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Human Capital

Human capital refers to the capabilities that employees bring to their jobs. Consisting of their individual and collective knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics, these capabilities serve as the foundation for an organization’s ability to meet its stated mission. In this way, human capital has economic value to the employee, the organization, and to the larger market of which the organization is a part. 

Given the critical nature of the contribution of these capabilities to organizational success, employers maximize these capabilities, and thus develop their workforce, by building, implementing, and evaluating human capital systems. These diverse systems span the entire employee life cycle and may include systems to improve recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, performance management/assessment, or coaching and other types of career development. 

In addition to systems like these that serve employees most directly, other human capital systems improve the organization’s functioning and thus improve performance indirectly. These systems include efforts to improve staffing, compensation, job/tool design, management structure, organizational culture, and other resources that serve employees more secondarily. 

As organizations must function in situations that vary along a number of parameters such as availability of skilled workers, the number and type of competitors, and the market place more generally, the specific human capital systems that are relevant for developing a specific workforce vary substantially from organization to organization. It is in the appropriate selection of—and subsequent development, implementation, and evaluation of—human capital systems that AIR brings considerable expertise.



  • View our latest work in Human Capital
  • Learn about our client services in Human Capital Solutions

Latest Work

Image of AIR Principal Researcher Samia Amin
18 Nov 2019
Video

Long Story Short: How Can Behavioral Insights Improve Public Services and Policies?

Behavioral insights draw on psychology, cognitive science, social science, and research to understand how people make decisions. In this video, AIR Principal Researcher Samia Amin explains why the use of behavioral insights has become increasingly important in the public sector.
Image of Samia Amin
18 Nov 2019
Q & A

Meet the Expert: Samia Amin

Samia Amin leads the workforce development practice at AIR. She’s helped federal, state, local, and international governments and foundations develop and refine workforce programs. At AIR, she directs a variety of studies and is an expert in using methods such as behavioral insights, human-centered design, and research-driven pilot programs for continuous program improvement.
13 Nov 2019
Report

NCSL Occupational Licensing Consortium Case Study Reports

With one in four jobs requiring an occupational license, licensing is one of the central factors that shapes employment opportunities for many workers. AIR has worked with the National Conference for State Legislatures and its partner organizations, the Council of State Governments and the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices to develop case studies reviewing their licensing practices. This report illustrates each state’s effort and identifies promising practices from these states.
Project

Grow Your Own (GYO): A Systematic Approach to Securing an Effective Educator Talent Pool Modules

GYO is one strategy to address local teacher shortages and recruit future teachers of color. By leveraging local talent, GYO programs can promote a more diverse workforce while supporting college and career readiness development in high school students. The learning series, Grow Your Own: A Systemic Approach to Securing an Effective Educator Talent Pool, helps those interested in developing and implementing GYO programs through four short modules.
1 Mar 2019
Brief

Developing a College- and Career-Ready Workforce: An Analysis of ESSA, Perkins, and WIOA

To establish an education-to-workforce pipeline, state leaders need to align labor market efforts with the education pipeline to ensure a seamless system of academic, technical, and employability skills preparedness. This updated brief aims to identify opportunities to connect, align, and leverage state policies, programs, and funding across federal laws that govern the pipeline.
Image of Virginia Hamilton
4 Feb 2019
Video

Long Story Short: How Can Design Thinking Improve How We Serve Vulnerable Populations?

What is design thinking and how is AIR using it to serve vulnerable populations? AIR expert Virginia Hamilton explains how design thinking is used across a variety of sectors and can bring a diverse group of people together to work toward the same goal: supporting others.

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Image of woman in a wheelchair with a guide dog in an airport
Project

Los Angeles World Airports - Training Customer Service Personnel on the Needs of Travelers with Disabilities

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is working with AIR to provide gold standard service to travelers with disabilities. Through AIR’s interactive online training, customer service personnel learn about disability law, gain a deeper understanding of the needs of travelers with disabilities, and roleplay respectful etiquette for serving these customers.
Infographic: Who Are People with Disabilities in the United States?
17 Apr 2018
Infographic

The Spending Power of Working-age Adults with Disabilities

This infographic illuminates the disposable and discretionary income of people with disabilities compared with other similarly sized market segments, such as African Americans and Hispanics.
Image of young waiter with an intellectual disability
17 Apr 2018
Report

A Hidden Market: The Purchasing Power of Working-Age Adults With Disabilities

People with disabilities provide opportunities for business and industry. This report examines the significant and growing economic power of the disability market through the lens of disposable and discretionary income, and provides information to help motivate businesses to enter this market.
14 Sep 2017
Report

Adult Education and Training: Results from the National Household Education Surveys Program of 2016

In 2016, more than one quarter of adults had a nondegree credential—including a postsecondary certificate, occupational license, or occupational certification—according to the latest results from the National Household Education Surveys. This report summarizes key findings from the 2016 Adult Training and Education Survey, which gathered nationally representative data on U.S. adults’ training and education as of 2016.
5 May 2017
Service

Performance Management │Human Capital Solutions

Efforts to evaluate and improve both individual- and organization-level performance are some of the most important and most complex systems to develop. To be successful, performance management is approached from a systems perspective, includes input from stakeholders, and is developed and evaluated against the organization’s stated mission and objectives.
5 May 2017
Service

Training and Professional Development │Human Capital Solutions

Training is evolving as organizations seek to improve job performance in a changing work environment as well as improve the return on what is often a considerable investment. AIR provides the full range of training services, including needs analysis, program/course design, development of curriculum, delivery of content, and evaluation of effectiveness.
5 May 2017
Service

Employee Recruitment and Selection │Human Capital Solutions

Organizations are often faced with choosing employees from a large pool of applicants, at the pre-employment stage or at the promotion stage of the employee life cycle. AIR builds comprehensive employee selection systems, often based on our previously developed job analyses, competency models, and/or tests.
5 May 2017
Service

Test Development and Validation │Workforce Solutions

The accurate assessment and documentation of the knowledge and skills of job applicants as well as existing employees is one of an organization’s most important responsibilities if it is to ensure quality and fairness. AIR builds tests based on job requirements, and evaluates the assessments, pre-delivery, to ensure they are reliable and that valid decisions can be made about the test takers.
Project

Competency Modeling Architecture

In support of a confidential client’s large-scale change initiative, AIR conducted a comprehensive job analysis and competency modeling project.
13 Apr 2017
Service

Content and Technical Expertise in Refugee and Migrant Initiatives

AIR offers a broad range of services in areas that support our human rights and refugee initiatives. We are committed to applying and producing the best evidence and the highest quality work. Our quality assurance process encompasses all stages of a project, from research design to evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, to implementation and scale-up.
5 Jan 2017
Service

Program Evaluation │Workforce Solutions

To justify their existence, organizations typically want and need to verify that their programs are successful. AIR evaluates programs using a variety of methodologies such as pre- and post-test measurement and best practices analysis to help organizations verify that programs are achieving the desired results and that the expended resources are warranted.
5 Jan 2017
Service

Human Factors Engineering │Human Capital Solutions

Today’s employees are supported by a variety of systems, including various tools and software. High quality design in these systems improves performance, reduces errors, and ensures acceptance by employees and other stakeholders. AIR supports organizations’ efforts to improve alignment of systems with function and the usability of those tools, as well as provide high-quality user documentation.
30 Dec 2016
Report

Promising Practices for Increasing Diversity Among First Responders

First responder fields—including law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency management services—serve a crucial role in the safety and well-being of communities around the country. Public citizens and officials have placed a renewed focus on improving agencies’ relations with their local communities by ensuring that first responders reflect the populations they serve. The potential benefits of increasing diversity and moving toward greater representation could also provide more secure and rewarding employment opportunities to historically underrepresented populations. This exploratory study identifies promising practices that first responder agencies and organizations can leverage to increase the diversity of their workforces.
Project

Increasing Diversity Among First Responders (Department of Labor)

First responder fields serve a crucial role in the safety and well-being of communities around the country, but first responders don't always reflect the populations they serve. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Chief Evaluation Office initiated an exploratory study to identify promising practices that first responder agencies and organizations can leverage to increase the diversity of their workforces.
Project

National Evaluation of the Demonstration to Improve the Recruitment and Retention of the Direct Service Workforce (CMS)

A national evaluation of 10 CMS demonstration grants designed to improve the recruitment and retention of the direct service workforce (DSWs) who provide home- and community-based services to the elderly and people with disabilities found confirmation of high turnover and difficulty in hiring primarily due to low pay relative to the challenges of the job, and evidence that initiatives that promoted the occupation and provided recognition for long-serving and high-performing workers were most effective.
Project

Air Entry and Exit Reengineering (AEER) Program Review (DHS)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Apex Air Entry and Exit Reengineering (AEER) program supports Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in implementing a biometric capability to verify the departure of foreign nationals leaving from U.S. air ports of entry.

Project

Strategic Training Needs Analysis (FAA)

To increase the capacity and efficiency of the nation’s airspace, the Federal Aviation Administration is implementing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). To support the FAA in determining the potential impact that NextGen may have on the training of air traffic controllers, AIR conducted a strategic training needs analysis
Project

Test Development and Validation (Confidential Client)

To ensure the ultimate selection of a qualified workforce, a confidential client hired AIR to provide test development support for a nationally administered, high stakes, standardized exam. This work involves developing items for field testing, building and publishing test forms, and conducting psychometric analyses to support the operational tests and field tested items. Additional work includes validation studies, revision of test specifications, developing practice test materials, and translating the exam and practice test materials into Braille and JAWS, an on-line screen reader.
Project

Job Analyses for Safety Critical Jobs in Aviation (FAA)

To increase the capacity and efficiency of the nation’s airspace, the FAA is implementing new technology as part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). AIR conducted job analyses to define the job of air traffic controllers and used these analyses as the foundation for strategic analyses that define the job as it will exist in the future after the implementation of NextGen.
26 Oct 2015 to 30 Oct 2015
| 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Event

Knowledge Translation Solutions for Overcoming Barriers to Research Use

Researchers can use knowledge translation activities to promote the use of rigorous study findings. The goal of knowledge translation is for targeted audiences to learn how to apply relevant research evidence to their lives. When people become more aware and knowledgeable about research, they can change their own behavior—or the policies and practices of their organizations—in ways that ground action in scientific evidence. Speakers at this conference will help attendees identify barriers to research application and strategies to overcome them.
7 Oct 2015
Report

Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress as an Indicator for College and Career Preparedness

For the last several years, the National Assessment Governing Board and the National Center for Education Statistics have been exploring how the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Nation’s Report Card, can be used to assess the college and career readiness of America’s high school students. Researchers at AIR used existing administrative records from Virginia to examine the relationship between NAEP scores and a set of concrete measures of student success in college and in the labor market.
6 Oct 2015 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Event

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Worker in a wheelchair looks out the window

One Size Does Not Fit All: Improving Workforce Participation for People with Disabilities

A new brief by the American Institutes for Research sheds light on a persistent problem: One-third of people with disabilities haven’t sought work or stopped trying to find it. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, findings suggest federal and state efforts currently treat people with disabilities as a homogeneous group, despite wide variance among people with different types of disabilities. This briefing explored why labor participation data has declined or remained flat amidst federal efforts to increase employment and employability. Speakers discussed which federal and state efforts are working best to encourage people with disabilities to join the workforce, and ways legislation can better account for the vast differences among this group.
5 Oct 2015
Service

Client Services: Human Capital Solutions

AIR experts apply research-based principles to develop and evaluate tools, systems, and programs to maximize the job performance of individuals, as well as to improve the overall functioning of their employers. We provide our public and private sector clients with unique insights and solutions.

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Image of N-CHATT trainer and trainees
Project

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center

The Network of Consumer Hearing Assistive Technology Trainers (N-CHATT) is a partnership between AIR, Gallaudet University, and the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). N-CHATT trains people affected by hearing loss to support and empower individuals in their communities to find, evaluate, use, and advocate for hearing assistive technology.
Project

Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID)

Virginia's vocational rehabilitation agencies offer individuals with disabilities a new way to navigate their careers. Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID) helps individuals with disabilities obtain new skills and credentials to seek employment in competitive, high-demand, high-quality occupations.
11 Sep 2015
Report

Pension Structure and Employee Turnover: Evidence from a Large Public Pension System

Public pension systems in many U.S. states face large funding shortfalls. Movement toward defined contribution (DC) pension structures may reduce the likelihood of future shortfalls. We address some limitations of the existing literature by studying public-sector employees who are enrolled in either a defined benefit (DB) plan or hybrid DB-DC plan, and who at some points have been able to choose between these plans.
Bar chart 1: Labor Market Outcomes Vary Significantly by Disability Type. Labor force participation rate for people with disabilities 2013: 26% for those with vision or hearing difficulties; 17%  with ambulatory difficulties; 15% with cognitive difficulti
4 Sep 2015
Infographic

Labor Market Outcomes Vary Significantly by Disability Type

Although the national employment rate for working age people with disabilities was 25 percent in 2013, that number varied widely by disability type, from a high of 45 percent for people with vision or hearing difficulties to a low of 14 percent for people with self-care difficulties. People with ambulatory and cognitive difficulties had employment rates of 22 percent and 21 percent, respectively. These differences remained similar even when educational attainment—a frequent job-barrier for people with disabilities—is factored in. This infographic compares labor market outcomes for people with disabilities, by type of disability.
Project

Project Hostile Intent

Project Hostile Intent (PHI) sought to enhance border security and counter-terrorist operations by developing the capability to remotely detect and identify potentially hostile intent from operable distances.

Project

Behavioral Detection Officer Selection System (TSA)

AIR developed a valid and legally defensible selection system for a specialized security job for Transportation Security Administration (TSA). We conducted a nationwide job analysis, developed and piloted selection tests (such as a structured interview and several work sample tests) and a performance measure, and conducted a criterion-related validation study.
1 May 2015
Service

Job Analysis and Competency Modeling │Human Capital Solutions

The legal and practical foundation of virtually every human capital system, from recruitment to selection to promotion, is the job analysis or competency model that defines the work. AIR works closely with organizations to develop these products in a way that ensures they are comprehensive, seen as valid by stakeholders, and that they can be used by the diverse departments in an organization that are responsible for building, implementing, and evaluating these human capital systems.
Infographic: Education Attainment Levels vs. Earnings
29 Apr 2015
Infographic

Colorado: Ten Years Out, the Pay Gap Narrows for Those with Different Levels of Education

A 2015 report showed that in Colorado, higher education pays off for those who earn postsecondary credentials. Graduates with postsecondary degrees working in Colorado after graduation can average as much as $20,000 more than high school graduates. However, ten years out, the pay gap between those with different types of postsecondary degrees narrows considerably, as these two infographics show.
22 Jan 2015 | 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Event

Closing the Pay Gap for Workers with Disabilities

New analysis by the American Institutes for Research finds that those with disabilities earn 64 cents to every dollar their colleagues make, a disparity on par with the gender pay gap. Considering that equal pay is vital to keeping those with disabilities financially independent and out of poverty, our panelists explored the key facts and the ways that policy can help equalize income. Speakers also discussed what recent changes to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act mean for workers with disabilities.
Project

WMATA Job Analysis and Competency Architecture

AIR is currently conducting a comprehensive job analysis and competency modeling project for all jobs across the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA). This work represents a large-scale change initiative across the Metro organization and culture. Ultimately, the charge of this project is to move WMATA from its current state related to job descriptions and competencies to a more ideal future state. Our support includes conducting an environmental scan, baseline studies, job observations, structured interviews, surveys, workshops, and focus groups with job incumbents, supervisors, and other job experts.
15 Dec 2014
Report

An Uneven Playing Field: The Lack of Equal Pay for People With Disabilities

For people with disabilities, does attaining educational success equal to that of their non-disabled peers ensure opportunities for financial independence and success? The current research does not describe the income difference between people with disabilities and their non-disabled counterparts in full-time employment by educational level, nor does it describe the subsequent economic impact on individuals, states, or the nation. This study addresses this gap in research.
Liza Josias thumbnail
5 Nov 2014
Video

Long Story Short: What's the Role of Human Factors in Work Performance?

Human factors is a multidisciplinary field that examines the role of people in designing products, systems, and processes. In this video, Liza Josias, AIR senior researcher, explains why using human factors is a wise investment and how it can improve work performance.
Project

Pre-employment Selection of Air Traffic Controllers (FAA)

AIR conducted studies to assist the FAA in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the controller selection process. For example, AIR conducted a concurrent criterion-related validation study of the AT-SAT test battery for selecting controllers to work in the tower cab. A secondary objective of this validation study was to examine the extent to which the AT-SAT could be leveraged to make decisions about controller placements into different facility levels. This project provided valuable insight into ways in which FAA’s existing AT-SAT battery can be used to make both selection and job placement decisions
infographic
9 Jul 2014
Infographic

Men and Women STEM Ph.D. Holders in Non-STEM Careers: Who Gets the Management Positions?

This infographic drawn from AIR research shows that, among men and women with STEM Ph.D.s who leave the STEM field, men are more likely to hold management positions.
Infographic: Who leaves STEM?
9 Jul 2014
Infographic

STEM Ph.D. Holders in Non-STEM Careers: Who Leaves?

Research shows that one in six people who earns a Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) pursues a career outside the field, with women and blacks most likely to do so. This infographic breaks down the percentages.
photo of Harry Holzer linking to the video
24 Mar 2014
Video

Long Story Short: What Actions Would Most Help Unemployed Minority Men?

Young minority men have been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn, experiencing higher rates of unemployment and struggling longer with joblessness. In this 90-second video interview, Harry Holzer, Institute Fellow at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), explains what actions would most help such men.
1 Oct 2013 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

One in five members of the workforce in America has some form of disability. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual campaign since 1945 that educates about disability employment issues and celebrates the contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

9 Sep 2013
Report

Proactive Risk Assessment of Surgical Site Infections in Ambulatory Surgery Centers

As ambulatory surgery becomes a more common alternative to inpatient hospitalization, this study identifies the realm of risk factors associated with surgical site infections at ambulatory surgery centers; and recommends interventions to reduce the likelihood of such infections due the most common risk factors: Infection control practices and communications between health care providers.
Project

Measuring the Coordination of Care in Primary Care

Care coordination is increasingly being recognized as fundamental to the success, quality and safety of services delivered to patients; but how do we know that it is occurring and to what degree? The Care Coordination Quality Measure for Primary Care, a patient experience measure of coordination of care for adults in primary care settings based on CAHPS methodology, can be used as a quality improvement, accountability, and research tool.
Project

Chicagoland Women Veterans Employment Study

Recently, the social and cultural needs of women veterans, such as the reintegration of women veterans into civilian culture, gender-specific family concerns, and post-separation support, have begun to receive greater attention. The goals of the Chicagoland Female Veteran project were to compare male and female veteran unemployment and underemployment, understand the dynamics of homelessness among unemployed female veterans, and explore effective service interventions for women veterans.
Project

Development of Performance Standards (FAA)

AIR is conducting research for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop performance standards for use by training instructors to evaluate the performance of air traffic control trainees during on-the-job training (OJT). The standards are designed to capture the knowledge and skills that trainees should have acquired at various stages during OJT.
1 Apr 2011
Report

Test Assesses the Knowledge of College Graduates Seeking Careers in Human Resources

AIR and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) have created a new examination for assessing the human resource (HR) knowledge of graduating college students seeking HR careers.

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Project

Enter Jovem Brazil

Sponsored by the USAID and implemented by AIR in collaboration with its Brazilian partners, Enter Jovem (“Enter Youth”) has been working since October 2003 in Bahia, Pernambuco, and Cearáto to train and insert disadvantaged youth between 14 and 21 years into the formal job market.

Project

Develop a Risk-Informed Approach (RIA) to Evaluating Teamwork

AIR, in conjunction with Carilion Medical Center, is developing a series of socio-technical probabilistic risk assessment (ST-PRA) models to evaluate the effectiveness of team training in health care.

15 Sep 2009
Brochure

Information Technology Careers for Military Spouses: Career Advancement Accounts

Brochure describing information technology careers for military spouses.

Project

Army Research Institute Officer Retention Study

The U.S. Army identified the retention of qualified personnel as a key component of its personnel management strategy, and therefore ARI established a research program on Strategies to Enhance Retention. This program, called “STAY,” sought to improve both enlisted and officer retention, with the AIR work focused specifically on improving the retention of the Army’s junior, company-grade officers beyond the first active duty service obligation (ADSO).

Project

Improving Safety Data (FAA)

AIR supported the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Safety Action Program—the voluntary safety reporting program—for over 10 years. Our work was geared primarily toward assisting participating air carriers with evaluating the voluminous data that result from the reports that their employees submit that identify threats to safety.
Project

FAA Human Factors Study

Aviation industry professionals, including airline dispatchers and pilots, rely upon information management systems, tools, and equipment to perform their daily job duties.

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Project

National Assessment of Adult Literacy

This study examines the literacy skills of adults and compares the literacy skills of workers with different types of training by conducting a data analysis of the 2003 assessment data.

2 Apr 2009 | 7:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Event

Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - American Institutes for Research to Present

AIR researchers' presentations will focus on job analysis, applying science in the workplace, perceptions of online social networking systems, applying industrial and organizational psychology principles to the healthcare industry, perspectives on high risk jobs, and employee retention strategies.
Project

Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES)

With a 2009 federal call for U.S. adults to pursue at least one year of higher education and training leading to a credential, it was imperative to measure whether industry-recognized certifications, state and local government-issued licenses, subbaccalaureate educational certificates, and other nondegree credentials were being obtained and the impact they were having on employment outcomes. As the primary technical support contractor for the Adult Training and Education Survey, AIR does survey development and testing, sampling, and data preparation, analysis, and reporting for NCES. The first official data and report were released in 2017-18.
1 Jan 2009
Report

Best Practices for Airline Safety Event Review Committees

This document presents the results of a 12-month investigation of airline safety Event Review Committee (ERC) Best Practices. The identified best practices are listed and described. Strategies to achieve the best practice and factors that airlines should consider when implementing the best practice are also presented.
11 May 2007
Report

Integrating State Administrative Records To Manage Substance Abuse Treatment System Performance

This guidance document was developed with input from a technical advisory group of state/federal representatives and field researchers, and describes the utility and practice of integrating the information available in state agency data sets with information on clients of alcohol and other drug abuse services.

11 Oct 2005
Report

Promising Practices in Motorcycle Rider Education and Licensing

Motorcycle rider education provides an opportunity for novice riders to learn the basic skills necessary to operate a motorcycle safely and for experienced riders to refresh and refine their techniques. The purpose of this report is to develop a research-based model of promising practices in rider education and licensing and to use the model to identify States that have implemented high-quality rider training and comprehensive licensing.

16 Oct 2003
Report

Post-Training Feedback: The Relative Effectiveness of Team- Versus Instructor-Led Debriefs

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative effectiveness of different approaches to debriefing team performance: team debrief with videotape, team debrief without videotape, instructor debrief with videotape, and instructor debrief without videotape. We hypothesized that the four approaches would not be equally effective. However, the lack of consensus in the literature made it impossible to hypothesize whether team- vs. instructor-led debriefs would be more effective. Based on our personal experience, we hypothesized that debriefings which incorporate videotape would be perceived as more effective than those which did not.

15 Oct 2003
Report

Team Training in Health Care: A Review of Team Training and a Look Toward The Future

The following discussion compares the purpose, strategy, and effectiveness of two distinct categories of MTT, those that are primarily simulator-based and those that are primarily classroom-based. Data collected from MTT course observations, participant questionnaires, and instructor interviews are reported. Finally, we summarize the state-of-the-science and propose a series of research-based propositions for improving the future of MTT.

4 Jun 2003
Report

Improving the Construct Validity of Line Operational Simulation (LOS) Ratings: Lessons Learned from the Assessment Center

Because poor LOS construct validity can have real-world effects on pilot training and performance, assessing and improving the construct validity of Line Operational Simulations is more than just an academic or scientific issue. It is also a practical and political issue in that it involves multiple stakeholders who may have competing concerns. These include safety, justice/fairness, technical feasibility, and cost-effectiveness (Austin, Klimoski, & Hunt, 1996). Therefore, we recommend that all potential stakeholder groups be involved in identifying and improving the construct validity of Line Operational Simulations. These groups may include pilot unions, training staff, flight standards staff, and officials from the regional FAA offices. Moreover, all groups must be prepared to compromise some of their own goals/needs to achieve a balanced solution. In the end, only by working together can industry address the issue of LOS construct validity, and by extension, the quality of pilot crew training and evaluation.

17 Sep 2002
Report

Airline Pilots' Perceptions of and Experiences in Crew Resource Management (CRM) Training

In the sections below, we describe the results of a large-scale survey of pilots' perceptions of and experiences in their training. In particular, we focus on their responses to a series of questions concerning Crew Resource Management (CRM) training. This project was a unique opportunity to conduct a scientifically rigorous, large-scale comparison of CRM training programs across multiple airlines. Nevertheless, we recognize that participants' reactions to training are only one measure of a training program's effectiveness. 

22 Aug 2002
Report

Pilot Instructor Rater Training: The Utility of the Multifacet Item Response Theory Model

In this article we use a multifacet measurement technique, the multifacet Rasch model, to analyze the results of an IRR-training program. Our approach is an alternative to the procedures—congruency, consistency, agreement (rwg), sensitivity, and systematic differences—currently used during IRR training within the airline industry. We believe that this multifacet procedure can improve the quality of pilot instructor training by providing pilot instructors with important information that is not available with other techniques. We used the multifacet Rasch method instead of generalizability (G) theory, another multifacet technique. Similar to multifacet Rasch analysis, G-theory provides information about facets—pilot instructors, videotapes of aircrews used in IRR training, and LOS grade sheets—and their interactions with one another. However, G-theory partitions the variance attributable to each of these facets using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework and thus focuses on groups as the unit of analysis (i.e., whether or not pilot instructors as a group are reliable or unreliable as opposed to the performance of a particular instructor undergoing IRR training).

22 Aug 2002
Report

Pilot Instructor Rater Training: The Utility of the Multifacet Item Response Theory Model

In this article we use a multifacet measurement technique, the multifacet Rasch model, to analyze the results of an IRR-training program. Our approach is an alternative to the procedures—congruency, consistency, agreement (rwg), sensitivity, and systematic differences—currently used during IRR training within the airline industry. We believe that this multifacet procedure can improve the quality of pilot instructor training by providing pilot instructors with important information that is not available with other techniques. We used the multifacet Rasch method instead of generalizability (G) theory, another multifacet technique. Similar to multifacet Rasch analysis, G-theory provides information about facets—pilot instructors, videotapes of aircrews used in IRR training, and LOS grade sheets—and their interactions with one another. However, G-theory partitions the variance attributable to each of these facets using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) framework and thus focuses on groups as the unit of analysis (i.e., whether or not pilot instructors as a group are reliable or unreliable as opposed to the performance of a particular instructor undergoing IRR training).

9 Sep 2000
Report

Analyzing Knowledge Requirements in Team Tasks

Despite the gaps in research, a number of knowledge-elicitation methods available from research on individual CTA seem adaptable to a team environment. Some of these have been used in the team performance arena, whereas others have not. This section suggests potential methods for the different types of team knowledge described in the previous section: methods for eliciting pretask team knowledge and dynamic team knowledge. We list the type of team knowledge and discuss previous attempts (if any) to elicit this knowledge. We also suggest other methods that have potential to tap this knowledge. Although a detailed description of all potential methods is beyond the scope of this chapter, we have attempted to include a brief description of a variety of methods.  

22 Apr 2000
Report

Using Multifacet Rasch Analysis to Examine the Effectiveness of Rater Training

This paper sought to provide a comprehensive analysis of a rater training program through the use of multifacet Rasch measurement. The purpose was to display how such an analysis can provide specific information on raters that is useful for feedback, and also important information concerning the performance of the rating form and training materials.

22 Apr 2000
Report

Using Multifacet Rasch Analysis to Examine the Effectiveness of Rater Training

This paper sought to provide a comprehensive analysis of a rater training program through the use of multifacet Rasch measurement. The purpose was to display how such an analysis can provide specific information on raters that is useful for feedback, and also important information concerning the performance of the rating form and training materials.

10 Sep 1998
Report

Team Task Analysis: Lost but Hopefully Not Forgotten

Team task analysis refers not only to an analysis of a team's tasks, but also to a comprehensive assessment of a team's teamwork requirements (i.e., knowledge, skill, ability, and attitude requirements). Like job analysis, team task analysis is important because it forms the foundation for team design, team performance measurement, and team training. Essentially, it is the building block for all "team" resource management functions.

18 Sep 1996
Report

Training Team Performance-related Assertiveness

A number of recent authors have argued the need for greater levels of specificity in our understanding of "why, when, and for whom a particular type of training is most effective." The three studies reported here have attempted to respond to this need by examining the determinants of team member assertiveness.

18 Sep 1996
Report

Training Team Performance-related Assertiveness

A number of recent authors have argued the need for greater levels of specificity in our understanding of "why, when, and for whom a particular type of training is most effective." The three studies reported here have attempted to respond to this need by examining the determinants of team member assertiveness.

17 Aug 1996
Report

Analyzing Team Performance: In the Eye of the Beholder?

This study examined the effects of experience on the degree to which various team behavior characteristics were weighted in a team member's perception of team behavior importance. In general, the results supported the hypothesis that experience would moderate the extent to which team members weighted different team behavior characteristics when making judgments of overall team behavior importance.

17 Aug 1996
Report

Analyzing Team Performance: In the Eye of the Beholder?

This study examined the effects of experience on the degree to which various team behavior characteristics were weighted in a team member's perception of team behavior importance. In general, the results supported the hypothesis that experience would moderate the extent to which team members weighted different team behavior characteristics when making judgments of overall team behavior importance.

21 Sep 1995
Report

Understanding Situational Awareness: Concepts, Methods, and Training

To respond to the growing need to understand this concept better, this chapter focuses on several aspects of situation awareness. The operationalization and the appropriate measurement of the construct has implications for the establishment of sound experimental methodologies to identify the critical components of situation awareness, determine its relationship with performance, and explore the critical moderators that can potential affect this relationship. The objectives of this effort are to review and synthesize the relevant literature on situation awareness, including various descriptions of what constitutes situation awareness and the background information on the cognitive variables that underlie this construct.

18 Sep 1995
Report

Situation Awareness and Team Performance: Implications for Measurement and Training

In this article, we examine situation awareness (SA) on two levels. First, we briefly summarize some elements that are common to several of the proposed explanations of individual SA in order to provide a base for examining team SA. Second, we identify critical variables that are associated with team SA and describe processes and behaviors that have been proposed as contributors to its establishment and maintenance. On the basis of the information reviewed, we identify issues related to the measurement and training of team SA.

18 Jul 1994
Report

Measuring the Importance of Teamwork: The Reliability and Validity of Job/Task Analysis Indices for Training Design

Because the development of skill-based coordination training is dependent on the accurate identification of crucial behaviors to be trained, and because there is a need to develop more effective methods to identify these skills, the purpose of this investigation was to identify a psychometrically sound index of team task importance to guide the selection of behaviors for training.

21 Sep 1993
Report

Aviation Computer Games for Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills Training

Computer games have the capacity to engage the player, are inexpensive, and are readily available. These three qualities suggest possible value as a training medium, even though existing aviation game software has not been designed specifically for training or crew interactions. Reactions of pilots participating in this research indicated that the use of computer games with carefully designed scenarios can be an acceptable means of training CRM skills. Aircrews seemed to appreciate the training value of the system and became engaged in its scenarios. Acceptance was found by aviators of all experience levels.

15 Jun 1991
Report

Identifying Similarly Situated Employees in Employment Discrimination Cases

The intent of most employment equity analyses is to determine what the treatment of a protected group of employees would have been in the absence of discrimination. To be valid, those analyses have to take into account any legally relevant differences between the protected employees and a comparison group of employees.

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