Transcript No Slide Title

Obstacles to Distributed Learning
in the ARNG
DLCC Conference
17 Mar 2004
Mr. Craig Bond
NGB-ART-RDL
(703) 607-7224
[email protected]
7/7/2015
Purpose
To inform the DLCC community about
obstacles to Distance (Distributed) Learning
in the military - based on experience with
the ARNG DL implementation.
Outline
• Background
• Obstacles
• Overview
• Organizational
• Context
• Provider
• Method
• Learner
• Application
• References
• Conclusions
• Questions
Bottom Lines Up Front
• Achieve unity of effort based on mission
and requirements
• Learn from successes and failures
• Collaborate
• Interactivity
• Know by doing
Background
Overview
• ARNG DL is comprised of two major
thrusts:
• training
• information technology
Background
Context
• 1997
• 370K learners
• 14 time zones
• Limited time for training
• Industry and academia adopting DL
• Army just beginning DL
Background
Method
• Observations based on my experience
• Just one perspective
• Not official NGB position
• Validated by the current situation
Background
Application
• Training (Army Training Division, NGB)
• Mission - Improve readiness
• Responsibilities
• Requirements
• Strategy
• Policy
• Instructor training
• Courseware development
• Funding (99-03) - $37.8M
Background
Application
• Technology (Distributive Training Technology Project, NGB)
• Mission
• Improve readiness
• Improve state C2
• Demonstrate shared use
• Responsibilities
• IT strategy and policy
• Classroom equipment acquisition and fielding
• Broadband network
• Business operations
• Funding (97-03) - $443M
Background
Conclusions
• 320 classrooms
• low military utilization
• lower shared use
• Some DL courseware
• Unfulfilled expectations
• Unintended outcomes (we didn’t know what
we didn’t know
• Seven years experience
Organizational Obstacles
• Proponancy: training and technology – who
leads; who supports
Let mission and requirements dictate
View DL as a system
• Cultural resistance
• = Obstacles
Inform and educate
 = Countermeasures
 Strategic Plan
 Implementation Plan
 Policy and Guidance (ARNG DL Field Guide)
Recurring effort for personnel turnover
Organizational Obstacles
• Cultural resistance
 Identify and market incentives (features,
benefits, and success stories)
 Identify and counter disincentives
• Fear that DL will reduce jobs
• Compensation
 DoD Compensation Study
• Unrealistic expectations
• Cost avoidance
• Bullet-proof technology
Organizational Obstacles
• Short courseware development cycles
Under-promise; over-deliver
• Time to accomplish DL
Policy and education
• Unidentified obstacles
Establish processes to discover obstacles
• Insufficient resources
Provider Obstacles
• Student Orientation
How the course works
Expectations (standards, time lines)
Instructor and technical support
PC and internet access requirements
What successful DL students do
Provider Obstacles
• Ineffective instructor / presenter
Provide training
• Ineffective courseware
Design to function in the customer’s
environment
Consider pedagogy v.s. andragogy
Design and develop with frequent SME
review
Provide CDs to overcome long download
times
Plan for revision
Provider Obstacles
• Assuming technology is working and won’t fail
Test connectivity before the event
Implement contingency plans
• Failure to monitor student progress
Pacing
Learner Obstacles
• Insufficient orientation
• Insufficient interaction
Student-to-student, instructor, and content
interactions
Provide the virtual equivalent of the “talk in
the halls”
Use class rosters to create the expectation
that everyone gets called on
Learner Obstacles
• Isolation
Use cohort groups, small group activities
References
• NG Joint ADL Strategy and Implementation Plan
http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/training /dl/
• ARNG DL Field Guide
http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/training /dl/
• HQDA DL Policy Letter
http://www.tadlp.monroe.army.mil/dl policy message.htm
• Student Orientation
http://www.distance.pcc.edu/
http://www.ivc.illinois.edu/pubs/orientation.html
http://www.academic.son.wisc.edu/cnp_orient/OnlineLearning/OnlineLearning.htm
• What Makes a Successful Online Student?
http://www.ion.illinois.edu/IONresources/onlineLearning/StudentProfile.asp
• Soldiers As Distance Learners: What Army Trainers Should Know
http://www.tadlp.monroe.army.mil/
References
• Joint ADL Co-Lab Best Practices Handbook for DL
http://www.jointadlcolab.org
• Military Interactive Multi-Media Instruction Center (MIMIC)
http://www.mimic.org/
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Distance Education Certificate
Program
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/depd/certpro.html
• Army Research Institute
http://www.ari.army.mil./research/training
• DL Courseware Catalog
https://www.gcls.ngb.army.mil
• ARNG Distributive Training Technology Project http://www.dttp.ngb.army.mil/
Questions?
•
•
•
This briefing is available at http://www.dlnets.com/dlcc
Mr. Craig Bond
NGB-ART-RDL
(703) 607-7224
[email protected]
Those who learn fastest win!
Backup Slides
What Is Distributed Learning?
The delivery of learning, training, and education
using information and communication
technologies.*
*Derived from TRADOC Reg. 350-70
Resident vs. DL Comparison*
ARNG Unit Clerk Course
Resident course
Length
13 days
Class size 40 students
Cost
$54 K
Go rate
85%
DL course
15 days (5.5 hrs/day
at home station)
88 students (100 max)
$5 K
92%
The DL course trained more soldiers, for less money with better
results!
*Army Research Institute Data
Trends: How and Where
Soldiers Receive DL
Previous
Environment
Recent
Environment
Few PCs
Home, work PCs
• Centralized
• Fixed locations
• Common
configuration
• Decentralized
• Fixed locations
• Many
configurations
• Common
infrastructure
• Several
infrastructures
Today’s
Environment
Deployed PCs
some wireless
• Centralized / Decentralized
• Mobile
• Many
configurations
• Several
infrastructures
Projected
Environment
Deployed
wireless PCs
PDAs,
embedded
devices
• Decentralized
• Mobile
• Many
configurations
• Several
infrastructures
Distributed Learning is a System!
Objective
Four Components of DL
1. Network and
Classrooms (DTTP)
2. DL Courseware
3. Cadre Training
4. Support Services
Improved
Readiness
Training Conducted via DL
• 13 B, C, E, F, M, P
• Unit Clerk
• 19K
• Personnel Sergeant
• 67T
• Personnel Officer
• 93C
• Tng/Readiness/Mob
• 97L
• SATS (NG)
• First Sergeant
• Info Opns 101
• Combat Lifesaver
• BSNCO
• Armor C3
• SmartForce/SkillSoft
Lessons Learned
• Implementation requires a champion
• Collaboration - key to implementation
and conserving scarce resources
• DL is not for all tasks
• Learn DL by doing DL
• DL is a system
Cadre Training
• ARNG DL Instructor Training Course
•
•
•
•
•
Approved by ATSC
Conducted by NG Professional Education Center
Teaches ARNG-unique DL equipment
46 hr resident (redesign to DL in FY 00)
Focus on proficiency with technology, DL
theory, adult learning theory
• DL Equipment Familiarization
• DL POC Course
• DTTP Site Administrator Training
Network and Classrooms
• GuardNet XXI connects all 54 states/territories
• 319 DTTP classrooms fielded to date
• All 54 State Area Commands have ATM VTC
• 100 Satellite downlinks fielded
Support Services
• Courseware Catalog https://gcls.ngb.army.mil
• ATRRS enrolls students in DL courses
• A Learning Management System is coming
• ARNG DL Communications and Marketing
•
•
•
•
Weekly DL News
Monthly DL Conferences www.dlnets.com/acadg.htm
Semi Annual DL Workshops
ARNG DL Websites http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/training/dl/
https://gko.ngb.army.mil ARNG, OPS/TNG
DTTP Website http://www.dttp.ngb.army.mil/
•
• AKO DL Collaboration Sites
• National and Regional DLAC
• University of Wisconsin, Madison DL Conference
Distributed Learning Vision
“Technology is going to move whether you or I care
about it or not. So let’s figure out how to grab
some of those features and put them to work.
The future for you and I in the training world, is to
get on with this initiative and figure out how we can
best apply it to enhancing readiness.”
---- MG Roger Schultz
Director, ARNG
14 April 1998
As of: 19 Jan 04
Sources for NG Distributed Learning Strategy
Signed on January 12, 1999, Executive Order 13111 tasked DoD to
take the lead in working with other federal agencies and the private
sector to develop common specifications and standards for technologybased learning. Proponent: Executive Branch, Federal Government
Executive Order 13111
Jan 1999
The Strategic Plan for Transforming DoD Training describes the
requirements and context of transformation for DoD training, along with
the vision, goals, and the roadmap to success. Directly or indirectly
influences all subordinate documents. Proponent: DoD, OSUSD, P&R
Strategic Plan for Transforming DoD Training (DoD T2 Strategy)
Mar 2002
DoD ADL
Strategic Plan
The DoD ADL Strategic Plan is the DoD implementation plan in
response to Executive Order 13111. It provides a strategy for using
ADL technologies across DoD on a broad scale. Proponent: DoD,
ODUSD(R), R&T
Apr 1999
TADLP
Campaign Plan
HQDA DL
Policy Letter
Sep 2000
Sep 2001
Joint NG ADL Strategy and
Implementation Plan
(Being staffed)
Joint NG
Senior Leader
Guidance
ARNG
Senior Leader
Guidance
ARNG DL
OPLAN
(Annex to Joint NG ADL Strategy)
ARNG DL
Field Guide
Sep 2001
HQDA DL Policy Letter provides guidance for the implementation of
the Army ADL Program.
Proponent: Army G3 (DAMO-TR)
TADLP Campaign Plan contains specific policies and responsibilities
for program implementation from TRADOC to all proponent schools.
Proponent: TRADOC
The Joint NG ADL Strategy provides the vision, values, mission, goals,
and objectives for the NG ADL program through 2010.
The Implementation Plan provides specific tasks which, when
implemented, accomplish goals and objectives of the Strategy.
Proponent: NGB J7 with J6 support
The ARNG DL OPLAN and ANG DL OPLAN are annexes to the Joint
NG ADL Strategy and Implementation Plan; the ARNG DL OPLAN
outlines the ARNG plan to implement its internal goals and objectives as
part of the overall NGB training strategy. Proponent: NGB-ART-RDL
DL SOPs
DL SOPs
NGB-ART-RDL
DL SOPs
ARNG DL Facilities
NG Senior Leader Guidance provides more specific goals and
objectives for ARNG as framed within other existing Army guidance.
Proponent: NGB and ARNG senior leadership
States, Territories, DC
Note 1: Dashed boxes indicate documents in development.
Note 2: Solid lines indicate direct relationship; dashed lines indicate indirect relationship.
The ARNG DL Field Guide provides guidance for the day-to-day
implementation of DL in the ARNG until FORSCOM / ARNG / USAR
Reg. 350-2 (Reserve Component Training) is revised. The ARNG DL
SOP provides a broad outline and format for states, territories, and
ARNG DL facilities to develop internal SOPs. Proponent: NGB-ARTRDL
How Can Commanders Use DL?
• Improve readiness through greater
access to training
• Train any time; any place
• Reduce PERSTEMPO - improve retention
• Use technology to increase C4I
• Shared use can increase recruiting
Those who learn fastest win!