U.S. Military and Learning Management Systems

In today's international climate, it has become more important than ever that U.S. military personnel serving overseas remain informed on various topics. Supplemental training is key, providing vital information on issues such as language, emergency response and more. To resolve the massive logistical challenges inherent in providing this education for thousands of servicemembers located in hundreds of global bases, the U.S. military has turned to learning management systems. What is a Learning Management System? "Learning Management System" is a name given to software suites that facilitate learning and classroom-style interaction for students and educators who cannot meet face-to-face in a centralized location. A learning management system allows educators to provide assignments, examinations, readings, discussion forums and other resources that students may access online any time of the day or night. Students interact with the instructor and their classmates through forums or chat rooms. How Are Learning Management Systems Used by the U.S Military?rnUsing learning management software, members of the U.S. military are able to take training classes appropriate to their service, rank and station regardless of where they are located. The U.S. military has instituted partnerships that allow servicemembers to participate in a variety of online classes. These cover subjects like officer training, foreign language, intelligence analysis, and many others. In most cases, these classes contribute directly to military career advancement. What Benefits Do Learning Management Systems Offer?rnLearning management systems are increasing in importance in both the private and the public sector. Their main advantage is that they allow students and instructors to "meet" from anywhere in the world. However, there are other important features. For example, implementing and maintaining a learning management system is extremely inexpensive compared to face-to-face classroom alternatives. Likewise, the teaching materials that instructors will use can be updated very quickly. Do Servicemembers Benefit From Using Learning Management Systems?rnIn this day and age, many servicemembers will not spend their entire career in any branch of the military. When they transition to civilian life, they will be expected to transfer their skills to a civilian context or update those skills so as to adapt to a role in business or industry. By becoming familiar with a learning management system during their term of service, military personnel acquire skills that they will need to continue their education in the future. This positions them well to use G.I. Bill education benefits for veterans. Conclusion: Providing High Quality Educational Experiences WorldwidernLearning management systems are growing more and more important in a variety of educational contexts. At their respective organizations, thousands of college students and businesspeople throughout the United States use these systems for distance learning. Servicemembers are uniquely suited to benefit from this growing trend.