A brief overview of computer conferencing is given as an introduction to discussing the use of computer conferencing to provide Army reserve component training. A description of the Army reserve component training requirements is given relative to those capabilities provided by computer conferencing (e.g. asynchronous). Finally, the study that was performed under contract to the United States Army Research Institute by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory is described. A two group design was used–a control who took an existing Army course via correspondence only, and an experimental group who took the same course using the same materials augmented by computer conferencing.
Cost and Effectiveness of Home Study Using Asynchronous Computer Conferencing for Reserve Component Training