WORKFORCE
answers to the “so what” questions. Profes- sors have to think a little outside of the box for this to work, posing questions in a “cagier way to elicit critical thinking,” he said. Dillard also recommends professors construct class sessions to be as organized as possible, providing specific due dates to keep students on track with their lessons and projects, and using the available tech- nology in innovative ways to keep students engaged.
“Tis idea of student-centered learning, I think, is really powerful,” he said. Tere will likely be some multitasking (like checking text messages and email) occur- ring in a distance learning environment, just as in a resident environment, and there can always be other distractions, Dillard added. Tat’s why educators must require periodic deliverables. “Written essays, well-constructed exams and oral presenta- tions seem to be a good means of ensuring engagement,” he said.
CONCLUSION Civilian learners aren’t the only ones who’ve had to make the transition to the virtual classroom. Both the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Army War College have gone online, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston said during an April virtual town hall at the Pentagon. Te U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy has also moved to virtual schooling using Blackboard, he said.
“We have actually suspended the select, train and promote policy for SLC and ALC, the advanced leaders course and the senior leaders course, so those sergeants that are eligible and in good standing with all the qualifications and meet the cutoff score, they will be promoted to staff sergeant, and those staff sergeants that are eligible and need to be promoted, they will get promoted to sergeant first class,” Grinston said. Soldiers have two ways to
VIRTUAL LEARNING
Student-centered learning will help mitigate the challenges people have with distance learning. (Image by U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center)
make up the professional military educa- tion requirement—apply for an exception, or go back and do the school later, he explained.
Recruiting, promotion boards and reen- listments continue virtually, as well. “We’re just finding great and creative ways to do this. I agree with the chief [of staff of the Army]. Tis is going to show what we can do in the future if we have to,” Grin- ston said.
“I have no doubt we’ll want to go back to brick and mortar soon as we can,” Dillard said when asked about the tran- sition back to “normal” once the crisis is over. But he thinks some paradigms will shift and distance learning opportunities will continue to expand. People will be forced to question whether they need to be physically present in the office or the class- room to accomplish things. “We like the
idea that our students don’t have to be in the same room with us to learn,” he said.
DAU is on board with continuing distance learning as well. “It’s unknown what future DAU class schedules will look like, but this pandemic has proven that some of DAU’s course content can effectively be deliv- ered virtually. It should only be expected that VILT will be a permanent and more prominent course delivery method in future class schedules,” Clark said.
For more information, contact the author at
jacqueline.m.hames.civ@
mail.mil.
JACQUELINE M. HAMES is an editor with Army AL&T magazine. She holds a B.A. in creative writing from Christopher Newport University. She has more than 10 years of experience writing and editing news and feature articles for publication.
https://asc.ar my.mil 157
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