Table 3.
Participant learning process phases.
| # | Stage | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simulator calibration | In this phase, participants begin to calibrate the physical inputs on the simulator’s steering wheel and pedals to the movement of the on-screen vehicle |
| 2 |
Vehicle limits |
Next, participants begin to learn what types of movements are possible from the vehicle. This often involves experimental speeding up, slowing down, and testing the grip of the tires, among other maneuvers |
| 3 |
Track layout |
Early in the learning process, this phase involves learning the different shapes the track may take. Later on, it may involve memorizing specific turns |
| 4 |
Vehicle positioning |
Combining phases 2 and 3 brings insight into how to position a vehicle to optimally move around turns. For example, moving to a specific edge. Finding this ideal racing line can be challenging and unintuitive for a novice driver, and was the specific target for the ‘what’ explanations presented |
| 5 | Handling in position | In this phase, participants build their handling skills by iteratively combining their understanding of vehicle positioning with their knowledge of the vehicle’s limits. This is a mediary step between phase 4 with phase 6, and becomes increasingly important as the limits of speed and acceleration are tested. This was the first target for the ‘why’ explanations presented |
| 6 |
Speed via Acceleration and Braking |
In an ideal learning process, speed management should be learned in conjunction with positioning and handling. Once a participant understands where to be positioned, they can safely add and subtract speed to find an optimal balance. Adding speed without first understanding positioning can result in unsafe maneuvers, less ideal positioning, and- consequently- slower lap times. This was the second target for the ‘why’ explanations presented |
| 7 | Iteration | As drivers learn, they are able to build on their knowledge, iterate, and enhance specific motor skills, maneuvers, and racing strategies |
Though presented linearly, each sequential phase builds on the previous phases, which iteratively impacts the earlier phases in turn. Importantly, there may be individual differences in the learning process.