THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A VIRTUAL SIMULATOR IN TRAINING CADETS IN THE FIELD OF RADIO ENGINEERING

Abstract

This article presents the results of the research project, «Justification and Development of a Software and Hardware Complex for the Practical Training of Specialists in Radio Engineering and Radio Navigation in Military Affairs by Implementing Immersive Technologies into the Educational Process» (individual registration number BR 218008/0223), (Funding source: Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan). It examines the results of a pedagogical experiment to assess the effectiveness of a virtual training complex in training cadets for the «Multichannel Systems» (MCS) specialty. The study's objective was to compare the academic performance of an experimental group using the simulator with a control group taught via traditional methods. The experiment involved 20 cadets, divided into two equal groups. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for data analysis. The results demonstrated a statistically significant superiority of the experimental group: the mean final score was 90.5 versus 74.6 in the control group (F(1, 18) = 102.2; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the experimental group showed significantly less variance in their results. It is concluded that the training complex is highly effective from a pedagogical standpoint, contributing to a deeper and more consistent mastery of the material.