Adaptive Training for Nautical Rules of the Road

Abstract

Knowledge of the nautical rules of the road is essential for safe ship navigation and collision avoidance. We evaluated adaptive and non-adaptive versions of a ship-driving simulation trainer designed to assess and improve students&#39; knowledge and application of these rules. We randomly assigned 30 university students to an adaptive or non-adaptive training condition and measured learning using pretest and post-test scores. Students who received adaptive training achieved significantly higher post-test scores than those who received non-adaptive training (p < 0.0001). After the post-test, all students experienced both versions of the trainer and compared them in a survey. Of the 30 students, 73% judged the adaptive trainer more effective, and 22 rated it &#34;very engaging,&#34; compared with 9 who gave the non-adaptive trainer the same rating. These findings provide evidence that adapting scenario difficulty and providing immediate, context-sensitive feedback can improve both learning outcomes and student engagement in simulation-based training.