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June 2016 www.coalage.com 47 escape training continued the sim. If someone is hopelessly lost, try to get them back on track." Generally, trainers did not inter- vene much. However, when they did intervene, trainers "told trainees the answer" about as often as they merely "gave them a clue" or "asked what they were doing." Also, sometimes the train- er intervened even when a group was not having difficulty. For example, at the start of one exercise session, a train- er announced to the class. "OK, guys, pick up your SCSRs and head for the primary." After such an announcement, an observer cannot determine whether on their own some trainees would have chosen to escape through the returns or through the secondary escapeway, or would have either forgotten or thought it unimportant to pick up extra SCSRs on their way out. Obviously, if trainees remain com- pletely lost despite receiving measured assistance, then it serves no purpose to allow them to remain so. In those cases, they may need more direct guid- ance with explanatory commentary to successfully continue with the training session. Otherwise, trainees will learn more if trainers let them make their own choices and experience the results for themselves, then discuss what they learned during the debrief. Computer-assisted Debriefs: Focusing on the Trainee, Not the Technology Computer-based simulations often feature great resources to help trainers promote learning after the exercise. For example, MEET records all train- ee actions in the simulation and plots them on a mine map (Figure 2), letting the trainer (or a trainee) play back and pause the action at key moments. Any- thing deemed a "critical error," such as taking off an SCSR in poor air, is flagged. The playback also shows elements such as the paths that trainees took to es- cape and the propagation of the smoke, which helps to communicate the visual context of trainee decisions. Such features put a wealth of data and tools in the hands of the trainers — much more than could ever be captured in tabletop simulations — but it still is up to the trainer to use them effectively. For example, the MEET data could be used to generate a simple count of critical errors, or to identify all those who took a "wrong" path. However, even more valuable is to use the data to support a follow-up discussion of trainee decision making. Especially in the case of simula- tion exercises like MEET, the goal of the debrief session is not to artificially re- duce the complexity of the real world on which the exercise is based, but to help the trainees get better at navigating that complexity. This is best done by using discussion to draw out their reasoning — how they made sense of the information they had, exploring options not taken, and making connections between the simulation and the real world. That dis- cussion could be followed by a formal as- sessment, like a short quiz. Following an educational activity with an assessment has been shown to enhance learning and U S T S U B A K I . C O M Total Package ROLLER CHAINS • ENGINEERING CLASS CHAINS • BACKSTOPS • SPROCKETS • CABLE & HOSE CARRIERS • POWER TRANSMISSION PRODUCTS WHY RISK GOING WITH ANY OTHER BRAND? Stack the deck in your favor by choosing Tsubaki chains, sprockets and backstops. U.S. Tsubaki's portfolio of Mining products will provide the reliability and durability required to keep your operation running at its best, even in the harshest conditions. U.S. Tsubaki's leading service and engineering support will design the right solutions for your application, minimizing downtime and saving you money. So be an ACE and go ALL IN with Tsubaki! DEAL YOURSELF A WINNING HAND ©2016 U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC All Rights Reserved.