Personal Background and Motivation:
My name is Nicola Einarson, and I am currently working as an ESL assistant in Quebec, Canada. In addition to the variety of learning opportunities I have engaged with through the MET program, I have a range of work experience in the educational sphere; in classrooms, as a community educator, and in administrative roles. Having tested these various contexts, I find my passion lies within adult education and the design of learning environments. For the past year I have focused my MET work primarily within the themes of educational technology in security and defense contexts, and I am undertaking ETEC565 with career aspirations of working in the capacity of Training Development with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Research Context and Goals:
The CAF is currently undergoing a modernization process in their systems of training and development, with the goal of creating an agile armed force capable of navigating complex environments. For ETEC565A, I would like to carefully consider the conceptual distinction between education and training as defined in the CAF Professional Development System; and how the different goals can be achieved through the selection, design, and application of various technology tools. I intend to become familiar with various technology frameworks used by the CAF and underpinning the CAF Campus. Specific technologies that the CAF Campus are stated to include components such as a virtual resource centre, learning plans, 3D models, R&D reports, synthetic environments, serious games, micro-blogging, etc (CAF Campus, 2013). I would like to investigate and evaluate the operational framework behind the CAF campus, if possible.
In terms of my competencies as a professional educator, I would like to expand my skillset in the design and development of digital-age learning experience and assessments, as well as explore how modernization of military education and training devices can support soldiers in their engagement of professional growth and leadership opportunities. Because the CAF uses an targeted, individual training plans; I plan to focus primarily on personal mobile devices and mLearning. Some guiding questions are as follows:
- How can mobile technologies support or improve collaboration and leadership development? Can mobile networks be leveraged to provide formal and/or informal mentorship opportunities?
- How may mLearning support just-in-time training opportunities? What are the benefits of various technologies in the support of subject matter experts to create and assess learning opportunities in complex environments, or with short time horizons?
- How might mobile technologies support strategic goals of maintaining Canadian arctic sovereignty?
Beyond the assigned readings for ETEC565A, I searched the UBC Library, UBC eBrary Collections, Government of Canada websites, and Google Scholar to identify the following readings and resources that may be applicable to my ETEC565A coursework.
Proposed Reading List:
Bonk, C.J. & Wisher, R.A. (2000) Applying collaborative and e-learning tools to military distance learning: A research framework. (Technical Report 1107) U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioural and Social Sciences. Retrieved from: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112055141458;view=1up;seq=3
Directorate of Land Concepts and Designs. (2011). Designing Canada’s army of tomorrow. Kingston, ON, CAN: National Defence.
Fletcher, J. D. (2009). Education and training technology in the military. Science, 323(5910), 72-75.
Fletcher, J. D., Tobias, S., & Wisher, R. A. (2007). Learning anytime, anywhere: Advanced distributed learning and the changing face of education. Educational Researcher, 36(2), 96-102.
The fast-changing arctic: Rethinking arctic security for a warmer world (2013). In Zellen B. S. (Ed.) . Calgary, AB, CAN: University of Calgary Press.
Jeffery, M. (2013). The future of foreign military training. Ottawa, ON, CAN: Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.
Keller-Glaze, H., Horey, J., Nicely, K., Miller-Nihill, M., & Cobb, M.N. (2013). A practical decision guide for integrating digital applications and handheld devices into advanced individual training. (Research Report 1967). U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioural and Social Sciences.
Committee for the Symposium on Avoiding Technology Surprise for Tomorrow’s Warfighter 2010, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, & National Research Council. (2010). Avoiding technology surprise for tomorrow’s warfighter-symposium 2010. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press.
Lackenbauer, W. (2013). If it ain’t broke, don’t break it: Expanding and enhancing the Canadian rangers. Toronto, ON, CAN: Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto.
Lagacé-Roy, D., & Knackstedt, J. (2007). Mentoring Handbook. Ottawa: National Defence. Retrieved from: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/dn-nd/D2-317-2007-eng.pdf
Chief of Force Development. (2009, October). Integrated Capstone Concept. Ottawa: National Defence. Retrieved from: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/dn-nd/D2-265-2010-eng.pdf
Military culture and education : Current intersections of academic and military cultures (2010). In Higbee D. (Ed.), . Farnham, Surrey, GBR: Ashgate Publishing Group.
Miller, D. (2013). Individual training & education modernization in the Canadian armed forces. Journal of Advanced Distributed Learning Technology, 1(3-4), 47-54. Retrieved January 15, 2014, from http://jadlet.com/index.php/jadlet/article/view/25
Sloan, E. (2007). Military transformation: Key aspects and Canadian approaches. Ottawa, ON, CAN: Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.
