My article this week focuses on the design of online learning environments for learners who are or have been participants in the military. The paper discusses characteristics that are commonly associated with military personnel along with the caveats of blindly acting on such inferences. Moreover, the article provides a framework for the design of courses with the populous in mind. The value of this study is two-fold. At face value the research provides insight into the mindset, habits, and psyche of military learners. Accordingly, instructors who have a high concentration of these students can better serve them through the results of the study. Secondly, and most importantly, the article examines the methodology of fostering an environment for learning based on the students and not an objective, dry, universal process. The deep learning involved in reflection of this paper allows an instructor of any subject, socio-economic, cultural, or occupational demographic to be successful in refining their methodologies.
The article begins by expressing the need for research and attention towards the demographic of military learners. A coupling of the generous government funding for military education along with the recession compels military to pursue education. Furthermore, it is noted that “[t]he Department of Defense examines programmatic and instructional quality when contracting with an educational provider or in disbursing tuition assistance payments.” (pg 148). The influx of military learners is a great opportunity for universities to build or further ties with the military and bolster enrollment, but the onus is on the university to put forth a quality program where military can be successful and thus garnering the funding of the DoD.
The three pillars of an online distance learning environment are: pedagogical framework, educational setting, and organizational context. Each component acts to frame the other two while building the entirety of the environment. The alignment of the three components speaks volume to the effectiveness of a program.
Before elaborating on the characteristics of military learners, the article was explicit in stating that stereotyping a group of people can be detrimental and preached caution in approaching course design from this angle. Not all military will share these characteristics and so it is best practice to poll your class to gain a better understanding of each individual student to assess how closely to the “military profile” they fit.
Military learners were qualitatively assessed into the following categories: maturity and experiential richness, international and intercultural awareness, high levels of motivation, organizational commitment and sense of community, scheduling difficulties, and limited Internet accessibility. These traits each formulate their own learning opportunities such as an ideal setting for deep learning due to the higher levels of maturity from military learners along with their ability to provide personal experiences, relating concepts to practice. Limitations of teaching military learners circled around accessibility, both of time and logistics. Military have the always looming possibility of being deployed suddenly or having scheduling conflicts that are inflexible. Thus when designing a class it is beneficial to incorporate leeway in assignments and participation. For me personally this was of interest since I teach a night class, meaning most of my students have full-time employment and run into similar struggles. The second limitation was the sporadic and difficult access to the Internet in circumstances of deployment or relocation. This characteristic also makes collaborative efforts very difficult to effectively implement.
Ultimately, the ability to glean insight off of your students and adapt accordingly is the true value gained from this study. We’ve discussed how the first meeting and resulting first impression can be critical in setting the proper tone and context for the proceeding semester. This further spotlights the immediacy of day 1, not only letting your students learn about you, but learning about your students.
Starr-Glass, David. “Military Learners: Experience in the Design and Management of Online Learning Environments .” MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching 7.1 (2011): 147-158. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.
This article is useful for me because as a community college instructor I work with a high number of military veterans, and this article offered some useful insights that I will keep in mind. Thanks for the article.