1. Case Study: Army Learning in the 21st Century
Dianna Hamby
Post university

2. U.S. Army Established June, 14, 1775 with the American Revolution
Enlistment total today: 541,291
Diversity:
Men and Women
Ages 17 to 60
All diversities and ethnic backgrounds
All types of education levels and income backgrounds

3. Technologies
Redesigned Learning Spaces – Classrooms are designed into small table groups (4-5 students per group) in order to create small discussions or collaborated learning. Students in the army are able to discuss alternate ideas of their own skills.
Blended Learning – Students have the capability to do online assignments and take quizzes about the material prior to shorter sessions to allow students to do “real world” activities.

4. Positive Aspects of Technology
Future Change of Technology
Positive Impact With the Changes
Blended Learning
Shorter training time in the classroom for soldiers to continue to work in the field.
Shorter course length
Lower budget forecasting for housing, meals, and classroom space.
New software advancement
Create “real world” scenarios for better training.
Use of mobile technology and laptop equipment for training
Faster enlistment processing – rid the use of paperwork and telephone calls.

5. Negative Aspects of Technology
Future Change of Technology
Negative Impact With the Changes
Shrinking military budget
Training center consolidation for active duty and reserves with both have different methods and military regulations.
More technology in the classroom
Too many students on the network at one time and slower computer processing for testing or learning sites.

6. Summary of Current Technology
Student-centered learning
Mobile technology
Critical skills activities
Gaming for self-paced learning

7. Demographics Summary
More immigration requires the need for bilingual teachers
Adults enrolling in college for the first time to learn new job skills
Higher high school graduation rates, but lower graduation rates for ethnic groups.
Student changes to non-traditional, part time, and working full time

8. Economic Situation
Decrease in public funding for minority higher education
Smaller tax collection rates due to recession and housing market failure
Slow recession recovery

9. Consequences of Poor Economy
School cutbacks:
Deferring maintenance repairs
Cutting teachers
Larger classrooms
Cutting extracurricular activities
Eliminating teacher development

10. Hanushek – Stanford University and Woessmann – University of Munich Study
Study of 76 countries - PISA exam
Results of the average exam scores showed an annual growth per capita GDP improved.
The countries used as examples: Singapore, China, and South Korea

11. Army Learning Concept 2015 Purpose:
Create soldiers and leaders who are adaptive and capable of meeting the challenges of the changing military
Create faster learning environments with the latest technology for soldiers to learn to maintain an edge over adversaries
Help soldiers become experts, self-motivated learners that are capable of critical thinking skills to ask the appropriate questions

12. Opportunities in the Current Environment
Relevant real world training
More timely training
Portability of training
Improved quality, relevance, and effectiveness of face-to-face experiences
Extension of learning beyond the classroom and into lifelong career

13. Challenges in the Current Environment
Persistent conflict around the world that doesn’t allow soldiers to attend regular classroom training
Constant change to cutting edge technology before allowable training time is available
Changing complexity and adaptability of adversaries
Lack of military budget to support soldier training travel to classes in other locations

14. “Call to Action”
Continue the Army education community that was started by MG Dempsey to help improve military training and learning
Work with Congress to gain more funding to use for educational technology, as well as, funds for a more portable learning capability]
Commit to working with civilian educators to improve elementary and high school education and meld this into the army learning system

15. References
Alexander, B. (2014, July 24). Gaming the future of higher education. The Academic Commons. Azziz, R. (2014, February 26). A Looming Challenge in Higher Education: Our Changing Student. Huffington Post. Bidwell, A. (2015, May 13). Improving Basic Education Can Boost U.S. Economy by $27 Trillion Blended Learning in an Adult Literacy Classroom – ETEC 510. (n.d.). Retrieved from in_an_Adult_Literacy_Classroom Continental Army ***. (n.d.). Retrieved from brave.info/continental-army.htm. Frey, T. (n.d.). Situational Futuring and 44 Mind-Stretching Scenarios to Learn How to Use it. Retrieved from com/2014/06/4227.

16. References
Helm, G. (2013). Life of the Civil War Soldier in Camp. Hallowed Ground Magazine. Retrieved from magazine/winter-2013/life-of-the-civil-war-soldier-camp.html Hull, J. (2010). Cutting to the bone: How the economic crisis affects schools. Center for Public Education. Johnson, L., Adams, B., Estrada, V., & Freeman, A. (2015). The NMC Horizon Report: 2015 Higher Education. The New Media Consortium June 14th: The Birthday of the U.S. Army. (2015, May 7). Retrieved from: Miller, H. (n.d.). Rethinking the Classroom – Research. Retrieved from rethinking-the-classroom.html Riedel, C. (2014, February 3). 10 Major Technology Trends in Education. The Journal.

17. References
Sobrero, P.M. (2004). The Steps for Futuring. Journal of Extension. 42(3) Retrieved from Stafford, R. J. & Thornhill II. W. M. (2012, April). The Army Learning Model: Changing The Way Sustainers Train. Army Sustainment. 44(2). The Learning Concept (TRADOC Pam ). (2011). Retrieved from Training & Doctrine Command (US Army) website: The United States of Education: The Changing demographics of the United States and their schools. (2012). Retrieved from Center for Public Education. United States Armed Forces – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from states_armed_forces. Villa, P. (2013, July 30). Friedrich von Steuben: A closer look at the ‘father of the NCO Corps. NCO Journal.