Title: Graduate Research Assistant

Year started in the program: 2002

Current work location: Team Performance Lab - UCF

Research Interest:
My research interest lies in assessing an individual's knowledge in order to predict their performance. In my research I assert that knowledge is stored relationally in memory and assessing the structure of an individual's knowledge may be just as important as knowing how much knowledge the person possess. For this reason, I have focused my research on knowledge elicitation methods that attempt to elicit structural knowledge. Two methods that have been the main focus of my research are card sorting and concept mapping. Both of these tools are referred to as conceptual knowledge elicitation techniques and are a direct method of measuring the structure of knowledge. Because these methods are often impractical to implement into training regimens, I have worked with a team of researchers on creating a product that makes card sorting and concept mapping more practical to implement. In addition, through empirical research, I have discovered that simple ways of scoring these methods, particularly concept mapping, can provide just as much information as more complex methods of scoring.

Currently, my researcher efforts are aimed at determining if structural knowledge elicitation methods are capable of predicting a trainee's performance when operating in an automated environment. Further, because different assessment methods may provide varying information about an individual's knowledge, I have been investigating the interaction between various methods of assessment in predicting performance. The goal of the research is to determine which methods should be used to provide an overall "picture" of a trainee s knowledge for the purpose of making a judgment about the trainee's ability to adequately perform in context.

Publications:

Harper, M. E., Hoeft, R. M., Evans, A. W., III, Jentsch, F. (2004). Practically scoring concept maps for the assessment of trainee's knowledge structures. To be posted in the Proceedings for the Human factors and Ergonomics Society, New Orleans, Illinois: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Harper, M.E., Jentsch, F., Berry, D., Lau, H.C., Bowers C., & Salas, E. (in press). TPL-KATS - Card Sort: A tool for assessing structural knowledge. Behavior Research, Instruments, Methods, and Computers, 35 (4), 577-584.

Bowers, C., & Salas, E. (2003). TPL-KATS - Concept Map: A practical knowledge assessment tool. Computers in Human Behavior, 19, 653-657.

Harper, M.E., Rhodenizer-VanDuyne, L.G., Jentsch, F., & Smith-Jentsch, K.A. (2002). Computerized card sort training tool: Is it comparable to manual card sorting? Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society, 2049-2053. Baltimore, MD: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Hoeft, R. M., Jentsch, F. G., Harper, M. E., Evans, A. W., III, Berry, D. G., Bowers, C., & Salas, E. (2002). Structural knowledge assessment with the team performance lab's knowledge analysis test suite (TPL-KATS). Proceedings of the 46th Annual Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Meeting. Santa Monica, CA: HFES.

Jentsch, F., Rehfeld, S., & Harper, M.E. (2002). Statistica Power Analysis Review. Ergonomics In Design, 10, 28-30.

Harper, M.E., Jentsch, F., Borjesson, W., Evans, A.W., III, Hitt, J.M., II, Bowers, C., & Salas, E. (2001). Psychometrics of elicitation techniques for structural knowledge. Unpublished Manuscript. Orlando: University of Central Florida.

Presentations:

Scielzo, S., Harper, M.E., Fiore, S., & Jentsch, F. (2004). Effects of occlusion and rotation on target detection in airport security screeners. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Human Performance, Situation Awareness, and Automation Society, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Harper, M.E., Evans, A.W. III, Hoeft, R. M., Jentsch, F., & Bowers, C. (2003). Pictures speak louder than words Differences in Textual vs. Pictorial Organization. Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto Ontario, Canada.

Harper, M.E., Evans, A.W. III, Dew, R, Jentsch, F., & Bowers, C. (2002). Computerized concept mapping validation: Is computerized concept mapping comparable to manual concept mapping? Poster session presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Harper, M.E., Lau, H.C., & Dunn, M.E. (November, 2001). Assessing ecstasy expectancies in memory. Poster session presented at the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lau, H.C., Harper, M.E., & Dunn, M.E. (June, 2001). Activation of alcohol expectancies in memory in relation to the family history of paternal alcoholism and limb of the blood alcohol curve. Poster session presented at the meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Society level contributions:

Chapter Activity
Vice President of the HFES UCF Student Chapter (2004)

Reviewer Activity
Human factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
    Training Technical Group (2003 and 2004)
    Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making Technical Group (2004)

Technical Session Chairing Activity
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (2003)
    Chair - Training Technical Group Lecture Session

Human Performance, Situation Awareness, and Automation (2004)
    Co-chair - Team Performance Session

Affiliates:

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Association of Aviation Psychologists
HFES Aerospace Technical Group
HFES Training Technical Group
HFES Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making Technical Group

Community Service:

Presented Safety Training and Procedures, Sun n Fun 2002, Lakeland, FL
Volunteered at University of Central Florida s Graduate Student Forum