Summary.- Background and Requirement.- Characteristics of the Training Environment.- Constraints in the Training Environment.- Finding Mechanisms for Improvement.- Requirement.- Objectives.- Acquisition.- Retention.- Linkage between Acquisition and Retention.- Domain of Analyses.- Scope and Emphasis.- Comments on the Relevant Literature.- Approach.- Initial Directions.- Modifying Approach and Emphasis.- Emphasizing Retention and Transfer.- Emphasizing Processes of Acquisition.- Acquisition Curves, Shapes and Parameters.- Basic Parameters.- The Nature of Acquisition Functions.- Generalized Power Function.- Generalized Exponential.- Hyperbolic.- Logistic.- Linearity Transforms.- Positive vs. Negative Acceleration.- Comparative Analysis of Acquisition Functions.- The "Universality" of Learning Functions.- An Information Processing Viewpoint.- The Power Law.- Exponential Equations.- Contrasting the Functions.- Inconclusiveness of the literature.- Some additional data.- Conditions that Affect Curve Shape.- Nature of the Task.- Task Difficulty.- Degree of Prior Learning.- Plateaus.- Criteria for Termination (Mastery Level).- Mastery training.- Distribution of Practice.- Interference and forgetting.- Individual Differences.- Different Training Methods.- Group vs. Individual Curves.- Characteristics of Group Curves.- Characteristics of Individual Curves.- Problems in Generalization.- Factors in Discrepancies.- Resolving the Controversy.- Behavioral vs. Engineering Approaches.- Nature of Tasks Used.- Emphasis on Group Output.- Very Long Time Periods.- Motivation and Interest of Trainee.- Handling of Poor Performers.- Some Relevant Theory and Findings on Acquisition.- The Nature of Skilled Performance.- Distinctions Between Skills and Abilities.- Fixed-Abilities, Changing Tasks Models.- Changing Abilities Models.- Implications.- Stages and Phases of Learning.- Fitts' Stages.- Anderson's Stages.- Rasmussen's Paradigm.- Development of "Automatic" Behavior.- Schema Theory Explanations of Acquisition.- Contextual Interference.- Knowledge of Results and Feedback.- Part-Task and Task Simplification Approaches.- Prediction of Time to Train.- Retention.- Issues in Task and Skill Classification.- Categories of Classification Systems.- Categories of Taxonomies.- Generalizations and Discussion.- Overview.- Generalizations from the Data.- Interpretation and Uses of Learning Curves.- More Emphasis on Acquisition than Retention.- Selection of Termination Points for Training.- Procedural Tasks.- Impact and Management of Individual Differences.- Stages of Skill Acquisition.- Simplified Part-Task Approaches.- Contextual Interference.- Generalizations About the Data.- Descriptive vs. Comparative Data.- Theory vs. Applications in Studies and Data.- Constraints on Implementation.- Sources and Uses of Historical Data.- Instructional Systems Development and Classification Systems.- Training Effectiveness Data.- Conclusions.- Mechanisms for Improvement.- Overview.- 1. Collection and use of Training data.- 2. More Flexibility in Training Time and Scheduling.- 3. Programs for Refresher Training.- 4. R&D on Task and Skill Description Systems.- References.

Skill Acquisition Rates and Patterns reviews and synthesizes the data and findings from the literature on skill acquisition, learning, retention, and transfer. This integrative review deals with the domain of time as it influences performance, i.e. with changes in capability to perform that occur as a function of time of practice. The author stresses the applicability of available information to the estimation of an appropriate time course for training and to related areas of potential training improvements.