Expert Pathfinder Networks as an Instructional Tool in the Acquisition of a Complex Skill

The present study contributed the first known examination of Pathfinder (Schvaneveldt, 1990; Schvaneveldt, Durso & Dearholt, 1989) knowledge structures as an instructional tool in the training of a complex skill. Expert knowledge structures created using Pathfinder were presented to trainees during training using a video in an effort to increase learning and skill acquisition. Need for cognition (NFC) was also included in this study as recommended by previous research in complex skill acquisition, which showed that the effectiveness of training design factors may be dependent upon trainees' NFC. One hundred fifty-five male, undergraduate student volunteers were randomly assigned to one of five conditions including (1) a full explanation of an expert knowledge structure, (2) a partial explanation of a expert knowledge structure, (3) two expert knowledge structures to be used for comparison and contrast, (4) additional practice games and (5) repeat exposure to task instructions. Skill acquisition, transfer performance, declarative knowledge, knowledge structure similarity to an expert structure, and trainee reactions were the dependent variables included in this study. Findings suggest that knowledge structures may not be a viable training tool in the way they were presented to trainees in this study. Need for cognition was an important individual difference variable in this study as it resulted in an attribute-treatment interaction with training condition. Specifically, trainees who were low in NFC benefited from watching a knowledge structure or review of instructions video during training, but trainees high in NFC did not benefit from watching a training video. In fact, watching a training video tended to undermine the reactions of trainees who were high in NFC. A key implication of this study is that trainees low in NFC require structured training interventions that involve more instructional guidance whereas trainees high in NFC do not need as much structure and instructional guidance.