Running head: INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S

Instructional Technology and Design: An Airman's Perspective James Call University of Tennessee

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S Instructional Technology and Design: An Airman's Perspective I enlisted in the United States Air Force in December 2002 and commissioned as an officer in February 2011. Throughout my ten year career, I have experienced military training

and development as a trainee, as an instructor, and finally as a training developer. I have always had a profound respect for military customs and for those who have served before me, but it was not until I started my journey into the field of Instructional Technology as a graduate student at the University of Tennessee that I started to understand just how robust the military training structure is. The Air Force was created on September 18, 1947, but it is part of a larger military tradition dating back to its origins in the Army and the employment of signal balloons in the Civil War (U.S. Air Force [USAF], 2012, para. 1). The introduction of the first airplanes changed the nature of war but it also created the need for intensive training for pilots and maintenance crews. Much of aviation training focuses on safety. For example, Edwin Hutchins described the significance of training aircrews to remember required airspeeds during critical phases of flight, which is essential to prevent a fatal accident. Hutchins cognitive approach to this type of training illustrates the importance of visual aids for speed calculations and reference tools such as speed bug pointers for speed accuracy (Hutchins, 1995, p. 268). The evolution of aviation altered the way the Army trained its Airman, but it was not until World War II that its strategic advantage was fully realized. It was noted by the German Chief of General Staff that the German Army had underestimated Americas speed of training and mastery of film education. The U.S. Army Air Corps produced hundreds of training films and filmstrips to train military personnel on the front lines. It also produced films to prepare

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S

civilians to work within military industry (Reiser & Dempsey, 2011, p. 19). It is within military industry that I see my future role as an instructional designer, manager, and facilitator. In my own Air Force career as a navigator, I have experienced many different forms of training. During basic training, my instructors used traditional classroom environments integrating films, PowerPoint presentations, and visual aids to introduce military lifestyle and organization. As an aviator, I have used technology in simulators that realistically represent cockpit and weapons systems environments. And finally, as an officer and manager of Airmen, I am continually trained through the use of Computer Based Trainings (CBTs) and web seminars. I have also served as an instructor, using all of these forms of technology to train others. It was a result of my time as an instructor that I became interested in the field of Instructional Technology. The Association for Educational Communications and Technology defines the field as the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. (AETC, 2008, p. 1) I believe my role in military industry will be to facilitate learning by creating and managing online training systems and simulators. I will improve performance through analysis of training effectiveness and implementation of best practices. But first, I must evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and explore what I must do to prepare myself for a career in this field. The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) has developed a set of twelve industry standards for instructional technologists. They are as follows: Standard 1: Focus on Results or Outcomes - to help clients or stakeholders determine and agree on what they want to accomplish and the measures and processes that will be used to measure it (ISPI, 2012, p. 1).

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S

Standard 2: Take a Systemic View - involves analyzing the organization of an industry to identify how its components fit together as a whole. One must determine (with the client) if and how the work, workplace, or industry environment supports or impedes the desired organizational and group performance (ISPI, 2012, p. 3-5). One must compare the organizations goals and desired work performance to the work environment and actual work performance. Through this analysis you can identify shortfalls within human performance in the organization (Reiser & Dempsey, 2011, p. 141). Standard 3: Add Value - offer training that improves the performance of an organization. To do this one must find areas for improvement in an organization such as training costs and training times and offer solutions to the client for how training can improve them (ISPI, 2012, p. 6-8). Standard 4: Work in Partnership with Clients and Stakeholders - involve all stakeholders in the decision making around every phase of the process and that you involve specialists in their areas of expertise. Working collaboratively means that decisions about goals, next steps to take in the process, and implementation are all shared responsibilities (ISPI, 2012, p. 10). Standard 5: Determine the Need or Opportunity similar to adding value, one must analyze an organization to determine gaps between human performance and organization goals (ISPI, 2012, p. 13). Standard 6: Determine the Cause and Performance Requirements after analysis determine why a gap in performance or expectations exists (ISPI, 2012, p. 19). Standard 7: Design the Solution including Implementation and Evaluation - output is a communication that describes the features, attributes, and elements of a solution and the resources required to actualize it (ISPI, 2012, p. 21).

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S

Standard 8: Develop the Solution and Test its Feasibility - ensure that the chosen solution is developed according to design specifications. Conduct formative, pilot, and user evaluations of all elements of the chosen solution or product to determine if it performs as expected and accomplishes the desired goal (ISPI, 2012, p. 23-24). Standard 9: Implement the Solution - deploying the solution and managing the change required to sustain it (ISPI, 2012, p. 26). Standard 10: Evaluate the Results and Impact - state outcomes of the evaluation effort in measurable terms and design a measurement strategy or plan based on the programs or projects goals and outcomes (ISPI, 2012, p. 28).

These standards highlight crucial skills that are required to be a successful instructional technology designer which include analytical skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, and managerial skills. They also stress the importance of hard work, creativity, patience when working with others, and a strong code of ethics. Being in the military has reinforced my work ethic and my ability to work well with others. And the Air Force has prepared me very well as an officer for the interpersonal, communication, and managerial skills. Managing is organizing the work of people and planning and controlling the storage and processing of information and people who carry out management functions may be seen as exercising leadership, combining management expertise with support of ethical practice in all phases of educational technology practice (AETC, 2008, p. 9). The military has a major focus on leadership and developing managers simply due to its rank structure. As a result of leadership exercises, public speaking opportunities, and training exercises, I will be able to communicate effectively with clients and manage design teams.

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However, I consider my analytical skills to be a weakness. As a navigator, I must be able to analyze malfunctions during flight and make decisions that could affect the safety of the crew but for this industry I will have to study and conduct research in human performance factors. Study refers to information gathering and analysis beyond the traditional conceptions of research. Research seeks to resolve problems by investigating solutions, and those attempts lead to new practice and therefore new problems and questions (AETC, 2008, p. 2). I am familiar with some of the theories that I will need to understand about learning and education, but as I continue my Masters program in Instructional Technology I will build on that knowledge to become a more effective evaluator. There are many requirements within the field of Instructional Technology and Design that will I improve upon as a result of my education and my experience as a military, but I also plan to join a professional organization to network with other designers. AETC and their definition of the field is a great example of the value of professional networking. I hope to not only to establish connections with colleagues in businesses that work with the military for future employment opportunities, but also to enhance my understanding of the field in general. And I hope to be a part of it as it continues to change and develop at the speed of technology.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN: AN AIRMAN'S References

Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (2008). Definition and Terminology Committee of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. , 1-14. Hutchins, E. (1995). How a Cockpit Remembers Its Speeds. Cognitive Science, 19, 265-288. ISPI. (2012). CPT Performance Standards. Retrieved from http://www.ispi.org/uploadedFiles/ISPI_Site/About_ISPI/About/Standards.pdf Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2011). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. U.S. Air Force. (2012). Missions Part One: From the Signal Corps to the Air Corps. Retrieved from http://www.airforce.com/learn-about/history/part1/