Why e-Learning?

Five years ago, the Ministry of Defence adopted a training philosophy for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), known as the Self-Paced On Time On Need (SPOT-ON) programme, to tailor as much training as possible in accordance to individual needs, rate of learning and time of convenience. Initially the move took on the shape of distance learning packages using manuals and CD-ROMs. But as the use of the Internet widened, e-Learning became an extension of SPOT-ON.

SAFTI Military Institute provided one of the first test-beds for e-Learning in 1999 when the Battalion Tactics Course (BTC) went online. The following year, we extended the pilot project to cover the National Service Command and Staff Course (NSCSC). Both projects were made possible with the expertise and technical support provided by SCO Systems-Defence Science and Technology Agency. So far, we have completed four BTCs and two NSCSCs. In 2002, the Institute intends to launch another online course for company commanders.

How does e-Learning complement military training?

A principal consideration for adopting this new mode of delivery was that it could help elevate operational readiness and improve training efficiency. Using the traditional model, our active servicemen were spending, on an average, more than 1/3 of their time training and we could not afford to take them away from their jobs any further without affecting operational readiness. Time was also a premium for NSmen: they have an annual limit of 40 days for in-camp training and to ask them for more days of military training would mean greater economic cost both to themselves and the nation as a whole.

Consequently, SAFTI adopted e-Learning during the pre-residential phase to impart and build knowledge so that once the men are in camp for their residential phase, time could be optimised for map planning, face-to-face discussion and field exercises. e-Learning is not meant to substitute for the entire course which includes other forms of training methodologies. It has a place in granting greater convenience and a wider reach to the officers on course, but it cannot address all the levels of learning taxonomies adequately.

What is our experience with e-Learning?

A year into the trial, the Instructional Technology Centre at SAFTI developed a five-point management indicator to make sense out of the data collected from various instruments such as course results, internal validation reports, focus group surveys, interviews and the instructors’ feedback. It was called the 5P E-learning Evaluation Framework and covered Purpose, Players, Pedagogy, Process and Performance. Although this framework was not intended as a research evaluation tool, it has proven useful in supporting management decisions and policy directions towards e-Learning as well as subsequently provided a guide to other SAF units embarking on e-Learning:

PURPOSE (i.e. the effect of e-Learning on meeting the organisation’s aim and course objectives)

• Many NSmen agreed that e-Learning has changed the learning paradigm of military training in the SAF and welcomed the convenience and flexibility of self-paced learning prior to in-camp training. 90% and above passed the knowledge test after the online phase.

PLAYERS (i.e. the effect of e-Learning on the students and instructors)

• Students: The demand on the students can be very high. Many found it hard to maintain the regular schedule for reading and submission of work. 84% of students had a PC. A few officers, who were not IT-proficient, reported that they felt peer pressure to keep up.
• Instructors: Instructors reported an overall increase in workload. They also had to expand their current realm of knowledge beyond their own area of expertise in order to respond to the wide range of students’ queries.

PEDAGOGY (i.e. the effect of e-Learning on adult education)

• Officers from both courses reported that they benefited from each other’s experience besides the course materials and their instructors’ input. They still preferred hard copy or CD-ROMs rather than reading materials online. Most found it very hard to maintain a strict study regime on their own.

PROCESS (i.e. the effect of e-Learning on training system processes ranging from curriculum design to delivery)

• Three key players are needed to develop e-Learning: subject matter experts (SME), instructional designers and the technical support group. The ‘project leader’ should be the SME as well as be given proper training and guidance. Another critical success factor is a stable network infrastructure with a responsive first-line technical support team.

PERFORMANCE (i.e. the quality of the end product)

• There were no significant variances in the officers’ performance compared to earlier courses. The variance in the results within a course was greater than the variance of the average result between courses.

Issues that arose & how we coped with them

Motivation to learn was one of our biggest challenges. As a military institution, we could not opt for extrinsic motivation and had to rely on essentially intrinsic motivation and some instructor-led facilitation. Before the course started, it was important to outline the relevant learning outcomes to the students and highlight some topics of interest relating to their real-life experience. The course commander was carefully chosen to create an open climate conducive to learning. We reminded the students of the importance of adhering to a study regime and that we would constantly monitor their progress on a weekly basis. In addition, we stipulated that there would be a ‘knowledge test’ at the end of the pre-residential phase. Interestingly, this combination of measures worked!

Final verdict

e-Learning is here to stay in SAFTI. Our experience shows self-paced learning appeals to the students and does achieve its purpose of imparting knowledge when the course is suitably designed and administered. It is a useful tool to support the learning process, both for the students and instructors. Nevertheless, it cannot replace the full spectrum of military training.