Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/507045
conceived an idea to replace a broken sim- ulator that was used for aircraft marshalling training with training gamifi cation using XBox Kinect technology. The game was designed by Atlantis Systems and devel- oped and delivered by Modest Tree, both Halifax companies. The new Aircraft Virtual Marshalling Trainer pits student against student with a high leader scoreboard, XBox interactions, and performance monitoring via the 3D camera. Now, not only were the students' minds engaged, so were their bodies as they had to actually perform the marshal- ing signals to complete their tasks. The outcome was amazing. Students could now learn at their own pace, and the same space footprint that was used to teach only one student at a time could now train eight students. Savings on aircraft fuel, simulator upkeep, and training times saw an ROI for the project in the very fi rst year of operation. new roadmap So what does the present landscape for gamifi cation look like in the military? The Canadian Armed Forces understands the power of advanced learning technologies and is taking a leadership role in their adoption. Its training program, Canadian Forces Individual Training and Education (CFITES), is being revamped to refl ect changes in philosophy, methodology and application of advanced training technolo- gies. A new guidance document called CF Campus provides a roadmap on how to embrace technology and modern applica- tions in the curriculum. Under the vision of the Canadian De- fence Academy (CDA), Learning Support Centers have been formed for all branches of the military that schools can tap into for guidance, assistance, and resources. CDA has also set up a Defence Learning Network, complete with common toolsets to help schools build their own advance training technology content, so they can become more self-reliant. One of the cornerstone tools CDA re- cently acquired is called Modest3D, made by Modest Tree. Modest3D is a rapid 3D content development application that al- lows instructors, instructional designers, and subject matter experts to build 3D in- teractive gamifi cations of learning content with the same ease they use to build Pow- erPoint presentations. bright future Gamifi cation has proven to be an extremely powerful learning approach that can ac- complish a deeper level of learning transfer. It is an excellent way to develop situational awareness, problem-solving skills, and task experience. Compared to alternative meth- ods of delivery, gamifi cation is also more cost-effective and can signifi cantly reduce the time it takes to train. The military headquarters' leadership has put in place a structure that not only sup- ports training technologies, but promotes its use. CDA is assembling a tool box of ap- plications that instructors can use to easily create challenging and engaging gamifi ca- tions. The challenge is now on individual Learning Support Centers and schoolhous- es to proliferate gamifi cations in military training. The future for gamifi cation in the military never looked brighter. T TrAining www.vanguardcanada.com APRIL/MAY 2015 43 ATLAS ELEKTRONIK CANADA A company of the ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Group ... a sound decision Full Range ATLAS ELEKTRONIK CANADA Ltd Suite 2303-4464 Markham St | Victoria BC, V8Z 7X8 Phone: 1-778-224-1010 www.canada.atlas-elektronik.com ATLAS ELEKTRONIK supports the national states and their defence forces worldwide in making the sea a safer environment for transport and commerce. For this, we supply sonars and sensors, command and control systems for submarines and surface underwater vehicles and torpedoes. To round off our broad palette, we offer comprehensive support services. Our 100 years success story is based on sound business values: innovation, individuality and reliability. ATLAS_CANADA_FullRange_HalfPage_7.306 x4.833.indd 1 16.12.2014 14:39:51