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Defense industry is one of the sectors that boosts technological advancement and act as a trigger. In this industry, where personnel training plays a vital role, supporting military training with technology provides a great advantage on the battlefield. When we look at the problems that need to be solved, it is seen that the soldier's devotion to duty, his sense of absolute obedience and the soldier's need to be free from emotional depression. Recently, the masses have undergone intense migration movements due to the climate crisis, epidemics, hunger and wars. In this context, it seems that local people in the migrated region have a feeling of fear and hatred towards the newcomers. Mass media are the primary factors that cause this perception, called xenophobia. In this study, how perception management can be done through mass media and what the consequences may be will be discussed from a dystopian perspective and using the semiotic analysis method. As an example, through the images and dialogues in the "Men Against Fire" episode of the Black Mirror series, it will be examined how the soldier's motivation to become conditioned to the task during the training process is provided with technological support, and how effective the media can be in the context of perception management. As a result of the research, the outrage that xenophobic thought will cause in society, the dangers that arise in case of loss of control, and the role of the media in this process will be revealed and solution suggestions will be offered.

Digital tools have become integral to training military engineers, and the introduction of a technology enhanced learning environment may improve the educational process at higher military educational institutions. This study explores the impact of digital transformations in military engineering education through a technology-enhanced learning environment. To answer the research questions, mixed methodology was used, which involved integration and data triangulation matrices. The survey included17 experts who possess the competences to evaluate the integration of technology into the learning environment. The results showed that a positive technology-enhanced learning environment is represented through ICT-supported learning, e-learning, blended learning, and virtual learning environments. The researchers distinguished groups of digital tools used at higher military educational institutions(communication tools, content creation tools, Learning Management Systems, collaboration tools, assessment tools, simulation and modelling, and adaptive learning tools). The impact of digital tools applied for the formation of professional competence among future military engineers was evaluated. Then, the algorithm for creating and developing a positive technology-enhanced learning environment was explained as the set of systematic measures used to design and implement a learning environment that integrates technology. The measures to be taken to foster digital technologies while training future military engineers were described during the study. The outcomes can be used to improve the existing system of military engineering education at the Ukrainian military institutions and to maximize the professional training at the active military units.

Scholarship on life cycles of teacher development posits that teachers progress through specific stages with specific developmental needs. However, this scholarship rests on studies over traditional ten-month, semester, or quarterly education cycles and does not accommodate alternative teaching frequencies or durations. This study applies this literature to military instructors teaching a two-week course, twelve to fourteen iterations per year to inform faculty development. It finds that instructors develop according to the number of iterations taught, and it also identifies the parallel formation of a team identity. Both of these timelines can be accelerated through targeted developmental events to enhance teaching effectiveness.

Background: The United States Air Force Academy's Center for Character and Leadership Development developed the 'Adventure and Experiential Based Learning' (AEBL) course--a new experiential education summer course intended to develop interpersonal leadership skills in 1,100 sophomore cadets. Purpose: Improving cadet emotional intelligence (EI) is of particular focus due to its value in leader effectiveness. Methodology/Approach: Rather than rely upon the more common military pedagogy of lecture-based learning or a military handbook that prescribes exactly what participant success looks like, the aim of the course examined in this study was to improve participant EI via a combination of experiential education methods including interactive classwork, challenge course experimentation, and a capstone 28-h adventure comprised of uncertainty and stressful team dynamics. To measure the effect the experiential education curriculum had on participant EI, the Workgroup Emotional Intelligence Profile (WEIP) was used in a pre/postsurvey method. Findings/Conclusion: The results indicated a significant increase in EI among AEBL participants as measured by the WEIP. Implications: Outdoor experiences like the one described in this article may be an effective way to train EI skills.

This study use the qualitative research approach to collect a vast quantity of data via field inquiry and to classify and statistically analyze the data acquired. The objectives were to 1) examine the contemporary state of Qin'an Xiaoqu singing. 2) Analyze the inheritance of Qin'an Xiaoqu's singing. The study's findings are as follows: 1) The current status of Qin'an Xiaoqu. With the utmost attention of the Qin'an County People's Government. Since the 1980s, Qin'an Xiaoqu has gradually expanded to the important stages of counties, cities, provinces, and the nation. Based on the accomplishments listed above, Qin'an Xiaoqu's development is relatively positive. According to the artist interviews, the majority are affected by others around them. 2) Qin'an Xiaoqu's inheritance status extends to various middle schools and elementary schools in Qin'an. Most students can sing adequately. Currently, the Qin'an County Government and the Qin'an County Cultural Center are hosting the "Intangible Cultural Heritage" event with the intention of fostering a strong environment in which the entire community can participate, pay attention to, and preserve and pass on excellent traditional culture.

Academic institutions are now expected to engage in developing and assessing learning outcomes; however, responsibility outcomes, such as respect for human dignity (RFHD), can be particularly challenging. As part of our Biopsychology course and Sensation and Perception course over the past decade, we applied the scientist-educator model of learning and drew from the literature on prejudice reduction to develop our RFHD interventions, which involved face-to-face interactions with others who had sensory deficits or brain/spinal cord injuries. We iteratively created two pre-post measures to assess development of different aspects of RFHD: a Behavioral Tendencies Questionnaire and a 4-Factor RFHD Model Questionnaire. Recently, we modified the intervention and the assessments for adoption in our Class, Race, and Ethnicity in Society course. This paper reports findings from these three courses and a control course in engineering (n = 153). Findings support our two sets of hypotheses, regarding 1) the efficacy of the assessments to capture different likelihoods for interacting with others targeted by the interventions and changes over time in these factors, and 2) positive effects of the face-to-face intervention activities. This study demonstrates RFHD can be developed and assessed in a college course and provides new assessments for RFHD that are easily modified for a variety of types of others (e.g., individuals who are homeless versus blind or of a particular race).

Many education and learning experts currently recommend the flipped classroom model as an alternative to learning after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the impact of the flipped classroom model on social skills and problem-solving skills for cadets. This research used a sequential mix method involving 50 maritime students in semester 7 of the Engineering Study Program at the Maritime Sciences Polytechnic Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Researchers used two main instruments, namely problem-solving skill tests and interviews. Furthermore, in the quantitative analysis, the researcher ran paired sample t-tests and one-way Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) using the SPSS 25.00 program. In addition, researchers also analysed qualitative data from interviews using thematic analysis techniques. The results showed that the flipped classroom model proved to have a positive effect on the problem-solving skills of maritime students. Other findings state that the cadets also respond positively to the flipped classroom model. Researchers recommend that teachers use the flipped classroom model, especially in dealing with learning in the post-pandemic era, like today.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate student motivation before and after the summer internship, in other words, to evaluate whether the summer internship affects male and female motivations differently. Design/methodology/approach: Investigating whether the motivation score predicts grade point average was included by adopting a quantitative methodology. The defense engineering summer internship project provides candidates who learned defense engineering knowledge after the project an opportunity to generate motivation of involving in defense engineering discipline and industry. Findings: This study found a marginal significant main effect on extrinsic motivation -- introjected (EMIN) and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation (IMS) in a summer internship. Furthermore, the study reveals that amotivation construct significantly predicted gender and previous academic performance (GPA) pre-summer internship, and amotivation, Extrinsic motivation -- external regulation (EME) and extrinsic motivation -- introjection (EMIN) significantly predicted GPA post-summer internship. Originality/value: These findings are investigated from the project.

Specialized learning institutions (SLIs) feature organizational cultures, learning environments, and Postgraduation expectations that typically differ from traditional 4-year universities. For students pursuing foreign language (FL) study within an SLI, coursework is frequently accompanied by a range of nonacademic tasks that are required for graduation. This exploratory study focuses on one such SLI, a US military academy. Four FL majors (i.e., cadets) completed seven interviews over 4 years of FL study. A narrative inquiry and thematic analyses of cadets' interview responses highlighted both opportunities for and challenges to FL study. Overseas immersions, applicability of FL learning to their future careers, and interactions with foreign cadets positively affected FL development, while increased nonacademic requirements and institution-specific classes greatly limited time for FL study. This report can inform FL instructors at SLIs or SLI-like organizations on how to make appropriate pedagogical decisions to both facilitate FL learning and help maintain FL motivation.

As the COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruption to education enterprises throughout the world, the main response by educational institutions was to move to online learning environments. The purpose of this study was to understand better how instructors could improve online learning for a professional-level week-long short course in a highly technical area (data analytics), which had, pre-COVID, been a hands-on computer, laboratory-based learning experience. The authors used self-study of professional practice to elicit and understand the major issues and concerns of the transition to an online learning environment. Under the guidance of a colleague in teacher education, three course instructors recorded and analyzed their experiences and, through discussion and data analysis, gained a deeper understanding of three challenging dimensions: course adaption to the online environment, personnel considerations, and technological considerations. Through the reflection that self-study provided, several of these challenges were addressed in subsequent courses. Self-study provided the instructors with an opportunity to reflect on the transition of the course to an online environment. This, in turn, provided an opportunity for course improvement and, arguably more importantly, an opportunity for the instructors to better understand each other's concerns and desires as it pertained to the course.

This paper focuses on unpacking the United States Air Force's (USAF) instructional system development (ISD) model as it evolved over time to its present form. In post-World War II training, the USAF was a leader in the study and use of systematic instructional design procedures, with its early efforts often coinciding with the work of the Department of Audio-Visual Instruction (DAVI) and in collaboration with the scholars who shaped both military training and the Association of Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). This paper draws from the original research on USAF training design as well as official USAF publications, inspection reports, DAVI and AECT publications, and the Air Training Command's "Instructors' Journal." This study revealed that three distinct ISD models have existed in ISD literature. As a framework for examining the evolution of the USAF ISD model, the seven attributes on idealized design posited by Smith and Boling ("Educational Technology," 49(4), 3-17, 2009) were used.

The urgency of the issue of the development of integrity and intolerance to corruption in the system of preparation for military service is becoming increasingly publicised, since the number of such negative social phenomena, manifested in the form of abuse of power or official position to obtain illegal material benefits, is constantly growing, which as a result provokes an imbalance in the main paramilitary structures of Ukraine, in particular the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The purpose of this study is to analyse the current systems of educating socially positive qualities that are necessary to prevent the spread of corruption, to highlight their disadvantages and solutions that will help to overcome them. This research aimed at studying the sphere of military security and integrity of officers who are the personnel of military bodies was conducted using such methods as logical analysis, comparative analysis, the formal-legal, synthesis, deduction, analysis of scientific literature. The result of this study is to identify and highlight the theoretical and practical foundations of the mechanism of educating socially important qualities and intolerance to corruption in the military during preparation for military service, their effectiveness in affirming in the minds of each officer the main principles and foundations for countering abuse of power and obtaining benefits of various kinds. The research is aimed at developing and educating intolerance to corruption and other socially dangerous phenomena in preparing for military service, since in the future this may lead to a decrease in the authority of a particular structure and in the level of trust in it from the population, the introduction of methods that will improve and make such preventive systems more effective.

In this article, the authors describe the redesign of a first-semester Spanish course at the United States Air Force Academy due to the COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent transition from traditional, face-to-face instruction to fully online language teaching during the fall of 2020. More than 200 learners were enrolled across 11 course sections that were taught by eight different instructors who were required to use the same syllabus, learning platforms, lesson plans, and assessments under the supervision of a course director. The developers integrated a series of pedagogical interventions--such as online integrated performance assessments, lessons and content that were infused with open-access, authentic materials, and a digital storytelling project--to ensure that students engaged in three modes of communication within a meaningful cultural context. The instruction of culture, intercultural communicative competence, and pragmatics figured predominantly into the course design, which could be replicated by instructors who wish to teach language communicatively online.

The research aimed to outline the features of "new normal" communication behavior of young military leaders due to the COVID-19 pandemic influence. To study this critical problem we used some general scientific and empirical methods like literature analysis, synthesis and theoretical modelling, pedagogical experience, statistical data processing. The author found that the changes include development of closed and indirect forms, introduction of new lexical, grammatical, and stylistic units, fake information spread, misuse of information and communication technologies (ICT), periodical refusal to message with non-verbal tools. The findings show that professional discourse among young military leaders changes fast because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And the transformations involve different communication behavior, the more significant role of leaders in study group especially in the context of peer-to-peer learning, critical thinking development, independent production and comprehension of professional utterances, higher responsibility of a speaker. The experiment demonstrates that military officers and cadets are likely to cope with new "rules of the game" and they continue to carry out security tasks prioritizing discipline, considerable motivation, psychological readiness to high-risk conditions and adaptability to counteract dramatic challenges. The article is one of the early researches reviewing the features of young military leaders' discourse and describing its current transformations. The research can contribute to developement of recommendations for professional discourse improvements and, consequently, to enhance the efficiency of professional activities of military officers.

This study involves e-learning skills via educational software, compared to instruction via educational software with the mediation of an instructor. In the last two decades, the role of the teacher-lecturer has changed, from teaching to guidance and instruction. The technological tools have changed the nature of the learning space and the manner in which the teacher interacts with his students. Educational software is a collection of digital pages, packaged as a learning unit, and is a common tool for delivering self-instruction in academia on a range of issues. This is despite the fact that the effectiveness of this tool in academia has not yet been tested. In addition, the educational software is a technological tool but it is not being updated regularly, therefore the development of the topics in educational software is low. The key motif of technological advancement is to enable constant updates, and therefore, the effectiveness of this learning tool, which has the potential of countering the need for the dynamics of content transfer with its static nature, must be examined. The current study aims to examine the use of this tool in teaching and instruction, and to examine the ways to bridge over this gap of a "static" tool and a "dynamic" learning world. The study focuses on a case study in the Israeli Air Force and integrates instruction with technologies means. We have looked into the skills of e-learning through educational software, as well as the contribution of the instructor to the teaching process. The study's literature reveals that e-learning focuses on the cognitive aspect of learning and on the knowledge of the instruction field. Yet there are studies that engage in reinforcing the in-person communication, meaning, the significance of a "face-to-face" encounter between the student and his instructor. We examined the probability and the extent of the added value of the teacher/instructor in e-learning through educational software. An examination of e-learning through educational software is conducted by a test that consists of questions broken down into levels according to the STEM Model. The findings of the study demonstrate the contribution of educational software as a means of instruction, when it is combined with an in-person encounters between the students and their instructor. We found that combining the in-person meetings with the educational software practice has vastly improved the motivation of the technicians in training, their learning experience and the learner's ability to understand the learning material. The results of our study shed a spotlight on the instruction, which are a major part of the teaching process in general, as well as the use of educational software as a relevant and applicable mean in the training process in particular. The case study, conducted in the Israeli Air Force, which guides the training processes that are held in the army, is the first case study of its kind, which tracks the use of educational software as a means of instructional work. Our assumption is that training work using educational software has a high influence in the context of teaching and training in different and diverse institutions and organizations, such as in academia.

High requirements for professional training of Defence Specialists were and remain the main guarantee of successful functioning of any military structure. Continuous improvement of the educational process in higher military educational institutions is the basis for its transformation to the conditions of the current situation in the world. In the paper, the authors offer an option to determine the number of classroom hours. This project describes approaches to creating a new, modern system of classroom hours, which ensures the continuity of improving the level of professional competence of higher military educational institutions using the nonlinear mathematical model of Weibull-Gnedenko. Organisational and methodological problems were analysed. Because of the analysis of methodological literature, the points of view of teachers and methodologists are compared on the modern methodological work, and a mathematical model was used that established the relationship between the training level of students and the number of academic hours. The proposed model divides the educational process into initial and main periods. The learning process strengthens in the main period. There is a slowdown at the beginning and end.

The article deals with the innovative, cutting age solution within the language testing realm, namely computer adaptive language testing (CALT) in accordance with the NATO Standardization Agreement 6001 (NATO STANAG 6001) requirements for further implementation in foreign language training of personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AF of Ukraine) in order to increase the quality of foreign language testing. The research provides the CALT method developed according to NATO STANAG 6001 requirements and the CALT algorithm that contains three blocks: "Starting point", "Item selection algorithm", "Scoring algorithm" and "Termination criterion". The CALT algorithm has an adaptive ability, changing a complexity level, sequence and the number of items according to the answers of a test taker. The comparative analysis of the results of the CALT method piloting and the paper-and-pencil testing (PPT) in reading and listening according to the NATO STANAG 6001 requirements justifies the effectiveness of the three-level CALT method. It allows us to determine the following important benefits of CALT: test length reduction, control of measurement accuracy, objective assessment, improved test security, generation of a unique set of items, adaptive ability of the CALT algorithm, high motivation of the test takers, immediate score reporting and test results management. CALT is a qualitative and effective tool to determine test takers' foreign language proficiency level in accordance with NATO STANAG 6001 requirements within the NATO Defence Educational Enhancement Programme. CALT acquires a special value and relevance in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Contemporary emphases on standardization, specialization, and selectivity in higher education alienate students and teachers from their own creativity, intellectual curiosity, and personal stories. This trend runs counter to the central focus of honors on fostering a diverse, scholarly learning environment. Authors suggest that integrating student personal narratives into honors curricula reinforces its values of multiplicity, inclusivity, and meaningful learning. Using metaphorical reference to the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" as a unique lens into the pedagogical benefits of such integration, this essay provides ways of incorporating and sharing personal narratives in the classroom and offers strategies to ensure that all honors students find individual connections between the material and themselves. Asserting that all students hold a unique place "on the line," authors show how integrating their personal narratives can subvert alienation and help create the rich, variegated academic experiences that are the hallmarks of honors pedagogy.

Using data from the 2012 Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (n = 74,938), this study examines the relationships among gender, ROTC participation, students' sense of belonging, and perceptions of campus climate. Findings reveal that gender describes little variance in sense of belonging when perceptions of climate are taken into consideration; at the same time, cadets broadly, regardless of gender, report greater instances of discrimination on campus than the general student populations. Implications are addressed.

The Proteus effect of exergames has been widely regarded as a factor that influences human performance and learning. Within the context of security and defense exergames, identification with a digital alter-ego affects students' task performance as well as their emotional states. In the present study, we examined the influence of the perceived masculinity of male avatars on players who were engaged in gamified military exercises (based on competition and command) in a three-dimensional environment. Analysis of data that were obtained from 51 male learners using semi categorized interviews revealed that, during the game, participants with more masculine avatars were more self-confident, engaged with the task, and obtained higher scores than their counterparts with less masculine avatars. Moreover, when they adopted an avatar that they perceived to be more masculine, they reported improved mood, self-confidence, and decisiveness after the completion of the game.

Fighter jets are a critical national asset. Because of the high cost of their manufacture and that of their related equipment, both pilots and maintenance personnel must complete intensive training before coming into contact with a jet. Due to gradual military downsizing, one-on-one training is often impracticable, and the level of familiarization with procedures among personnel is difficult to measure. The US military introduced a chatbot as part of its digital training material to enhance training effectiveness and avoid equipment damage. In this study, the contribution of an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot in training is explored. To evaluate the necessity of an AI chatbot, research samples were divided into two groups, namely an experimental and a control group, with 20 people in each group. A paired t test was employed for differentiation analysis of pretest and posttest average scores, revealing that the two groups exhibited a statistically significant improvement in their learning performance. In addition, the blend of analysis of variance results indicated significant differences between the two groups. The chatbot training was more effective than traditional instructor teaching in terms of trainee performance improvement.

This needs assessment identified the competencies, subcompetencies, and tasks to include in the preservice instructor course of the U.S. Air Force's Special Warfare Training Wing. Using the Borich needs assessment model, this study solicited the perceptions of current instructors on the importance of and their preparedness to execute competency-based tasks using Likert-type scales. A mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS) was calculated for each task as a measure of training need. A steering committee served to triangulate survey findings, refine the competency list and determine if the task should be included in the preservice instructor course. A high MWDS did not mean the task belonged in the preservice instructor course if the task was suited to experienced instructors. Overall, 135 of 142 tasks were recommended for inclusion in the preservice course to provide broad exposure to pedagogical concepts. Recommendations were made for extending the use of MWDS during task analysis.

This paper tells a story of Israeli male high schoolers who spend their adolescent years preparing for service in elite military units in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). They dream of serving in special units and begin training at 15 or 16 years old. After years of taxing preparations, at the age of 17 they arrive at the grueling military exams. They are at their peak -- potent and energized, motivated, and in the best shape of their lives. Yet most high schoolers return from the examinations psychologically broken. Having imagined their future selves as virile commandos, they return humiliated for cowering during the tough assignments. The paper draws on interviews with 40 adults who failed the exams 10 to 15 years after the event. Using Bourdieu's theory of symbolic violence, it shows that youthful failure at 17 continues to send debilitating messages for years after the event. Those who fail continually tell themselves that they are not worthy, not good enough, that they do not have enough character or strength. Consequently, they abandon possible life trajectories and possible selves. They surrender to the exam, and then remain prisoners of a cultural ethos they have failed to embody.

Language-related Study Abroad (SA) experiences can be catalysts for learner transformation in the areas of cognition, socialization, and/or affect by virtue of the location and experience. An Open Architecture Curriculum Design (OACD) framework can support, promote, and enhance such transformation, as evidenced in eight programs for young adults, including language students in government programs, referenced in this article. An educational philosophy that focuses on language learner transformation, Transformative Language Learning and Teaching (TLLT) has as its primary goals personal transformation that leads to multilingual/multicultural competence and learner autonomy; OACD is a fundamental principle of TLLT. Grounded in the work of Mezirow (1978, 1991), who first observed and described Transformative Learning (TL) in adult education, TLLT posits that the personal transformation cited involves cognitive, emotional, and cultural shifts occurring within the individual as s/he develops self-awareness, resolves disorienting dilemmas, identifies cognitive distortions, manages emotions, and ultimately integrates two (or more) cultures--the home culture and the target culture--on their own terms. TLLT in SA can be expressed as in-country study experience, virtual experience, language program with a service component, or in-country work experience with a language component. SA TLLT, in varying formats, has been used successfully in university, service academy, and government learning environments before, during, and after COVID--and continues to evolve with changing times.

Intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) may augment military training systems and mitigate existing limitations in training personnel and resources. A study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of an embedded rifle marksmanship ITS for Moving Targets (MT-ITS). MT-ITS has two main components: (1) a Smart Sight System that provides a perceptual cue to help trainees adjust their point of aim to account for a target's speed, direction of movement, and distance, and (2) a performance-based algorithm that delivers shooting performance feedback to trainees. The MT-ITS was tested in an experiment where participants engaged moving targets in a virtual shooting range. Moving targets were presented at different speeds, direction of movement, and distances. Two types of marksmanship training were compared: with ITS and without ITS (a standard training). The ITS training group produced better hit rate and aiming accuracy scores than the standard training group, requiring less practice to achieve asymptotic results. Implications for the design of embedded trainers with ITS for marksmanship specifically and for training motor skills in general are discussed in the context of future research directions.

Purpose: Every year several thousand female cadets participate in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) in the UK, but little is known about the impact that this experience has on the subsequent employability of the female cadets. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of academic teenage girls from one all-female unit of their participation in CCF and the personal benefit or otherwise in relation to their ultimate employability. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of 10 young women who had participated in CCF for at least three years. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis. Findings: Participants were effusive about the transformative effects of CCF in relation to personal confidence, recognising transferable skills and raising personal aspiration, all key elements to employability, particularly for women. They also considered they had gained future workplace advantage having had opportunity to trial leadership strategies in mixed gender teams, an experience unavailable elsewhere to them. Loyalty to the contingent pervaded every discussion and the importance of team goals, although this level of selfless commitment may be detrimental to employability, subsuming their personal interests to the greater good. Originality/value: Research into the benefit or otherwise of teenage girls' extra-curricular activities is scarce, and this is the first study, to the authors' knowledge, that explores the perceptions of the impact their time in CCF had on their graduate employability skills.

In "Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College ("SFFA")," the United States Supreme Court revisited an issue that had been litigated before it twenty years earlier. In two separate cases brought against the University of Michigan, the issue was whether it was a violation of the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for the university to use "race" as a factor in student admissions. On June 23, 2003, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, writing for a 5-4 majority in "Grutter v. Bollinger," declared that it was not. For the past two decades, according to the author, relying on Justice O'Connor's deeply-flawed reasoning in "Grutter" schools across the country, including service academies, have openly used race to benefit certain applicants and to racially discriminate against others. Fast forward twenty years, according to the author, and they remain perplexed by the continuing support for these divisive policies. The author states they had always assumed the compelling interest in having an effective military demanded that the military recruit and train the very best officers it could attract, irrespective of race.

Modernization of the military system and its content has enhanced the value of the foreign language as a subject aimed at the formation of communicative competence of future officers. It mainly concerns a professional language, which is an obligatory part of the cadets' professional training. One of the main tasks of foreign language training of future officers is to form the communicative competency in the spheres of professional and situational communication as well as to learn new professional information from foreign sources. Based on the stated above, the author developed the methodology of forming communicative competence of future officers in the process of foreign language training with the active implementation of informational communicative technologies and computer means of teaching: the virtual reality, military-professional games, role play stimulators, and other software, within which a dialogue appeared. The last is regarded as an active message exchange between participants of the educational process or a user and the information system in real-time. The use of informational communicative technologies has enabled instant access to remoted module informational resources, synchronous (asynchronous) communication between subjects of the educational process. It has also provided new opportunities for testing, administration, and cooperation. The experimental usage of the author's methodology was implemented into the teaching process of the subject "Foreign language" based on the intercultural educational environment as a set of immersion, virtual, interactive, and discourse educational environments. The analysis of the obtained results and objective consideration of the dynamics of the changes in the formation of communicative competence of future officers have been done through the integrated test (targeted monitoring, a set of adapted tests application, an online survey, a questionnaire, case study, situational modelling, individual and group interviews) and methods of mathematical statistics. The conducted study has proved the efficiency of the author's methodology implementation based on the intercultural educational environment of higher military education establishments. The proposed methodology can be successfully used in the process of foreign language training of various specialists because its main strategic orientation is to form communicative competence and abilities for intercultural communication among students (cadets).

The purpose of this study is to identify the significant factors affecting the Korean military cadets' attitude towards diversity. Two hundred twenty-one (221) military cadets of Korea Army Academy at Yoengchoen (KAAY) were sampled from the Cadets' Corps and completed a battery of questionnaires from May 23, 2018, to June 2, 2018. The multiple regression results revealed that the experience of multicultural education at pre-transfer college had significant effects on the Korean military cadets' attitude toward diversity. Furthermore, group activities and interactions with civilians in the military academy demonstrate the most significant effects on Korean military cadets' attitudes toward diversity. The results suggest that school administrators and instructors of a military academy should consider offering formal classes on diversity of military cadets. Encouraging the cadets to participate in various activities to deepen the understating for diverse members and to continue to communicate with civilians is strongly needed.

Microgenetic design or microgenetic method is a scientific method in which the same setting is studied repeatedly in order to observe possible changes in details. Reviewing the current literature, one can conclude that microgenetic methods have positive effects of learning in general and language learning in particular. The main objective of the current study was to investigate the possible effects of implementing input enhancement techniques using microgenetic methods, on Iranian ESP learners' conjunction production. To this end, a number of 40 Iranian ESP learners were participated in the study. During the four-week period of the current study, the participants received the instructions and treatment, two sessions a week and each session lasted for an hour. After administering the pre-test before the instruction, using input enhancement techniques, a number of the conjunctions were presented and taught to the learners in the first session. The data were collected after instructional sessions during the first, third, fifth, and seventh weeks through paragraphs focusing on conjunction production written by the participants. The results indicated that, in the course of time, input enhancement techniques using microgenetic methods, significantly affect Iranian ESP learners' conjunction production.

Recent years have witnessed the publication of a variety of scholarly papers highlighting region-specific peculiarities of education in the Russian Empire. However, they tend to focus on statistical information regarding the number of schools, the number of students, etc. Therefore, theoretical and pedagogical views and unique features of the methodological work done by major provincial teachers remain poorly researched. The paper discusses the case study of the Novocherkassk Gymnasium that was the most prominent scientific and educational center in the Don region in the 19th century and that boasted a teaching personnel of renowned local figures. Remarkably, the material on the actual pedagogical process in the gymnasium was already collected before 1917, mainly in the initiative to celebrate the facility's centenary, and as many appropriate documents lacked, much attention was paid to gathering information from former gymnasium students. As a result, the knowledge of real teaching practices used in the gymnasium is based both on official documents and on informal, often critical, accounts by contemporaries of its teachers, and the group of teachers include persons who played an important role in the Don history. The second part of the paper is dedicated to the evolution of theoretical pedagogical thought and educational methods in the Novocherkassk Gymnasium from 1810 to 1850. The paper demonstrates that the educational process became relatively streamlined only since this period -- this happened at the end of 1830 when I.Ya. Zolotarev, the first Don Cossack, who taught at a higher educational institution (Kharkov University), was appointed its director. It was he who introduced for teachers regular reporting on class attendance, topics covered, firmly required teachers to prepare curricula and drove other changes. Parallel to the process, there were shifting theoretical views of Novocherkassk teachers as advocates of practice-oriented and applied education, helpful in building a career, strengthened their position. The Novocherkassk gymnasium was envisioned as a "military" educational institution that served the interests of the Don Host by training officers and administrators. However, the plans were hindered by excessive formalism in teaching, lack of focus on actual cognitive abilities of children and too a scholastic educational process that had no touch with reality. By 1850, a certain development crisis had began looming over the Novocherkassk Gymnasium: the number of people willing to be students at practice-oriented courses gradually went down while the needs of the Don Host were not addressed. [Part 1 of the series was published in "Bylye Gody: Russian Historical Journal" v56 n2 p519-529 2020.]

This article re-operationalizes the term "impact" to evaluate success in the USAF Leader Development Course for Squadron Command (LDC). Literature is used to define impact in a three-part way: area of impact (what topics were most effective in instruction), level of impact (how topics will be applied in the future), and depth of impact (why the course was effective). Based on qualitative analysis of 379 surveys completed by students and their supervisors, findings revealed 10 top areas of impact. Seven topics were common between what students indicated had impacted them with what graduates reported actually applying post-graduation. Regarding level of impact, self, others, and unit were the top-rated categories of applying course content. The depth of impact was seen as being in an ecosystem of interconnectedness between the human microsystem (interactions with instructors, peers, and self) and six overlapping elements -- the exosystem -- that brought the student experience to life. The system of relationships is depicted in a new model called the "Student Experience Ecosystem" that may serve as a blueprint for designing similar courses. The study aids LDC revisions, informs development of similar programs in the academic community, and offers a holistic way to improve pedagogy in higher education.

In response to the inculcation of global culture, behaviour of glocalization was shaped and disseminated into various fields of life including education and English language pedagogy across various countries. The current study focused on providing an insight into this glocalization with special orientation to learning and teaching English language in Pakistani context with particular focus on military academia. The research aimed to inquire the active participants of the learning process i.e. the students, with respect to their perspectives regarding inculcation of glocalization in their ELT curriculum. The research was primarily a survey based research which was conducted at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul and 189 cadets are the respondents of this survey. Analytical framework of Byrem (1997, 2001) and Byrem & Feng (2006) is adapted and utilized. The study reveals that ELT contents at PMA are more embedded with culture of UK and lack local culture of the cadets. Moreover, the cadets are found positive towards the suggestion of including culture of various parts of national and military culture in their English textbooks. The current study recommended reappraisal of English language rehearsals at PMA with special orientation towards glocalization element which appreciates a mixture of cultural elements from local to global context.

Higher education institutions are continually striving to make education relevant to the working environment students will encounter upon graduation. One of the tools for enhancing an institution's quality and sufficiently informing students about their outcomes and learning opportunities is a quality assessment. Quality assessment is a long process which establishes measurable student learning outcomes, then analyses and interprets them. This enables students to receive feedback on their learning and helps them to improve their performance. The authors' objective was to gather empirical data on students´ learning in order to improve the process of learning and to refine study programmes. A longitudinal study was used to observe students' performance and outcomes from entrance exams to state exams. Statistical analysis revealed that there is a correlation between the results of the admission tests and the study results, especially the connection between the results of the entrance test and the chance of successful completion of studies. No statistically significant correlation was found between the overall results of military students' studies. An interesting issue is a comparison between military and civilian students, as well as civilian students´ results. As a continuous process, assessment of students' performance was observed up until the Final State Examination.

This study aimed at investigating attitudes and perceptions of second year students studying at Gendarmerie NonCommissioned Officers Vocational College towards English instruction. Attitudes of students were examined by focusing on the levels of attitudes as low, moderate, and high. The three dimensions of an attitude; importance, enjoyment, and anxiety which were extracted through factor analysis were also explored. The students' perceptions were studied in relation with the dimensions of General English courses namely; objectives, content, learning activities, materials and evaluation procedures. The study also explored whether the learners' perceptions differed according to their level of attitudes. The sample of this study was consisted of 308 second year students studying at Gendarmerie Non-Commissioned Officers Vocational College. The data were collected through an attitude scale and a perception questionnaire and were analyzed descriptively and through chi-square test by using IBM SPSS 22.0. The results of the study revealed that majority of the participants held moderately low attitudes towards English language learning and teaching process. The students also displayed moderately low attitudes regarding each of the three dimensions of attitude. The perceptions of the students revealed that General English courses need improvement. Furthermore, it was found out that some of the students' perceptions varied according to their level of attitudes. In conclusion, based on the students' preferences and perceptions, in alliance with their attitudes, suggestions and recommendations were made to improve the General English courses in Gendarmerie Non-Commissioned Officers Vocational College.

In the light of previous research into the correlation between the acquisition of formulaic sequences and language learners' fluency gains, this study aims to investigate the extent to which an intensive course of direct instruction in preselected targeted formulaic sequences can improve IELTS students' oral fluency. In achieving this purpose, the researcher explores criteria for selecting formulaic sequences for intensive instruction as part of an IELTS speaking preparation course, and outlines principles for selecting and developing tasks and activities for the acquisition of formulaic sequences. The methodology for our intensive instruction course was quantitatively and qualitatively assessed using a group of five intermediate second language learners of English who had not received IELTS training before. A body of empirical data was gathered in pre- and post-course speaking tests conducted in full accordance with the IELTS format, with the test takers' performance being audio recorded. Recorded data were imported into Praat speech processing software to examine the temporal characteristics of the participants' speech. Analysis of the pre- and post-test recordings using a number of temporal measures revealed a significant increase in the number of targeted formulaic sequences used by the study participants after four weeks of intensive direct instruction. Analysis of the empirical data collected suggests a beneficial effect of formulaic sequence acquisition on both IELTS students' speaking performance and on their overall Speaking scores. The findings obtained are used to hypothesise to what extent formulaic sequences acquired through the course of direct instruction can influence test-takers' IELTS Speaking scores.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a blended learning method on the development of foreign language communicative competence of the officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the educational and information environment of a Higher Military Educational Institution. The foreign language training was carried out at 11 military educational institutions. Nineteen foreign language teachers were enrolled who conducted face-to-face training in an online virtual class and used the Moodle platform of the National Defence University of Ukraine named after Ivan Cherniakhovskyi for distance learning. Such a combination of the components (face-to-face and distance learning) provided the opportunity for them to implement effectively the case study and project-based learning activities in an online virtual class and to use simultaneously the information and communication tools of an educational and information environment. In the study, a 'pre-test--post-test' experimental research design was used. The data collection tool was a proficiency language test according to NATO STANAG 6001 requirements. A difference between the two stages in favour of the results gained after conducting the investigation was revealed. Therefore, it is stated that integrating information and communication technology tools in foreign language training will have positive effects on both the teachers and officers to help them be aware of the modern tools of the information and educational environment.

It is broadly acknowledged that, for quality management to be effective, it needs to be viewed and implemented as a dynamic and active process by people in an organisation, specifically its leaders. This study aimed to determine the level of leaders' commitment with regard to their perceptions and attitudes concerning quality management of training in corps training units within the South African Army. The Leader Perception and Attitude Scale was developed for this purpose. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 229 leaders at six of the eight South African Army's corps training units. Correlation coefficients were determined, and structural equation modelling was performed. The results indicated that leaders' attitudes had a statistically significant influence on their commitment (p < 0.001), whereas perceptions had no statistically significant influence (p = 0.488). The results contrast with previous studies, which have mostly indicated that perceptions influence employee commitment. By targeting leaders' attitudes, therefore, the South African Army may be able to design and implement appropriate strategies to improve leaders' commitment and thereby enhance training effectiveness. The potential usefulness of a scale that measures the level of commitment of leaders and is able to indicate the level of effect that perceptions and attitudes can have, may be of interest to other military settings and organisations that conduct in-house training.

In 1972, the Marland Report included leadership as a domain of giftedness in the first federal definition. Although federal and state descriptions of gifted and talented services still include identifying and developing leadership talent, in many states, services are not mandated or funded. Consequently, leadership development is often left to extracurricular programs (e.g., student organizations, athletics). The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) provides school-based military-focused leadership education and opportunities to apply emergent leadership skills. This qualitative study examined leadership talent development in JROTC and the postsecondary paths participants chose. A self-report survey was distributed to graduating seniors enrolled in JROTC in Texas public high schools. The findings highlighted characteristics of students who chose to pursue military-focused education or careers after high school and themes about their leadership development experiences in JROTC. Students benefitted from opportunities for career-related identity exploration, a culture that supported leadership development, and psychosocial skills coaching.

Using a theoretical framework combining the sociological concept of habitus and virtue ethics philosophy the article analyses 39 interviews with junior British Army officers and cadets to explore moral character development in the early years. Overall, with a focus on moral character, the article asks how these junior Army officers are exploring their own way in the practice in a complex and protracted process of learning and socialization. Once the officers have developed characters in synergy with the professional practice and its values this process may be described as owning professional practice. A premium is placed on practice experience which needs to be maximized for moral learning. Two assets are found among the sample for doing this: humility and a desire for close contact with experienced officers. It is further argued that once the practice is owned in the ways suggested, it can be ethically advanced through character.

This article describes the motivation and design for introductory coursework in computation aimed at midcareer professionals who desire to work in data science and analytics but who have little or no background in programming. In particular, we describe how we use modern interactive computing platforms to accelerate the learning of our students both in and out of the classroom. We emphasize the importance of organizing the interaction with course material so that students learn not only to "think computationally" but also to "do computationally." We provide details of existing courses in computation offered at the Naval Postgraduate School, and we describe their ongoing evolution in response to increased demand from members of the civilian and military workforce.

Campuses are increasingly offering military cultural-competency professional development training to staff and faculty to support military-connected students. Using four years of program data, we examine outcomes for a custom training, including retention of content knowledge, application of lessons on campus, and comparison of outcomes for in-person and online versions of the training. Results suggest that participants, both in-person and online, developed higher confidence and greater capacity to support student veterans. Evidence for examining training impact included correct response rates on a post-training quiz, scaled perceptions data, and open-ended feedback. Implications for research on the effectiveness of military cultural competency training are discussed, along with recommendations for creating an inclusive campus culture for military-connected students.

This article traces the emergence of the term 'turbulence' to describe the educational disruption experienced by military children after 1945. It asks why the term came to dominate professional discussion of military education so much from the late 1960s onwards and the wider tensions it exposed in post-war Britain: between welfare and warfare; 'tradition' and progressiveness; individuals and communities; families and institutions. Moreover, this article argues that childhood mobility in the late twentieth century was at times refracted through assumptions about class and rank, as well as issues such as immigration and intelligence. Finally, this article uses oral history interviews to reflect on how turbulence itself became part of the life stories of many former service children, offering 'composure', explanation and even a community through which to understand their sometimes-disrupted education and childhoods.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the militarisation of school life was the primary motivation and the ideological basis for the introduction and promotion of the Boy Scouts in China. Church schools used Scouting to expand the influence of the schools themselves and even their religion. Chinese and western educators in Republican China jointly promoted the process of 'sinicisation' of Scouting, allowing young children to experience the fun while winning the recognition of the general public. Compared with the original British Scouting, this 'sinicisation' is mainly reflected in the Scout Motto, Oath and Law rather than organisation and training content. Early Scouting in Republican China further proves that Scouting is both military and educational. It was also its dual role that contributed to the Kuomintang's decision to directly lead the Boy Scouts in 1926.

Similar to a service member's training, navigating a health crisis requires the acquisition of skills that enable employees to successfully perform their jobs. As a result of politics, egos, and a neglect for science, the U.S. government's response over how to handle the pandemic was bungled with misinformation and conflicting reports only fueling skeptics who no longer trust the government. Many adults still question the benefits of social distancing, masks, and a vaccine while more than 925,000 Americans have perished from COVID-19. A well-developed and consistent response to future health crises is necessary. The military already prepares its members to survive during challenging times and may offer human resource development professionals opportunities to focus on the skills that are beneficial in handling a global health crisis. The replication of military training in the workplace dealing with a pandemic is considered.

To shed light on factors that encourage retention among active-duty military and veterans as they pursue degrees, a mixed-methods exploratory study was designed. A random sample of active-duty military and veterans enrolled in online degree programs at one private institution was invited to participate. Students were interviewed in online focus group sessions. Insights from the focus group participants informed a survey that was distributed to additional servicemembers and veterans. Study participants indicated they were attracted to the institution because faculty and staff were responsive to the needs of military students, the institution had a generous transfer credit acceptance policy, and it offered credentials that matched their career aspirations. Advising and enrollment assistance as well as financial incentives further contributed to student persistence toward degrees. Family and employer support along with self-determination were noted by participants as very important to degree attainment.

The cognitive purpose of the research presented in the article is to identify the propensity for pro-social and altruistic behavior among first-year military students (of basic training) in three simulated situations of need for help to other people. It raised the question contained in the main research problem: to what extent do military students at universities tend to behave in a pro-social and altruistic way in situations that pose a threat to the other people's life and health, and what is the relationship between these behaviors and socialization in the civil environment? At the outset, the hypothesis was adopted that the candidates for professional soldiers show (or at least should show) a higher propensity for this type of behavior. For its verification, the population of the first-year military students during their basic training was assumed as a research area. The study covered 246 people (85 women and 161 men) selected randomly from among military students in the first year of studies of the command profile (major in management and command studies) of all military specialties and the medical profile. The selection of the research sample based on first-year students during the basic training (1 month of service) aimed to identify the impact of environmental factors (primary and secondary socialization as a "civilian") on the tendency to altruistic and pro-social behavior in two different groups of candidates for professional soldiers.

The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the main factors that explain the resistance to distance education (DE) in corporate education (CE) in a military institution. The present study was structured with quantitative and explanatory approach, based on the theoretical framework of the READEC model, which was developed and validated by Albertin and Brauer (2012). From a technical point of view, a bibliographic survey and a field survey were carried out by means of an electronic questionnaire. Data collection was carried out with a sample of 345 Brazilian Army personnel who were part of the Training Course for Sergeants (TCS). The data of this research were treated with the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), technique based on Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results of the research showed that the self-efficacy and performance expectation dimensions directly and positively influence the resistance to the DE in the CE, and the effort expectation, facilitating conditions and interactivity dimensions are constructs antecedent to the performance expectation. Contrary to the previous theory, the results also indicated that the perception about the organizational infrastructure was not significant to explain the resistance to DE, which allows us to bring new insights about this phenomenon.

Competency Based Education (CBE) is becoming increasingly popular with Department of Defense (DoD) training and education. Air University, located at Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB) Alabama, recently identified CBE as a key factor for consideration in future training. This article discusses Air Force Competencies, analyzes the evaluation of competencies, and transfer of learning. The Civilian Associate's Degree, currently under beta testing, is discussed as an example of the need to consider transfer of learning with respect to institutional competencies. Beta testing of the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Air Force Leadership and Management Studies is meant to pave the way for the development and implementation of Civilian Airman training. Based on Civilian Associate's Degree (CAD) Beta Testing student data, our research examines how CAD faculty can best capture professional interdisciplinary knowledge and experiences present in incoming students. In turn, leadership and management theories will add to the student knowledge and experience. This paper is an effort to capture the utilization of previous professional student experiences while developing and updating course curriculum based upon research and Beta Test student data.

This study investigates conceptions first-year cadets at a US senior military college bring to general education writing courses, often termed first-year composition (FYC). Using a mixed methods research design, we received survey responses from 122 cadets and conducted semi-structured in-person interviews with four first-year cadets. Our data suggest cadets stress orality, credibility, and clarity when writing for FYC. These conceptions are largely influenced by the cadet's interest and immersion in the Army yet are also strongly influenced by their brief introduction to college-level writing within this compulsory class. We conclude by arguing for two specific avenues of future research into gleaning students' conceptions of courses, specifically arguing both for exploring how conceptions all students bring to the classroom impact moments of transfer and for engaging all students in course design.