Simulation Assisted Learning Using HLA and ADL

COL Mike FinnernDirector, Defense Modeling and Simulation Office

703 998 0660

High Level Architecture

The Vision

Integrate existing HLA-compliant simulations with ADL-compliant web-based instructional content to provide the student with a richer learning environment; one in which active interaction with simulations supports the proven instructional paradigm of “learning followed by doing.”

TechnicallyFeasible?

Y N

OperationalValue?

Y N

High Level Architecture

The Broad Deployment Vision

• The warfighter can get simulation-enriched instruction anywhere there is access to a web browser (including local platform)

• The location of the simulation and instructional content, whether local or remote, is transparent to the student

• A legacy or newly developed simulation may be made available without moving its dedicated hardware or trying to create a new installation on potentially rare hardware, both very expensive propositions

• The use of open standards preserves DoD’s investment in simulations, learning content, and tools, and protects stakeholders from the risks of proprietary solutions

• Simulations and training will be as up to date as possible (owner dependent) when delivered to the student

HLA & ADL in more detail…

• HLA (www.dmso.mil)– IEEE 1516 Series

– Defines

• Structure of data to be shared (OMT)

• Set of requirements for interacting with the Federation (RTI)

– Data exchanges are frequent, and usually small

– Tightly coupled framework

• ADL (www.adlnet.org)– IEEE 1484 Series

– Defines

• Structure of Web-based course content (DTD)

• Set of requirements for delivery mechanism (LMS)

– Data exchanges are infrequent, size varies by instructional design

– Designed for web delivery

OMT – Object Model TemplateRTI – RunTime Infrastructure

DTD – Document Type DefinitionsLMS – Learning Management Systems

DMSO HLA-ADL ProjectRequirements

• Use available open standards and products built to them– Eliminate ties to expensive, risky proprietary solutions

• Minimize impact on the existing HLA and ADL standards– Leverage existing expert communities to modify standards as necessary

• IEEE SISC, LTSC – sponsor committees of IEEE Computer Society• ADL Co-Labs – Orlando, and Alexandria

• Use appropriate security mechanisms with minimum configuration modifications

– Must work with firewalls and standard security mechanisms

• Maximize broad supportability in a distributed deployment environment

– Simulation repositories, contents repositories, and LMS may not be co-resident with the student

• Prepare for projected standardization efforts– Within simulation community – develop Best Practices from simulation viewpoint– Transition Best Practices to ADL community for expansion from ADL viewpoint

SISC – Simulation Interoperability StandardsCommittee

LTSC – Learning Technology StandardsCommittee

Student’s Platform

Browser

RTI

Tomcat

ExistingSimulation

SCORM LMS

Listener Application

Proof of Principle (Phase I)HLA-ADL Interface

Collector SCO

Collector Applet

API Wrapper

Launcher Asset

Launcher Applet

Phase I - Proof of Principle“Hello World”

• “Keep It Simple”– Focus on interface issues

• Use In-house training material in ADL-format for teaching HLA• Use the in-house HLA HelloWorld simulation distributed with

the RTI • Put all components of architecture on student’s machine

– HLA RTI– ADL RTE and supporting server– HLA Training material– HelloWorld federation

• Use ADL program’s Sample RTE

RTI – RunTime Infrastructure RTE – RunTime Environment

Progress and Plans to Date

• Progress:– Oct 00 – As part of HLA transition, DMSO tasked members of the HLA

technical support team to build a training distribution system to provide HLA course content to the M&S community.

– Mar 01 - DMSO commissioned a study to investigate the feasibility of combining simulations and content using the HLA and SCORM.

– Oct 01 – Member’s of the HLA technical support team were tasked to develop a proof of principle prototype of an HLA ADL architecture.

– Jun 02 - Demonstrated Phase I to DMSO leadership– Sept 02 - Demonstrated Phase I to Mr. Dan Gardner, USD for Personnel

and Readiness– Oct 02 - Lab tested Phase II architecture using Simple Object Access

Protocol (SOAP).– Dec 02 - Demonstration of Phase II architecture at I/ITSEC using Hello

World federate

• Plans:– Test the integrated SOAP architecture with a more complex federation and

more substantive content (JFCOM JTLS)– Develop a draft HLA-ADL Guidance specification (Best Practices) in

accordance with the IEEE Learning Training Standards Committee specification development process

– Have ADL community expand use, and update Guidance Specification

Simulation Assisted Learning Using HLA and ADL

QUESTIONS?

High Level Architecture

BACKUPS

High Level Architecture

At the Highest Level…

• ADL – www.adlnet.org

The Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) defines a Web-based learning "Content Aggregation Model" and "Run-Time Environment" for learning objects. The SCORM is a collection of specifications adapted from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive suite of e-learning capabilities that enable interoperability, accessibility and reusability of Web-based learning content. The work of the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative to develop the SCORM is also a process to knit together disparate groups and interests. This reference model aims to coordinate emerging technologies with commercial and/or public implementations.

• HLA – www.dmso.mil

The High Level Architecture (HLA) is a general purpose architecture for simulation reuse and interoperability. The HLA was developed under the leadership of the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) to support reuse and interoperability across the large numbers of different types of simulations developed and maintained by the DoD. The HLA Baseline Definition was completed on August 21, 1996. It was approved by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology (USD(A&T)) as the standard technical architecture for all DoD simulations on September 10, 1996. <snip> The HLA MOA was signed and approved in Nov. 2000.

Client-side Platform

Browser

API Wrapper

RTI

Collector Applet

Tomcat

Federation Web Services Platform

Tomcat

Listener Federate

Simulation Platform

ExistingSimulation

Launcher Applet

SCORM LMS

Listener Launcher Servlet

HTTPPost

Collector Servlet

HTTPGet

SOAPResults

SOAP-based HLA-ADL Integration

ArbitrarilyComplex

Federation

Proof of Principle (Phase II)HLA-ADL Interface

the “system” must be able to notify the LMS if student failure,

thus enabling the student to obtain remedial training from

the LMS if desired

The “system” must be able to

launch a federate from a SCO

The “system” must be able to

feedback the student’s progress

The “system” must be able to monitor the student’s performance of the desired task

Benefits of this Approach (slide 1 of 2)

• The student engages in the proven instructional paradigm of “learning followed by doing”

• The system automatically performs intelligent, real time assessment of the student’s interaction with the simulation and feeds the results directly back to the learning management system, enabling focused, individualized remediation

• Automated remediation reduces reliance on instructors for one-on-one student assessment

• A legacy simulation may be made available without moving its dedicated hardware or trying to create a new installation on potentially rare hardware, both very expensive propositions

Benefits of this Approach (slide 2 of 2)

• The simulation can stay home-based with its technical support and configuration management

• Content can also be home-based with its technical support and configuration management

• Simulations and training are guaranteed to be absolutely up to date when delivered to the student

• The warfighter can access this rich training environment both while deployed and while home based

• The web-based protocols employed allow operation through most firewalls