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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.