious battle field wounds.
There was a project related to the SUPPORT project that was aimed at extending the JOT
methods used in the corpsmen training to radio operator training (Goffard, Polden &
Ward 1970). The findings were that the recycle rate for trainees was reduced by 30
percent in comparison with the standard course, and attrition was reduced by about 50
percent. These outcomes were achieved even though the JOT classes were 40 percent
larger and contained twice as many mental category IV personnel as the standard course.
The final project was APSTRAT (Weingarten, Hungerland, Brennan, & Allred
1971). This project was specifically targeted for low aptitude personnel admitted under
Project 100,000. The findings were that the redesigned Army field wireman’s course had
35 percent less attrition and that set back rates were cut from 30 percent to zero.
Future Direction for BETT Training Development
Based on the findings of the above studies and the results of the recent NPRDC
hands-on practical tests, below are two alternative approaches to BETT training that
could be used to make future Navy technicians better equipped to maintain the
sophisticated weapons systems in tomorrows Navy.
Develop a job oriented BETT course that is generic to all electrical schools. The
basic electricity front-end that has been added to the ‘A’ schools would be converted
from an abstract, mathematics and physics knowledge oriented course to one where jobrelevant
skills are practiced in a situation of actual use. The current ‘A’ school phases
would remain the same. The new front-end training would build on the trainee’s
knowledge of familiar electrical devices to teach basic electrical operation and
maintenance concepts. The knowledge acquired using these devices should transfer to
the equipment used in the later phases of ‘A’ school and on-the-job. The new job
oriented training would stress hands-on trainee performance. Hands-on experience would
increase from the current twenty-five percent to sixty percent or more of total class time.
The training would be developed, implemented and evaluated at one electrical school to
determine the feasibility of implementing it in other electrical schools.
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