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The Navy Steps up to Distance Learning

© Andrew Willis

The Navy has been involved in the distance learning business for decades. Initial job training for some sailors and even more advanced technical training for senior enlisted were delivered (and still are in some cases) by written correspondence courses. Until last year, it was even necessary for enlisted sailors to complete correspondence courses to be eligible for advancement, though that requirement is no longer valid.

Now the Navy is stepping up its distance learning offerings.

The Navy Learning Network(NLN), http://www.navylearning.com provides sailors access to “over 1300” courses through contracts with NETg for Information Technology and SkillSoft for so-called “soft skills” such as management and finance, as well as linkage to other Navy-controlled distance learning offerings, including courses on Navy School Management and Systems Thinking.

The problem isn’t in the fact that the Navy is providing DL. Many studies have shown that if done right, distance learning is as effective as face-to-face classes. The problem,though, is often in the uneven quality of the offerings.

(see "http://teleeducation.nb.ca/nosignificant... for a collection of reports)

The quality of a distance education offering depends on the same things as a good face-to-face offering: amount and difficulty of the information, relevance to the learner, the competence of the instructor in instructor-led courses, and rigorous assessment. An additional consideration for the constantly growing number of computer delivered courses (such as the NETg and SkillSoft courses) is the quality and reliability of the equipment. For example, on the day I wrote this, the NLN servers were down.

Just to see how well these courses are put together, I completed one and started another… and what a world of difference there is between them.

SkillSoft has on their list a course on E-learning, covering how to pick a DL course, how to work on one, and so on. This course is shallow, redundant and far, far too easy. The test at the end of each of the four lessons is identical to the pre-test the student takes before the lesson begins. I don’t mean the same style of question; I mean the same exact questions. Another common complaint about computer mediated courses such as these is that there is a voice track that says exactly what is printed on the screen. Most people can listen and read, just not at the same time.

On the other hand, the Navy Systems Thinking course, based on the ideas of Peter Senge, is long, detailed, and challenging (and, thankfully, no voice track). The tests are tough, though the same problem exists with this course as with all other pen and paper correspondence courses: it’s too easy to cheat by having the book, or in this case the web page, on your lap as you take the test.

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