LTP Instructional Design

Purpose “The Commandant’s Leader Training Program (LTP) is the training component of the leader development program. It equips cadets with the skills, abilities, and behaviors associated with principled leadership in order to link the theoretical leadership knowledge taught in the curriculum (ROTC classes, Krause Center classes, and courses taught in the academic departments and schools) with the practical experiential environment exercised in the barracks, athletic fields, ROTC labs, and elsewhere.”

LTP’s Place Curriculum: KnowledgeExperience: Action LTP: Skills, abilities, and behaviors

LTP’s Place A platoon leader issues his platoon an oporder to do an ambush From previous training and now this oporder, the platoon collectively and individually has the knowledge to do this mission Do they consider that knowledge sufficient for them to just move out on the mission? What do they do in between the oporder and the ambush?

LTP’s Place A rehearsal is what allows the platoon to translate its knowledge into effective action In the same way, cadets have the knowledge that it is their duty to not tolerate drinking in the barracks Is that knowledge sufficient for them to do their duty if they walk into their room unexpectedly and find several classmates drinking? – All of us would be caught off guard in such a situation LTP gives us a chance to talk through collectively when there is no stress– to rehearse– how we will execute principled leadership when we must act alone during stress

Three Basic LTP Parts Provide the factual information necessary to understand the subject Explain how the subject is applicable to cadet life Explain how the subject is applicable after graduation

Plagiarism Example Provide the factual information necessary to understand the subject – What plagiarism is – What the Honor Code says about it – What the College Catalog says about it Explain how the subject is applicable to cadet life – Some actual or representative Cadet X and Ys – Some role playing exercises Explain how the subject is applicable after graduation – We assume people’s degrees and certifications represent a certain level of competency. If instead they plagiarized, they will not be equipped to do the assigned task and the results may be catastrophic Rapelmaster Surgeon Heavy equipment operator

Suicide Awareness Example Provide the factual information necessary to understand the subject – Warning signs – Intervention techniques – Resources available Explain how the subject is applicable to cadet life – Some actual or representative Cadet X and Ys – Some role playing exercises Explain how the subject is applicable after graduation – There is no “Human Affairs Team” in most post-graduation organizations – The things our HA teams do are general leadership responsibilities in those organizations – Show some video about a commander with a suicidal soldier, a parent of a child who committed suicide, or a video about suicide prevention in the workplace such as those available at

Interaction The more senses are involved in processing information, the more we retain Listening, seeing, talking, doing Types of interaction we can incorporate into LTP – Answering closed questions – Answering open questions – Analyzing scenarios – Role playing – Informal and formal tests and confirmation briefs

Practical Exercise Pick an existing HA or honor LTP Discuss how you would redesign it to include the following four parts: – Provide the factual information necessary to understand the subject – Explain how the subject is applicable to cadet life – Explain how the subject is applicable after graduation – Interaction exercise

Way Ahead Upgrade all 2 nd semester LTPs this semester for execution in Spring 2015 Execute 1 st semester LTPs “as is” with improvements around the margins as practicable – Next semester upgrade 1 st semester LTPs for execution in Fall 2015

Contact Info LTC (Ret) Kevin Dougherty Room 219 Mark Clark Hall