S214G - Computer-Based Child Pedestrian Training
Overview
Background & policy context:
Practical training at the roadside in pedestrian skills is known to be highly effective at improving the performance of children as young as 5 years old. However, such roadside training can be time consuming, labour intensive, and subject to disruption from poor weather and/or lack of suitable traffic situations. Training based on simulations offers a way around these difficulties and earlier experimental work suggests that it has the potential to yield learning of comparable levels to roadside training.
This project aimed to realise this potential by developing computer-based training materials covering a range of pedestrian skills within a single programme. This was seen as a supplement to any roadside training (rather than a substitute). The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated at the roadside on children aged 5-11 years old.
Objectives:
The present project had two major objectives:
- to realise the potential of computer simulations in road safety education by producing computer-based training materials aimed at promoting a clearly-defined range of traffic skills within a single, coherent programme; and
- to evaluate the effectiveness of this programme in improving the roadside behaviour and understanding of children in the age range 5 to 11 years.
Methodology:
The programme focused on four broad and related areas of pedestrian skills:
• safe place finding;
• roadside search;
• gap timing; and
• perceptions of others' intentions.
Each skill was addressed by a distinct module of simulation materials, which shared the same small town setting and a common cast of characters to emphasise the relationship between the skills. Each module comprised four training sessions of around 30 minutes each, intended for use by an adult trainer working with a group of three children. The method of training consisted of adult guidance and peer collaboration, the latter increasing over time with the age of the children. An important aspect of the training is that children are actively encouraged to make decisions rather than given specific rules. The programme emphasised the dangers of young children actually attempting to cross real roads. This was undertaken by trainers throughout the sessions, at the end of each session and in documentation sent to parents. Evaluation was undertaken in two areas of Glasgow. One had a relatively high accident rate and low socio-economic status (SES) whilst the other had a lower rate and was socially mixed. Over two school years about 75 children from each area worked through the four modules. Control children from each area were used for comparative purposes to take account of age effects and the possible priming effects of testing children at the roadside. All children were pre-tested, and post-tested twice; once after the training and once after the next skill was taught.
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