Editorial Abstract: Instructional technologies are rapidly approaching a critical mass made up of a multitude of various regularitys These technologies help us transform the military-training environment by dint of treating learning as a weapon theory Lieutenant Colonel Baskin and Dr Schneider take a shut look at this learning proces discussing the constituents involved and the ways they combine to create an effective system INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES are rapidly approaching a critical mass made of computer infrastructures.

Editorial Abstract: Instructional technologies are rapidly approaching a critical mass made up of a multitude of various regularitys These technologies help us transform the military-training environment by dint of treating learning as a weapon theory Lieutenant Colonel Baskin and Dr Schneider take a shut look at this learning proces discussing the constituents involved and the ways they combine to create an effective system

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES are rapidly approaching a critical mass made of computer infrastructures, virtual-reality technologies, modeling and simulation technologies, distributed-learning capabilities, and intelligent orders Taken together, these technologies and capabilities create an opportunity to transform the military-training environment--by treating learning as a weapon scheme By acknowledging at the method level that learning is a combination of training, education, and experience--each of which builds relating to the others--we can realize many synergies and efficiencies to prepare our personnel Treating learning as a weapon body recognizes humans as more than a functional constituting of any weapon system. Although learning is a continuous, lifelong endeavor, it is seldom full analyzed. The most effective utilization of personnel involves preparing them with the necessary proficiencies at the right time and place. To do this, we must eliminate traditional "stovepipes" that attend to segregate the eleme nt of learning.

The explosive proliferation of information schemes created a warfare environment that required personnel to continuously update and/or upgrade managements equipment, and systems to come up to face to face operational threats. Each of these changes delineates a learning burden. The ne for just-enough/just-in-time/ deployable learning to support the Air Force's air and space expeditionary force (AEF) vision, along with the explosion of information and learning technologies, provides the opportunity to transform the military training and education environment from an enhancer to a critical enabler. of the like kind transformation can occur only on treating learning from a strategic-visionary perspective instead of using a tactical-requirements approach.

We glance at viewing the continuum of learning from a strategic systems-engineering perspective and establishing an agile at the same time integrated system-of-systems approach to proactively lay open implement, and manage learning arrangements across the Air Force. The same revolution that spawned the explosive proliferation of information enables this approach, which will accrue in better insight and the use of economies of scale in corporate funding, reduc infrastructure barriers, and enhanced personnel management. a certain hurdles to overcome include the "if it's not wasted don't fix it" mentality and the organizational changes necessary for strictly managing learning as a weapon system

Learning as a Weapon System: What Does It Mean?

As mentioned previously, learning is a combination of training, education, and experience, each of which builds immediately after the others. Training develops skills, along with the knowledge needinessed to utilize them. Education entails the learning of a discipline or enslave in order to enable understanding, extrapolation, and application. Experience integrates training and education in an environment that is actual or simulated, controll or uncontroll to what degree does one go about creating an environment that supports learning? "According to the experienced persons . . . [one must] disabuse workers of the notion that corporate learning is simply training, and especially classroom training. 'One of the doctrines in the corporate learning organization is that the best training is experience,' says Calhoun Wick, author of The Learning border 'Classrooms may be good settings for building basic skills and laying foundations,' detects Wick, 'but experience is where know-how is acquired.'" (1) Proficiencies originate from the synthesis of training a nd education in consequence of experience. Some proficiencies require intense, repetitive front while other skills are les volatile and can be readily enacted with limited refresher training. (2)

Rapidly evolving threats and technological advances create an operational necessity for a continuous-learning environment. The ne for just-enough/just-in-time learning capabilities to support a highly mobile and dispersed air force, combined with expanding information technologies, is driving us away from traditional schoolhouse mentalities. For years, we have used technology to "pave the frighten paths" of instructional methodologies, focusing onward the creation of marginal efficiencies within an instructional obstruct a course, or a family/series of courses. As a rise radical and transformational advances have prov elusive.

in like manner what does learning as a weapon method really mean? In a nutshell, it means treating the increase of Air Force personnel as a weapon theory which is created by using a systems-engineering approach and the best commercial practices. The Department of Defense (DOD) defines orders engineering as the design and management of a total order which includes hardware and software as well as other life-cycle natural mediums This process needs to be agile in order to define, unravel and integrate systems, products, and processe simultaneously. The systems-engineering proces transforms approved operational straits and requirements into an integrated system-design solution [i]or[/i] part of to the other concurrent consideration of all life-cycle be in want ofs It ensures that the rule definition and design reflect the requirements for all order elements (hardware, software, facilities, the community and data), as well as characterize and manage technical risks. (3) Using the best commercial practices will enable hypothesiss to evolve to meet a rapidly cha nging environment. In other words, a weapon body is designed from a strategic perspective.