Self-directed learning tools in USAF multi-domain operations education

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

7-4-2019

Abstract

The United States Air Force (USAF) is aggressively pursuing transformation in the areas of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) and enterprise education and training. The drive for these changes goes up to the highest levels of US Air Force and Department of Defense leadership motivated by a rapidly evolving world. These evolutions are forcing military organizations to education personnel rapidly and more effectively while adapting to new threats from multiple contested domains. Advancement in these two areas requires new information systems enabled by modern information technology to empower rich collaboration and innovation leveraging current operational experience and industry best practice. This paper explores the challenges facing MDO education in the 21st Century and defines elements of a potential solution drawing from Self-Directed Learning theory, proven commercial technology, and the new USAF Continuum of Learning construct. Extending the framework and cloud-based learning system created by the Air Force Institute of Technology called the Cyber Education Hub™ we propose a solution called the Multi-Domain Operations Hub. This new environment would enable content consumption, sharing, and creation as well as collaboration and innovation among members across all five warfighting domains (land, sea, air, space, and cyber) and all United States military branches. By utilizing the Topic Map and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Tree concepts integral to the existing Cyber Education Hub, the proposed solution will use the elements most attractive to Air Force functional communities while replacing cyber-specific elements with those relevant to MDO. The paper concludes by offering possible research questions to inform the development and implementation of the MDO Hub while proposing a potential human subjects research experiment to test the effectiveness of the system. © 2019, Curran Associates Inc. All rights reserved.

Comments

Co-author N.Flack was an AFIT graduate student (M.S. in Cyber Operations) at the time of this conference.AFIT-ENG-MS-20-M-019, March 2020

Source Publication

European Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS 2019

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