Uses of Technology to Facilitate Education in Skill Training: Introduction to the Special Issue

ABSTRACT Technology plays a prominent role in contemporary education. In this special issue of Applied Cognitive Psychology, we compiled a collection of articles that employed technological advancements in the training of knowledge and skills. Some articles use simulations, such as virtual environments and 2D and 3D avatars. Other articles compare various presentation modalities and pedagogical agents. Many of the research articles leverage the advantages of technology, such as learning management systems that offer the ability to deliver training bursts and collect user data, automatic immediate feedback, and interactive experiences. In our introduction, we review the important elements of training—with or without technology—through the identification of seven key topics that represent the papers in this special issue: feedback, practice, motivation, levels of learning, cognitive load, simulations, and pedagogical agents. We consider the advantages, disadvantages, and critical principles of technology in education, with an emphasis on skills training.