Proper training is vital to success in pretty much any job. That’s even more true in complex and stressful environments.
How much the brain can cope with at any time, or ‘cognitive load’ is an important part of the process. We spoke to Nial Campion, co-founder of virtual reality training specialist VRAI, who believes that managing cognitive load is critical for developing the skills and resilience necessary for effective performance in high-stress environments.
BN: Could you explain what is meant by the term ‘cognitive load’ and how it differs from person to person?
NC: Cognitive load refers to the mental effort required to process information, make decisions, and execute tasks. Cognitive load differs from person to person. According to The National Library of Medicine, an individual’s cognitive load results from their genetics. Genetics are the key contributors to individual differences in higher-order functions of the brain, including attention, cognition, language and visual processing. Consequently, everybody’s individual cognitive load is different and understanding at what rate an individual can learn enables the delivery of bespoke, personalized learning.
For educators, particularly those providing training for roles that require high performance in high stress environments, understanding a trainee’s cognitive load is hugely beneficial. Take fast jet pilot training, for example — optimizing a trainee’s cognitive load is essential to ensure that they can absorb complex information, develop situational awareness, and respond to rapidly changing scenarios. They need to be sufficiently stressed, without being overwhelmed if they are to develop, grow and become adequately prepared for real-life demands.
BN: How can modern technology assess an individual’s cognitive load?
NC: Modern Virtual Reality (VR) technology is enabling an individual’s cognitive load to be assessed. A VR headset for instance can record a user’s head movements and eye movements. This information provides vital contextual data for instructors in after action reviews — they can understand what a student was looking at, when and for how long. Some manufacturers enhance the sensor offering in their headsets by adding additional biometric sensors such as heart rate monitors to improve cognitive load calculations. By capturing and storing this data, an individual’s cognitive load can be better understood. An algorithm which assesses data in real time and presents a result to an instructor on a dashboard enables trainers to maximise the data.
BN: Within a military context, how can an improved understanding of an individual’s cognitive load benefit the wider force?
NC: The benefits of cognitive load assessment in a military context is broadly similar to the benefits of measuring it in any area where high intensity learning is occurring. Assessing the cognitive load of a pilot will enable instructors to optimize their training, and avoid cognitive overload and overstress amongst students, which would lead to errors, reduced performance, and potentially long-term negative impacts on learning and confidence. This could lead to a breakdown in decision-making and a failure to execute tasks correctly. Understanding this distinction is important for instructors, as it will help them to push trainees to their limits without surpassing them, and ensure a progressive and sustainable learning curve.
One of the key reasons why this is important, particularly when it comes to military pilot training, relates to the high costs incurred over the training process. It can cost over $10 million to train a modern fast jet pilot and this cost is incurred cumulatively over the training period. If a pilot fails before successfully reaching the end of a training programme as can happen, a significant loss is incurred. Identifying weaknesses early via data and training them out can yield significant savings.
BN: Does this technology have any applications in areas beyond the military?
NC: There are uses for cognitive load measurement across the training spectrum, particularly for those roles that require high performance under pressure, such as surgeons, air traffic controllers and emergency responders. Understanding an individual’s ability to absorb information at any given moment can allow educators and trainers to tailor personal learning journeys for those individuals.
BN: You have said that data is currently an ‘untapped resource’ in training. Can you explain what you mean by that?
NC: When we at VRAI talk about data being an untapped resource, we are referring to the hundreds and thousands of hours of simulation training that is delivered all over the world every day. These simulators have the ability to generate data on individual performance, but currently this valuable pool of information is not being collected for a number of reasons, the main one being complexity. That’s why we developed HEAT — a product that harnesses and delivers actionable insights off the back of training simulation data.
BN: Looking ahead, what are some of the other technologies that you think will be incorporated into training over the next 10-20 years?
NC: I would be hesitant to forecast too far into the future. However, as a general trend, I anticipate more bespoke personalized learning, not just across the military but over the wider training spectrum. As organizations try to optimize staff performance, understanding an individual’s strengths and weaknesses will become more and more important, and providing personalized learning journeys will become standard practice. This will likely replace the traditional system of classroom training that involves a range of individuals with varying levels of ability.
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