Presentation Description: Our work addresses the need to educate and train today’s young Airmen using pedagogical environments that are familiar with the digital native generation. There is much research that supports the belief that 3D Immersive Education and Training content has a significant advantage over other pedagogical forms and patterns, but the skill sets and processes that are necessary to design, produce, and deliver this content are not well-defined or readily available in the current marketplace. In the current environment, the pipeline for producing this critical content is limited to a trickle.

Deficiencies:

• Lack of well defined Architectures for delivery of 3D instructional content in Open Virtual Environments
• Lack of information and guidance on the effectiveness and usability of 3D Platforms and Toolsets
• Lack of guidelines and examples for non-experts (in 3D development) that allow quick and effective utilization of available resources for the production of their own 3D instructional content
• Lack of robust platforms and architectures for the delivery of instructional content into the rather limited instructional capabilities of current Virtual Environments like Second Life

The project (currently called AGILE II for Advanced Gaming Integrated into a LMS Environment) will make extensive use of the work being done within the “Serious Gaming” industry, demonstrate specific concrete methods and mechanisms for Designing, Producing, and Delivering Immersive 3D Game Based Instruction in Open Virtual Environments, and relate it to the Air Force Education and Training mission. The AGILE 2.0 project is researching, defining, and demonstrating effective and usable methods and procedures for producing this content. The main thrust of the project will be to take the “Operation Tropic Storm” application that was developed as a part of the original AGILE project, and ultimately deliver it in an Open Virtual Environment like Linden Labs Second Life. This project will build upon the work already done by the Air Force in the AGILE project and MyBase concept.

Why is this Relevant to a Broad Range of Air Force Members – Active, Guard, and Reserve Enlisted, Officer, and Civilian Members? The need to educate and train today’s young Airmen remains a critical cornerstone to keeping the USAF the best in the world. By using pedagogical environments that are familiar with the digital natives, educating and training will be enhanced.

Short Biography for Dr. Ronald F. Tuttle: He is the Director of the Center for Technical Intelligence Studies and Research (CTISR) and is an Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering in the Department of Engineering Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology. A retired Air Force Colonel, Dr. Tuttle has 30+ years of experience in technical intelligence. Dr. Tuttle’s research areas are applications of active and passive remote sensing, spectroscopy, nuclear weapon effects, space nuclear power systems modeling, and educating tomorrow’s student. He has published in both unclassified and classified refereed archival journals and conference proceedings. BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri (Columbia), 1968; MS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Missouri (Columbia), 1970; PhD, Nuclear Engineering, University of Missouri (Columbia), 1980.

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