Conclusions and references from the chapter: Atlas, R., Cornett, L., Lane, D. M., & Napier, H. A. (in press) The use of animation in Software Training: Pitfalls and Benefits. In M. Quinoñes and A. Dutta (Eds.) Training for 21st Century Technology: Applications of Psychological Research . American Psychological Society, Washiongton, D.C.

Conclusions
The goal of training in computer applications should be to support post-training performance (Schmidt & Bjork, 1992). How well users can perform their skills in the long term is much more important than how well they perform immediately following training and there are several factors that seem to support long-term retention of skill. Conditions that provide added difficulty for learners usually result in poor initial performance, but better delayed performance (Catrambone, 1989; Charney & Reder, 1986; Kamouri et al., 1986; Schmidt & Bjork, 1992). These more difficult conditions require a deeper level of cognitive processing which results in better learning. Also, making the procedural information more meaningful by providing a conceptual framework may aid skill retention and help learners transfer their skills to novel situations (Bayman & Mayer, 1988; Kieras & Bovair, 1984; Rose, 1989). Baggett (1987) also found that the best retention of skill resulted when the learners first practiced a task "hands-on" before watching a narrated film of the procedures.

In many organizations, personal computer software training is accomplished using instructors. Usually, the instructor's computer is connected to a projector that the class participants can observe. Each student has access to a personal computer during the training class. After the instructor demonstrates a procedure, the students then attempt the same process on their computer. The instructor often discusses concepts as the procedure is explained and demonstrated. This approach is similar to the Animation plus conceptual verbal information (AC) condition of our experiments. To improve long-term retention, the instructor might demonstrate a procedure and direct the students to complete the procedure for a task in a similar but slightly different manner. For example, the instructor might change the font size for a document to 12 pt and direct the students to make the font size 14 pt.

In summary, animation offers to be an effective tool in training the use of computer software. It is enjoyable and therefore can motivate users to learn more about their software. Unlike text-based instruction, animation it is easy to integrate visual and auditory information in animation training. The auditory information should not provide information completely redundant with the information displayed visually. Instead, the auditory information should supplement the procedural information shown visually with conceptual information. The use of animation has the potential to result in mimicry and very superficial learning. It appears that introducing slight differences in the task being shown in the animation and the task the user is asked to perform helps to reduce mimicry and rote learning and therefore improve long-term retention.

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