A DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIST IN THE DESIGN OF A SYSTEM FOR TRAINING: A CASE STUDY

Incorporation of increasingly intricate technology into military weapon systems has placed a heavy training burden on the United States military establishment. Operators and maintenance technicians must learn to perform complex procedures in a limited time frame. Further limitations on the availability of weapon system equipment for training purposes have required that the military procure sophisticated training devices on which trainees can learn and practice these procedures. As a part of the development of such devices, instructional systems technologists have been called upon to help specify their design requirements. This study reports a case in which instructional systems technologists participated in this non-traditional role.;The events of the case are first described chronologically. Analysis of these events is then performed using H. S. Bhola's Configurational Theory of Innovation Diffusion, Planned Change, and Development (or CLER Model). The analysis is organized around the four variables of Bhola's model (Configurations, Linkages, Environment, and Resources).;The study indicates that the instructional systems technologist can work effectively within an engineering environment. Further, as they serve in the capacity of change agents within that environment, they can influence the design of the hardware, software, and instructional aspects of automated training systems. A number of factors that may contribute to their effectiveness in this capacity are indicated. Tentative conclusions are drawn regarding various aspects of the design environment, and recommendations are made for further qualitative and quantitative research. Additional recommendations are made to practitioners and teachers of instructional systems technology.;Case materials were gathered through the author's participation in the design effort and through interviews with other participants shortly after the conclusion of the effort. Various forms of documentation were also used to reconstruct the case, including government specifications for the target device, system technical references, notes kept by participants during the effort, and the final design disclosure for the training device.