Instructional Strategies for Reducing Stress and Improving Self-Efficacy and Job Performance of Female Naval Recruits

摘要

The purpose of this research project was to increase the academic success of female recruits in a technical aspect of recruit training. Two instructional interventions were developed and tested in the context of firefighting training. The Advanced Organizer intervention provided a structure for acquiring and storing technical material. This intervention orients recruits toward learning strategies that parallel their cognitive learning styles. The Role Model intervention exemplified appropriate team and individual behavior through a series of interactive scenarios that mirrored appropriate Navy behavior. Data was%collected at the Recruit Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois with 1,235 recruits participating in the study. The results indicated that the Advanced Organizer decreased stress and made a significant positive impact on the academic success of both male and female recruits. The Role Model intervention had some positive effects on the distress and efficacy of females. The implication of these results is significant for future Navy curriculum development and for the professional development of Navy instructors. Communication and role definition should become major items in instructor professional development. Development of instructional aids such as the Advanced Organizer should be continued as an instructional approach for training technical information such as firefighting.