Objective: The objective was to conduct meta-analyses that investigated the effects of two training strategies, increasing difficulty (ID) and part-task training (PTT), on transfer of skills and the variables that moderate effectiveness of the strategies. Background: Cognitive load theory (CLT) provides a basis for predicting that training strategies reducing the intrinsic load of a task during training avail more resources to be devoted to learning. Two strategies that accomplish this goal, by dividing tasks in parts or by simplifying tasks in early training trials, have offered only mixed success. Method: A pair of complementary effect size measures were used in the meta-analyses conducted on 37 transfer studies employing the two training strategies: (a) a transfer ratio analysis on the ratio of treatment transfer performance to control transfer performance and (b) a Hedges’ g analysis on the standardized difference between treatment and control group means. Results: PTT generally produced negative transfer when the parts were performed concurrently in the whole transfer task but not when the parts were performed in sequence. Variable-priority training of the whole task was a successful technique. ID training was successful when the increases were implemented adaptively but not when increased in fixed steps. Both strategies provided evidence that experienced learners benefited less, or suffered more, from the strategy, consistent with CLT. Conclusion: PTT can be successful if the integrated parts are varied in the priority they are given to the learner. ID training is successful if the increases are adaptive. The fundamental elements of CLT are confirmed.

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Objective: Individual meta-analyses were conducted for six training methods as part of a U.S. Army basic research project. The objective was to identify evidence-based guidelines for the effectiveness of each training method, under different moderating conditions, for cognitive skill transfer in adult learning. Results and implications for two of these training methods, learner control (LC) and exploratory learning (EL), are discussed. LC provides learners with active control over training variables. EL requires learners to discover relationships and interactions between variables.Background: There is mixed evidence on the effectiveness of both LC and EL learning methods on transfer relative to more guided training methods. Cognitive load theory (CLT) provides a basis for predicting that training strategies that manage intrinsic load of a task during training and minimize extraneous load will avail more resources that can be devoted to learning.Method: Meta-analyses were conducted using a Hedges's g analysis of effect sizes. Control conditions with little to no learner freedom were contrasted with treatment conditions manipulating more learner freedom.Results: Overall more LC was no different from training with limited or no learner control, and more EL was less effective than limited or no exploration; however, each can be effective under certain conditions. Both strategies have been more effective for cognitive skill learning than for knowledge recall tasks. LC exhibited more benefit to very near transfer, whereas EL's benefit was to far transfer.Conclusion: Task type, transfer test, and transfer distance moderate the overall transfer cost of more learner freedom.Application: The findings are applicable to the development of instructional design guidelines for the use of LC and EL in adult skill training.

The findings are applicable to the development of instructional design guidelines in professional skill-based organizations such as the military.

Do training methods differentially impact task performance? This paper discusses a set of meta-analytic studies being conducted as part of an ongoing research project to identify evidence-based guidelines for training the complex cognitive skills involved in technology related task domains. Given an emphasis on complex cognitive tasks and training transfer, our current focus is on training methods for effectively managing learner effort and workload during training. In this paper we identify six prominent training methods and present a deeper look at the results for two different meta-analysis strategies. Small to moderate overall beneficial effects were found for three of the six training strategies (adaptive training, error prevention (training wheels) and scaffolding). No benefit was found for learner control and exploratory learning. An overall cost for part task training was associated with its failure to train a time sharing skill. The modest benefit for error prevention was amplified for cognitive skills.