Learning to direct attention: Consequences for procedural task training programs

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Cognitive Psychology
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Procedural training programs utilize augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) with attention-directing cues.
• The impact of different cue types (location vs. icon) on learning outcomes is not well understood.
• Location cues may lead to over-reliance on spatial memory, hindering transferability to rearranged interfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how location cues versus icon cues affect learning in procedural training.
• To determine if cue type impacts performance with rearranged interfaces.
• To assess the influence of icon type (functional vs. abstract) in conjunction with cue type.

Main Methods:

• Participants were trained on procedural tasks using either location cues or icon cues.
• Training involved interfaces with either functional or abstract icons.
• Trainees performed tasks with a rearranged interface layout to assess learning transfer.

Main Results:

• When using functional icons, icon cues led to better accuracy and lower perceived difficulty than location cues.
• Both cue types resulted in similar accuracy when the interface was rearranged with functional icons.
• With abstract icons, icon cues improved accuracy on the rearranged interface compared to location cues.

Conclusions:

• The type of cue used in procedural training significantly impacts learning and transfer.
• Icon cues appear more effective than location cues, particularly with abstract icons, promoting better understanding of interface elements.
• Designers of AR/VR procedural training should carefully select cue types to optimize learning and adaptability.