Conference kicks off lifelong learning

Army Communicator,  Winter, 2003  by Armando Monroig

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Fort Gordon hosted a two-day lifelong learning conference Dec. 16 and 17 at Nelson Hall, for Training and Doctrine Command representatives.

The conference explained lifelong learning centers to 32 senior representatives from TRADOC and TRADOC schools.

The attendees toured the Fort Gordon facility and a resident schoolhouse where they observed students using tools from the learning center as well as the use of simulations.

The participants received briefings from Dr. Robert Helms, from the Research Triangle Institute in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and a key author of the Fort Gordon master plan; COL Bill Wilson, director, Directorate of Training for the U.S. Army Signal School; and MAJ James Pennington, chief of the Fort Gordon Lifelong Learning Center.

One of the conference's main goals was letting installations know the lifelong learning plan will be tailored for them and their needs, according to Pennington.

"The conference was the first step," said Pennington. "We showed them how to build the master plan.

"It's not a cookie-cutter approach," he said. "We want to tailor the solution to how the installation is structured."

"We set up some times with them so we could come visit them and meet their commandants and to work with the issues of building a master plan," said Pennington.

Fort Gordon is leading the way when it comes to lifelong learning. "We are the model, the prototype," he said.

The idea of lifelong learning originated in late 2000, according to Conference kicks off lifelong learning

Barbara Walton, chief of the University of Information Technology Division, Directorate of Training. In 2001, a study was conducted to get an overview of how training was done at the Signal Center. By July 2001 the master plan for lifelong learning was put on paper.

TRADOC designated the Signal Center as the executive agent to develop a plan for establishing lifelong learning centers for each TRADOC proponent. The Signal Center also serves on a TRADOC-sponsored team assisting schools in developing lifelong learning plans to execute school training strategies. The center is also establishing standardized Lifelong Learning Centers (hardware, software, personnel) across TRADOC for delivery of training and education to active and reserve component Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians.

Lifelong learning is divided into four parts: Assignment Oriented Training, Lifelong Learning Center, Virtual Campuses and Simulations, explained Pennington.

"The lifelong learning center is the hub of the operations," he said.

"That's the seed that makes the lifelong learning tree grow," said Walton. "It's the central nervous system for lifelong learning."

The Fort Gordon center has a digital library, 24/7 helpdesk and a student management database. This is where all the content, simulations, computer systems, databases are to manage a Soldier's training record, said Pennington.

Web-based portals like Army Knowledge On-line, to access news, forum, messages, chat-rooms and download training information are different avenues Soldiers can use to become lifelong learners.

"Under this premise a Soldier coming in the Army can get training on just what they need for their first unit of assignment," said Pennington. A Soldier can get up-to-date training after his or her first duty station with the use of the Lifelong learning Center and UIT.

With this type of teaching, called assignment oriented training, training is focused to the individual Soldier who learns only what is needed for his first duty station, and then as the soldier progresses throughout his military career he learns more by using the lifelong learning centers, according to Walton.

She said this is especially helpful for Soldiers studying military occupational specialties with lengthy instruction--some courses are almost 50 weeks long.

Walton said lifelong learning is picking the right types of training and designing them using the latest technology in order to get that training to the Soldier whenever they need it and wherever they are.

Walton emphasized that lifelong learning does not replace traditional teaching but enhances it.

"It's a mixture of the traditional way of teaching, where the teacher stands up in front of the class and new ways of teaching where you get on the Internet and take an e-learning class," she said. "It is then delivered at the right time and the right place.

"That's what lifelong learning is all about," said Walton. "How do we keep up?"

Walton said lifelong learning is the solution and it is going to take a team effort to make lifelong learning centers work. She also said Soldiers need to take the initiative and use the tools these centers provide.

"The schoolhouse has to change the way they are doing business rather than trying to train on the actual pieces of equipment that may be out of date and very expensive," she said.